NORTON SHORES – In a game where both offenses did quite a bit of scoring, the biggest plays of the Muskegon-Mona Shores showdown came on the defensive side of the ball.

The Big Reds dominated the second half en route to a 49-28 win at Sailor Stadium, but a pair of big plays on defense allowed Muskegon to create some separation in what had been a close game.

An 80-yard fumble return touchdown by Muskegon’s Damari Foster gave the Big Reds a 27-21 lead late in the first half of the back-and-forth contest, and they never gave it back.

“I was like ‘Oh that’s mine. I need it, we need one,’” Foster said of his thoughts when the ball came out. “I took off and ran for my life. Scoring going into the half, knowing we were going to get the ball back after half, it was a big time (swing).”

Then, about halfway through the third quarter, Muskegon stuffed Mona Shores on fourth-and-goal to preserve a 12-point lead, then running back Jakob Price broke for a 99-yard touchdown on the next play.

“Those are key things that most people don’t think about in the game,” Muskegon Coach Shane Fairfield said of big defensive plays. “Most people don’t see those little momentum-switch things in the stats.

“These kids (on defense) are just resilient. They always understand that it’s always one play. Every time we keep them from the end zone, we get a chance to play another down on defense.”

Fairfield added that his team had a bit of an edge after seeing several media outlets picking Mona Shores to win.

“It’s good sometimes to have to hunt,” he said. “We love it when (the media) gives us coverage, (but) when they pick against us, you can’t be salty either. You have to be able to take it and grow. It gave us a little edge tonight.”

With the win, Muskegon moves to 6-1 overall and 5-0 in the O-K Green conference. Mona Shores fell to 5-2 and 4-1 in the conference.

The Big Reds are first in the conference and can clinch at least a share of the title with a win next week against Reeths-Puffer.

Sailor coach Matt Koziak said falling behind in the conference race is disappointing, but his team will regroup at practice next week.

“The bottom line is we did not play well enough to beat them,” he said. “We’re disappointed, our chances of winning the conference are diminished, and that was one of our goals. But we can’t just pack it in and call it quits. We’ll bounce back. We’ve got to keep pushing. Muskegon beat us this week, let’s not let them beat us next week and the week after because we’re dwelling on it.”

Muskegon struck first on its first drive of the game. Sophomore Destin Piggee raced in for a 25 yard touchdown to put the Big Reds up 7-0. Mona Shores responded on the ensuing drive with a two-yard scoring run by quarterback Mark Konecny, and the game was tied 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.

Mona Shores grabbed its first lead with 9:44 left in the second quarter on a 37-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mark Konency to Demitri Roberson to make it 14-7. Muskegon wasted little time tying the score when Price broke loose for a 70-yard TD run just two plays later.

The Sailors took the lead again, this time 21-14, on an 11-yard scoring run by Konecny with 4:21 left in the half. Muskegon scored quickly again to tie the score at 21-21 when quarterback Myles Walton found Piggee for a 37-yard touchdown pass.

The Sailors were looking to take the lead again late in the quarter, but a turnover led to a Muskegon touchdown.

Konency completed a pass to Roberson, but the ball came out at the end of the play. Muskegon’s Foster scooped it up and sprinted 75 yards for a go-ahead touchdown with 1:12 left in the half.

Mona Shores argued that Roberson was down, and Koziak drew a penalty for throwing his headset, but the call stood. The Sailors blocked the PAT to leave the score at 27-21, which held until halftime.

The Big Reds scored first after halftime when Foster found the end zone on an eight-yard run to make it 33-21. Muskegon’s goal-line stand came on the next drive, immediately followed by the electrifying 99-yard scoring run by Price.

Konecny threw an interception to Walton on the next Sailor drive. Muskegon scored four plays later on a 56-yard run by Piggee to make it 46-21.

Mona Shores scored on the first play of the fourth quarter on a one-yard TD by Konecny, his third of the game, to make it 46-28. Muskegon added the final points of the night on a 37-yard field goal by Adrian Ramos-Velazquez.

Price led Muskegon with 217 yards and two TDs on just six carries. Piggee had 123 rushing yards, 71 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Walton totaled 88 rushing and 113 passing yards.

Konency led Mona Shores with 121 rushing yards and three scores. He also passed for 215 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Ryan McNiff had five catches for 81 yards while Roberson totaled 77 yards and a TD on three catches.