Pick-six pushes Panthers to 6-1

KEOKUK — Mt. Pleasant was on the brink of its first loss in district play at Keokuk’s Homecoming on Friday night, but senior Lathan Novak-Watson proved the Panthers had plenty of heroics left in their bag.

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With just under four minutes to play, Keokuk held a 34-29 lead and threatened to make it a two-score game, facing a 3rd-and-4 from the Panthers’ 16-yard line. Desperately needing a stop, Novak-Watson jumped an out route, picked the ball off at the 5 and turned up the sideline for an incredible 95-yard pick-six to win the game 35-34.

“I caught it like a picture and took it to the house, baby,” Novak-Watson said. “There was nobody in front of me, but I was surprised I could move that fast. I was so tired about the 50 and I thought there’s no way I’m making it.”

But Novak-Watson outran everyone to the end zone and flipped the game completely on its head, putting the Panthers up by one point, and spoiling a potential season-changing comeback win for Keokuk.

The Chiefs had battled all the way back from a 20-6 Mt. Pleasant lead with just five minutes left in the second quarter. Keokuk got it all the way down to 23-22 after three periods, and scored twice in the fourth to take a 34-23 advantage.

“Obviously, we got a little deflated,” said Mt. Pleasant head coach John Bowlin. “But our guys bounced back quick.”

The Panthers drove down the field and scored to cut the lead back down to five, but couldn’t convert on the two-point conversion. That meant, Mt. Pleasant needed to get the ball back and get back into the end zone.

Novak-Watson not only gave the Panthers the lead on his pick six, but added another interception on the next drive, his second of the game.

“Once we were down 11 and we were just trying to keep each other up because the game’s not over until there are zeros on the clock,” Novak-Watson said. “We just knew we had to fight in us to get this done.”

Novak-Watson’s pick-six wasn’t the only non-offensive score for the Panthers. Mt. Pleasant had another big play earlier in the game when Griffen Jones brought back his second kick return of the year, meaning Mt. Pleasant scored on offense, defense and special teams.

Offensively, the Panthers did the vast majority of their wok on the ground. Ramzy Davis had a big night, running the ball 24 times for 124 yards, while Griffen Jones took 16 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown.

Grayson Walker only needed to complete four passes for 47 yards and a score in the win. Jack Newman led the receivers with one catch for 28 yards and a score.

Newman had a big day on defense as well, racking up 8.5 tackles to lead the defense. Novak-Watson’s interceptions were the only two Panther takeaways.

The win put Mt. Pleasant in an excellent position standings-wise, as the Panthers are still tied for Solon with a 3-0 district record.

Those now second-ranked Solon Spartans will be at Mapleleaf Athletic Complex this Friday night, when Mt. Pleasant returns home for the first time since Homecoming night. The winner of that game will clinch the Class 3A District 4 title.