Mt. Pleasant shakes off turnovers, rallies for 1-point win over Ambridge

By: Paul S. Brittain
Friday, September 12, 2025 | 11:10 PM

After a pair of tough losses, the Mt. Pleasant football team was hoping a homecoming night visit from winless Ambridge would help to change the Vikings’ fortunes.

Although two second-half turnovers cost the injury-plagued Vikings in the form of Ambridge touchdowns, the hosts rallied and held on for a 28-27 victory.

Early in the game, the teams traded long scoring runs on consecutive possessions after freshman Kaden Hudec scrambled 58 yards to score on the Vikings’ first play of the game, and the Bridgers’ D.J. Cain ran 60 yards to the end zone on the next play after the kickoff.

Tied 7-7, Mt. Pleasant answered with a 70-yard scoring drive, led by runs of 18 yards and 22 yards by Richard Shawley. Hudec’s 3-yard scoring run capped the drive with Tyke Snyder’s conversion kick giving the Vikings a 14-7 lead.

Not to be outdone, Ambridge drove 68 yards to the end zone and Martese Priest completed a 39-yard scoring pass to Nate Sheffield to knot the score again at 14-14 on Ryan Lambert’s kick.

Hudec’s key fourth-down run for the Vikings kept the next drive going at the Ambridge 31.

Firmstone passed to Jonah Townsend on third-and-15 to set up Shawley’s 5-yard scoring run, and Snyder’s kick made it 21-14 for Mt. Pleasant.

Ambridge’s Ryan Keenan recovered a Viking fumble at the Mt. Pleasant 29 on the first possession of the second half. The Bridgers drove to score on a 1-yard keeper by Cain, and Lambert’s conversion kick again tied the score at 21-21.

The Vikings turned the ball over again on the next drive as Enzo Kittrell recovered a fumble at the Mt. Pleasant 48. A 21-yard pass to the 17-yard line and Cain’s run to the 6 set up Shanar Underwood’s scoring run from there.

The Vikings blocked the conversion kick, but trailed for the first time at 27-21.

Mt. Pleasant responded with a long drive, aided by a facemask penalty that moved the ball to the Ambridge 11.

Hudec’s 7-yard run set up Firmstone’s 2-yard keeper to score, and Snyder’s conversion kick gave the lead back to the Vikings at 28-27.

Mt. Pleasant (2-2) forced a punt on the next series and gained five first downs on a drive that ran out the clock for another comeback win.

Mt. Pleasant coach Jason Fazekas said the Vikings had seven starters out of the game with injuries and lost two more players to injuries during the game.

“We did the best we could this week to get ready,” Fazekas said. “It means a lot that we talked all week about playing with guts and effort. I’m proud of this team.

“It feels amazing. I love my guys. The offensive line, there’s nothing like it. They were awesome.”

Mt. Pleasant visits Laurel Highlands on Sept. 19 in another nonconference game.

Tags: Ambridge, Mt. Pleasant