Early in the first quarter, a 61-yard rushing touchdown by Doran Gillespie brought Roseburg within a point of Mountain View. It was the last time the Indians put points on the board.

The Cougars (1-0) handled Roseburg 46-6 Friday night at Jack Harris Stadium in their season opener — and their first game at the Class 6A level. Senior running back Jonas Larson led the way for Mountain View, racking up 210 rushing yards and five touchdowns.

“I was really impressed with the team today,” Larson said. “There’s been a lot of talk about the offensive line, because we only have one returning starter, but I was impressed with them. Nothing against the offensive line from last year, but I couldn’t tell the difference.”

Larson’s first touchdown — a 2-yard run up the middle — gave the Cougars a 14-6 lead through one quarter. In the second, he took a toss 58 yards to paydirt, rumbling through a gaping hole created by Mountain View’s youthful front line.

An untouched, 1-yard score by Larson made it 27-6 Cougars at the half.

Mountain View’s defense held serve as the second half progressed, stifling the run-heavy Roseburg offense and managing an interception late in the third quarter. Larson’s fourth and fifth touchdowns — of 29 and 2 yards — increased the margin to 39-6 after three quarters. Senior quarterback Caden Cromwell’s 1-yard rush brought the game to its final score.

As clinical as it seemed for the Cougars throughout their first contest, the early-season rust was evident, particularly on three missed extra points and a muffed punt. Coach Brian Crum acknowledged the normalcy of those slip-ups in season openers, but he was pleased with his team’s overall performance.

“They didn’t let it bother them,” Crum said of the mistakes. “We’d get the ball back and make the right plays. There was a little bit of back and forth early on, but eventually we were able to enforce our will.”

Crum called the Cougars’ defense “suffocating” and lauded the effort of his offensive line in setting up Larson’s big night. Behind center, Mountain View went with a two-quarterback system, utilizing the differing skill sets of Cromwell and fleet-footed senior Colton Burkhardt — a transfer from Crook County. Crum said the Cougars plan to continue using both quarterbacks.

Larson, who joked that Burkhardt “might run the ball better than me,” pointed to the team’s attitude and work ethic as standouts in the preseason. The smooth transition in the trenches, Larson said, mirrored a smooth transition for the Cougars from Class 5A to 6A.

“Playing 6A teams or 5A teams, I think our team has adapted great,” Larson said. “I’m excited for the future.”

— Reporter: 541-383-0307, rclarke@bendbulletin.com