Mona Shores entered the 2021 season as the two-time defending Division 2 State Champion. With a target on their back, they travelled to Lowell where the Red Arrows hosted their annual Pink Arrow Night game. Though it was still a great night of community and fundraising, the outcome was not close to what anyone in Lowell had hoped. The Sailors showed they are still amongst the teams to beat in the state of Michigan with a dominant 56-14 victory.
The Sailors were backed up deep in their own territory, holding the ball on their own six-yard line. Mark Konecny aired the ball out and found Demetri Roberson for a 94-yard touchdown connection. On their next drive, Mona Shores pushed their lead to fourteen points with an Elijah Johnson touchdown run. The final play of the first quarter saw Konecny use his legs for a five-yard touchdown run that gave Mona Shores a 21-0 lead.
After neither team found the endzone in the opening half of the second quarter, the Sailors’ defense got them going. Jaylen Vinton stepped in front of a Lowell pass and raced down the field for an 80-yard score. Elijah Johnson’s second touchdown, a 1-yard plunge, gave Mona Shores a running clock at halftime, as they were ahead 35-0.
Mona Shores wasn’t done scoring, as Mark Konecny used his legs on their opening drive of the second half to push the lead to 42-0. Connor Lixie would finally get Lowell on the board when he took the ensuing kickoff eighty-four yards to the endzone.
The Sailors would respond with two more touchdowns in the third quarter to extend their already comfortable lead. Mark Konecny scored for the fourth time in the game on a 3-yard run, and after a defensive stop, Kewan Farnum fielded a punt and went sixty-nine yards to the endzone. Lowell would score one last touchdown, with Connor Lixie returning his second kickoff in this game, as he went eighty-seven yards for a score.
Mark Konecny played terrific in his first start under center, as he was 8/11 passing for 216 yards and a touchdown. Konecny also turned 10 carries into 96 yards and three touchdowns. This earns Konecny the first Todd Carlson Focus Financial Sailor of the Night Honors.
Demetri Roberson led the Sailors in receiving with 116 yards, while Jaylen Vinton (51 yards) and Ryan McNiff (49 yards) added to the tally. Defensively, David Frederick led the team with seven tackles, while CJ Ivy added six.
For Lowell, Carter Blough led the offense with 87 yards on seven carries. Nate Cleaver added 76 yards on 25 carries. Connor Lixie was the star with five kick returns for 198 yards and two touchdowns.
Mona Shores will remain on the road next week, travelling to Detroit King. Lowell will go on the road for the first time, as the Red Arrows visit Caledonia.
