In the previous three football games between Polk County and Mitchell, the Mountaineers had won twice. This time, it was all Wolverines, as they scored early and often in a 62-7 homecoming win, Friday, Oct. 11.

That makes five in a row for the 5-3 Wolverines, who are now 3-0 in conference play. They’ve also totaled 142 points in their last two games.

Jordan Smith helped the Wolverines take charge early when he ran the opening kickoff back to the Mitchell 30-yard line. On the first play from scrimmage, Donte Posten bolted into the end zone. Reece Schlabach then hit Tyrone Miller for two points.

Schlabach scored three touchdowns, and passed for two more, before having to leave the game in the fourth when he absorbed a rough tackle after signaling for a fair catch on a Mitchell punt. Team officials note that Schlabach was bruised on the play, but is fine.

Starting with the final score, positives abounded for the Wolverines.

“We had a good start to the game,” said head coach Bruce Ollis. “We certainly wanted to preserve the shutout (Mitchell scored its lone TD in the third quarter, after Polk led 41-0 at the half, (but) that was the only negative.”

Saquan Miller (who caught a pass from Tanner Garrett, the third Polk quarterback to throw a TD pass in the game) got his first touchdown in a game.

After the Wolverines’ first score, they forced Mitchell to punt. Schlabach appeared to return the punt for another quick touchdown, but a penalty (illegal block in the backfield) took the ball back to the Polk 27. Shortly after, a Mitchell player deflected a Schlabach pass and when the ball wound up in a Mountaineer’s hands, an official ruled it an interception.

Polk’s inspired defense forced another punt, and the Wolverines took over at mid-field. Matt Darden pounded out a 29-yard run to Mitchell’s 25, and, with 2:38 remaining in the first quarter, Schlabach carried it in from the 17. Anthony Marino’s PAT kick boosted Polk to 15-0.

Before the quarter ended, Schlabach added his second touchdown run of the evening, this one from mid-field.

About three minutes into in the second quarter, Schlabach delivered the ball to Jamal Tanner and five minutes later hit Anthony Carson on a crossing pattern. Carson turned on the jets for a 50-yard play and the Wolverines’ fifth TD.

On Mitchell’s next possession, the Mountaineers’ center launched a snap that sailed far over the would-be punter, and into the visitors’ end zone, where Tanner landed on it for another 6 points.

Just half the game was in the books; the Wolverines led, 41-0; and Polk fans had plenty to cheer about, including the crowning of Charlyn Bullock as this year’s homecoming queen, during half-time ceremonies.

The Wolverines were far from finished. Near the end of the quarter, Schlabach added his third touchdown run of the evening, from 40 yards out. One kick later, Polk was up 48-7. They saved the rest for the fourth quarter.

With a minute and a half gone in the last period, Carson recovered a fumble, and appeared to run for a touchdown, but a penalty against Polk took the ball back to Mitchell’s 31. That merely delayed the inevitable. On the next play, Smith sprinted to the Mitchell 8. Smith then grabbed a Tanner pass for another score, with 9:19 left in the game. The kick made it 55-7.

Polk’s defense forced Mitchell to kick from its own 22. Schlabach signaled for a fair catch, but was hammered by a Mitchell player. Officials penalized Mitchell, but cries of “Take him (the offending player) out!” from some Polk fans and team members did not influence the officials, who allowed the player to remain on the field.

Garrett’s TD pass to Saquan Miller came with 5:29 left in the game. The PAT kick ended the scoring at 62-7.

On Friday, the Wolverines travel to Newland to take on the Avery Vikings.