How many times has it been said that turnovers lose football games?

 

The answer Friday night in Ephrata was six, as that's how many times the Mounts turned the ball over to the Elizabethtown Bears en route to a 35-0 [box score] shutout by the visitors.

 

With the win, E-town's record improved to 2-2 in Section Two and 2-5 overall, while Ephrata's record fell to 1-3 Section, 1-6 overall.

 

"Our defense worked hard all week," said Mike Cottle, the Bears' head coach. "We worked on the 'veer' offense that Ephrata uses and we wanted to stop that."

 

Cottle must have been pleased, as his den of Bears held the Mounts to just 126 total yards, 82 rushing and 44 passing.

 

Meanwhile, the Bears totaled 249 yards with 185 on the ground and 64 by air.

 

But turnovers were the story that spoiled Homecoming for Ephrata.

 

The Mounts fumbled the ball seven times, losing possession four times, and Bobby Nye was intercepted two times on the night. E-town converted three of the turnovers into touchdowns.

 

Both teams failed to score on their opening drives, but on their second offensive possession, E-town started at its 41 and marched into the end zone on the eighth play, a 5-yard pass from Max Daley to Kirby Breault, for the first score of the game.

 

Three plays later, Nye fumbled at his 16 and Michael Grice recovered. Two plays later, it was Arthur Quaye finishing the drive with a 17-yard rush, and in 89 ticks of the clock, the Bears were up 14-0.

 

Again, the turnover bug would bite the Mounts. On their second play of the very next drive, Blake Weaver fumbled and Jordan Kwamanakweenda recovered and E-town scored its third TD of the first quarter with just 24 seconds remaining when Breault scored his second touchdown of the game from four yards out.

 

Sophomore Armani Mongo led all rushers with 109 yards on 19 carries for the Bears, while Weaver rushed for 45 yards on 9 touches.

 

E-town scored two more times in the first half, once on a six-yard pass from Daley to Gabe Fuhman and Mongo on a five-yarder to finish the scoring.

 

"When I found out I was starting," said Mongo, "I really wanted to show them that I belonged."

 

Breault, who scored the two TDs on offense and had one of the interceptions on defense, said about Ephrata, "they're a good team and we don't overlook anyone. We have to come out an play four quarters. Tonight we played a good game."