Mendota defensive back Gustavo Hernandez (No. 6) breaks up a pass play to Dixon’s Joshua Dallas in the football season-opener on Aug. 25 at the MHS field. Unfortunately for Hernandez, he was called for pass interference. (Reporter photo)

MENDOTA – The Mendota Trojans saw enough of Arthur Cox and Noah Wilcox last year to know what the talented Dixon duo can do. Unfortunately for the Trojans, they saw an encore performance this year.

Cox, a running back, and Wilcox, the quarterback, combined for 427 of the Dukes’ 487 total yards in leading the way to a 69-0 Dixon victory over Mendota in a Big Northern Conference and season-opening contest on Aug. 25 at the MHS field.

The extremely fast and elusive Cox juked his way to 218 yards rushing on just 14 carries, and he scored five touchdowns, while Wilcox completed all but one of his nine passes for 209 yards and two TDs. The senior gunslinger also proved he could do damage with his legs as well, scoring a pair of rushing touchdowns.

Meanwhile, there was nothing much to talk about on the Trojan front. The biggest news of the night was an injury sustained to three-year starting quarterback Bryson Prusator, who had his left ankle rolled up underneath him on a tackle and was helped off the field. He has a high and low ankle sprain, which will keep him out of action at least this week at Rock Falls.

Mendota managed just 137 total yards and never seriously threatened to score. Ben Bokus carried 11 times for 51 yards, while Edwin Angulo picked up 31 yards on five attempts and Kiandre Morris added 27 yards in six totes.

Dixon’s domination was clear from the outset. After accepting the game’s opening kickoff, the Dukes needed just three plays and 38 seconds to cover 72 yards to the end zone. Wilcox hooked up with Joshua Dallas on a 37-yard pass completion, followed by a 30-yard run by Cox to the Trojan 4-yard line. On the next play, Wilcox glided into the end zone for the game’s first touchdown. Nicholas Clemens booted the extra-point kick.

The Trojans had a disastrous first possession when they fumbled on the second play from scrimmage and it was recovered by Dixon’s Satwant Chima at the Mendota 31-yard line. But Mendota got the ball right back when Prusator read a Dixon play perfectly and stepped in front of a Wilcox pass for an interception at the 14-yard line.

Mendota couldn’t do anything on its second offensive series and punted back to Dixon at the Dukes’ 25-yard line. Then, on the first play for Dixon, Cox darted and dashed his way 75 yards for a touchdown, followed by a Clemens PAT kick, to put the Dukes up 14-0.

After another Mendota punt, Dixon needed just three plays to get into the end zone again. The quick drive went for 66 yards and took just 54 seconds to complete. Cox put the capper on the series with a 36-yard touchdown run at the 3:01 mark of the first period. Clemens added the extra-point kick.

Things continued to go from bad to worse for the Trojans. They fumbled the ball away to Dixon again at their own 31-yard line, and Wilcox raced to the end zone from 21 yards out to give the Dukes a four-touchdown lead still in the first quarter. Clemens’ extra-point kick was good.

Dixon matched its 28-point first-quarter salvo with another 28 points in the second period to take a 56-0 halftime lead.

The Dukes got rushing touchdowns of 1 and 3 yards from Cox, while Wilcox threw for a pair of second-quarter TDs. He found Dallas on a 5-yard strike and then delivered a 64-yard touchdown aerial to Jared Harrison. Clemens was successful on all four extra-point kicks.

With the Dukes up by more than 40 points to start the second half, the running clock ensued, so the Trojans did not have to prolong their misery.

Mendota received the second-half kickoff and promptly fumbled the ball back to Dixon, who got a 12-yard touchdown run by Cox at the 8:32 mark of the third quarter. Clemens’ PAT kick was good.

A Mendota muff on a punt from Dixon set up the Dukes’ final touchdown of the game late in the third period. Reserve running back Tyler Christiansen did the honors, taking it in from 13 yards out. The Dukes were unsuccessful on a two-point conversion run.

The Trojans threw an interception and lost another fumble in the fourth frame. For the game, Mendota fumbled eight times and lost six.