Mountain View coach Brian Crum called this game a “test” for his team as to what kind of contests it can expect this season.

The Cougars may not have passed this test, but they were close in a 49-41 6A nonleague loss to Grants Pass at Mountain View High School Friday night.

Grants Pass quarterback Chase Coyle threw five touchdown passes as the Cougars could not stop the air attack of the Cavemen.

Mountain View running back Jonas Larson ran for 263 yards and four touchdowns on 37 carries, but it was not enough for the Cougars (2-1).

“I like how we responded,” Crum said. “We were in the that ballgame until the very end. Our kids never quit. That quarterback (Coyle) is one of the better you’ll find. Big guy, calm in the pocket, smooth, keeps his eye down the field. We got some pressure on them a few times but they’re a big-play team.”

A 20-yard touchdown run by Larson got the Cougars to within eight, 49-41, with 3:32 left in the game. Mountain View’s defense then forced a punt and the Cougars had another shot with 2:35 left.

But they turned the ball over on downs at midfield as Larson was stuffed on a fourth-and-2 play.

Caden Cromwell threw two touchdown passes for Mountain View and Landon Dean had 159 all-purpose yards, including 102 return yards.

“We got bogged down a little bit on offense,” Crum said. “We just never got in a real rhythm offensively. We had some big plays, and obviously put points on the scoreboard, but we never really felt like we had the ability to consistently move the football without the big play. And they’re (the Cavemen) a good football team. They have a lot of good athletes. They have a lot of good guys that can take a ball 70 yards. They played well.”

It was big play after big play in the first half for both teams, and not much in the way of defense.

A 68-yard run by Jaren Emptage gave the Cavemen (2-1) a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter,

Mountain View then tied the game again on a 42-yard touchdown pass from Cromwell to Jack Barrett to make it 14-14 early in the second quarter.

The explosive plays continued on the Cavemen’s next possession, when Coyle connected with Randy Clark on a 73-yard touchdown to give Grants Pass a 21-14 lead.

The Cavemen kept Larson in check for most of the first quarter. But he finally broke loose on a sparkling 33-yard touchdown run that included two perfectly timed cutbacks and tied the game 21-21.

Another touchdown run by Larson — this one for 70 yards as he sprinted untouched off the right side — tied the game 28-28, and that’s where it stayed by halftime.

Larson had just 7 rushing yards in the first quarter, but he had 136 rushing yards in the second quarter alone, including those two touchdowns.

But Grants Pass pulled away in the second half, as a 41-yard touchdown run by Emptage gave the Cavemen a 49-34 lead with 6:24 left.

Mountain View hosts North Medford next Friday in another nonleague contest before opening Special District 6 play Sept. 28 against Summit.

— Reporter: 541-383-0318,

mmorical@bendbulletin.com