MONTICELLO — The Monticello Ponies got off to a good start in their game against Wisconsin Heights, but the Vanguards got too many big scoring plays and beat the Ponies 62-32 in Ridge & Valley 8 conference action at Monticello on Oct. 4.

Monticello scored on their opening possession on a five-yard touchdown run by Levi Truttman to take a 6-0 lead with 9:13 left in the first quarter. Wisconsin Heights followed with a 42-yard run for a score by quarterback Quinn Payne to tie it at 6-6 with 8:47 to go in the first quarter. Later in the quarter, Milo Smith caught a 12-yard halfback option pass from Truttman and Monticello led 12-6 with 3:04 left in the first quarter. Wisconsin Heights took the lead with 1:31 left in the first quarter on Evan Cribbs’ five-yard TD run and Cribbs’ two-point conversion to take a 14-12 lead. 

Payne threw a pair of touchdown passes to give the Vanguards a 30-12 lead before Truttman broke off a 48-yard touchdown run followed by Tanner Hilliard’s pass to Smith for a two-point conversion to get the Ponies to within 30-20 with just over five minutes left before halftime. But the Vanguards got another touchdown pass from Payne, plus a two-point conversion to take a 38-20 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, Truttman got another 48-yard touchdown run, but Wisconsin Heights scored four more touchdowns to go up 62-26 through three quarters.

Truttman zipped down the left sideline for a 78-yard touchdown run with 7:01 left in the game to make the final score 62-26. Truttman rushed 25 times for 281 yards and four touchdowns. Milo Smith caught three passes for 23 yards and a touchdown. 

The Ponies (0-7, 0-6) will close their season at 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 10 at home against No. 8 Belmont.