Montoursville defensive tackle Landon Morehart made an outstanding, hustling tackle and forced a fourth quarter first down. Kingston Fisher and Hayden Harvey produced a drive-ending sack a play later.

That was the second half story Friday night at Memorial Stadium. As soon as Milton mounted scoring threats, Montoursville squashed them. All 11 players on the field working as one sent a similar message: Not on their watch.

Montoursville guarded its end zone like an angry dog defending its bone, producing a shutout and helping the Warriors start 2-0 for the first time since 2021. The Warriors dominated at all three levels defensively, Christian Banks ran for 100 yards; Jimmy Mussina threw for 156 and Michael Reeder scored on an electrifying 59-yard touchdown catch as Montoursville blanked Milton, 20-0, in its home opener.

“We just knew we had to get the stops there. We couldn’t give anything up or it would have been a much closer game,” two-way lineman Noah Rakestraw said after excelling on both sides. “Our defense showed up to play today. I’m proud of each and every one of them.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville's Michael Reeder picks up yardage during a high school football game against Milton at Montoursville on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.

As well he should be. The Warriors dominated the first half, allowing just 11 rushing yards on 15 carries before bending but not breaking throughout the second half. Montoursville denied Milton points on three straight trips into Warrior territory, including after having first downs at the 7-yard line and 24-yard line on consecutive trips.

The starting defense has not allowed a point yet this season and Montoursville held a team coming off its second straight nine-win season to 169 yards. It also surrendered a paltry 2.6 yards per carry.

“It feels great, absolutely wonderful,” Banks said. “We came into the game and thought it was going to be close but we pulled it out and make it look good.”

Montoursville should feel positively giddy about how its defense responded under pressure during the second half. A Mussina 11-yard first quarter touchdown run and his scoring strike to Reeder had Montoursville up 13-0 at halftime, but Milton kept hanging around and three times seemed poised to make it a one-score game.

Banks made consecutive big plays to stop the first foray into Montoursville territory, but Milton kept battling back and a Chris Doyle 31-yard run gave it a first-and-goal at the 7 late in the third quarter. After Lytle gained three yards on a quarterback keeper, the Warriors started driving Milton backward.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville quarterback Jimmy Mussina runs a play during a high school football game against Milton at Montoursville on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.

Banks came up big again, stopping Lytle for no gain before a penalty pushed the ball back to the 9. The defensive line surged on the next play and swallowed Monty Fisher for a two-yard loss before Reeder broke up a fourth down pass and preserved the shutout.

“It’s nice to get tested because you can kind of prove your mettle,” Montoursville coach Joe Hanna said. “You have your backs to the goal line and how do you stand up against that? It’s good to see them encounter that situation and to not allow a score is great.”

Milton’s defense also made some big plays and kept the Black Panthers (1-1) in the game going into the fourth quarter. Hayden Patterson helped lead the way, making three tackles for loss, while Nate Lopez added a sack.

That seemed to translate to the other side of the ball and, again, the offense put a positive series of plays together. Again, though, Montoursville formed a Navy Blue wall once paydirt seemed within reach.

Nicco Desanto and Hunter Shaffer played key roles on a two-yard loss which set up the third down play when Morehart made the final of his six tackles. Fisher (1 ½ sacks) and Harvey charged through gaps on fourth down and Lytle never had a chance as they dropped him for an eight-yard sack.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent A pack of Montoursville defenders bring down Milton quarterback Chris Doyle on a keeper during a high school football game at Montoursville on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.

“We just wanted it more. We wanted to keep that score low and make it look good,” Banks said. “We can definitely come together as one and stop an offense if we need to. We put a lot of work in.”

That work showed up all night as linemen, linebackers and defensive backs did their jobs and did them especially well. Banks, Harvey and Owen Kleinman formed a strong linebacking trio, Reeder and Kane Moore each broke up multiple passes and the line surged all night.

Rakestraw was a force throughout the first half and emphatically highlighted the push his line was getting on the first-half’s final play. After Milton moved to midfield, Rakestraw overpowered the defender in front of him and produced a 15-yard sack. He finished with seven tackles, two for loss.

“It feels great. It’s a huge momentum booster going into the second half,” Rakestraw said. “That’s when we started getting into their heads a little bit. They started getting a lot of flags and it went downhill for them.”

“Noah is a really strong kid. He worked really hard in the offseason, so everything he’s getting right now is proof that offseason works counts,” Hanna said. “He worked his butt off in the weight room.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Hayden Harvey finds a path through the Milton defense during the first half of a high school football at Montoursville on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.

So did his fellow linemen and Morehart, Desanto, Fisher, Noah Lagasse and Gabe Vanderwal who all asserted themselves offensively, too, helping Montoursville run for 307 yards and pave the way for a 13-play, 71-yard first quarter touchdown drive which consumed more than six minutes.

Montoursville converted three straight third downs before Mussina rolled left on 4th-and-2 and scored the opening touchdown on his 11-yard run. It looked like it might stay that went entering halftime but Montoursville mounted an 89-yard touchdown drive with less than three minutes remaining.

After Banks ran for eight yards and Reeder caught a three-yard first down pass, Montoursville drew a pass interference penalty. Suddenly, the momentum shifted and the Warriors capitalized as Mussina spotted Reeder 15 yards downfield.

At first, it looked like a good play which would keep the drive going strong. Reeder made it much more. Catching the ball on right sideline, he made a series of cuts all the way across the field, sprinting inside the red zone where he shook off a tackler. Reeder then stiff armed one last defender inside the 5-yard line, dove and capped an sensational sequence while giving Montoursville a 13-0 lead and changing the game’s complexion.

“He’s a playmaker for us. We have to find ways to get him the ball and get him in space a little more,” Hanna said. “Any time you can take a two-score lead into the half and score at the end it’s pretty demoralizing for the other team.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville quarterback Jimmy Mussina looks for a receiver during the first half of a high school football game against Montoursville at on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.

Montoursville landed its final blow when needed just five plays to cover 73 yards in the fourth quarter. Banks and Harvey ignited the drive with good runs before Mussina found Kleinman for 12 yards following a personal foul penalty. Banks capped the drive and clinched the win when he followed an excellent block on the left side and rumbled in for an 11-yard score.

Banks reached 100 yards for a second straight week and also made two tackles for loss while punting well.

“I couldn’t do it without my line. They’re a great line,” Banks said. “We’re always trying to get better and better.”

That is the goal going forward as well. And it’s nice having a feisty defense to lay that foundation for success.

“The saying is offense wins games but defense wins championships. We have a great defense, so I’m happy for that.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Michael Reeder runs into the end zone during a high school football game against Milton at Montoursville on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Milton’s Chris Doyle intercepts a pass during the first half of a high school football game against Montoursville at on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Montoursville’s Michael Reeder runs into the end zone during a high school football game against Milton at Montoursville on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024.