MOUNT VERNON — The high school football game was known for many of its 103 meetings as the “Skagit Bowl.” Now it is called the “Battle of the Bridge.”

The 2008 edition will be known as “The Pass,” in Burlington-Edison circles, and maybe the “Double Pass,” or a similar title with an added expletive, by Mount Vernon fans.

A fullback pass from Cole Sager to Troy O’Neill provided the only touchdown as Burlington-Edison won a second straight defensive struggle against Mount Vernon 10-3 Friday night in the 103rd meeting between the cross-river, Northwest Conference rivals.

The win is the fifth straight in the series for Burlington-Edison (6-0 conference and overall), which now leads the all-time battle 55-39-9. The past two have been defensive struggles, both this one and Burlington-Edison’s 10-6 win last year.

“It’s going to feel really great when we’re older,” Sager said. “A lot of us are going to see these guys when we’re working, out of college, back here living. We’re going to work with them, and it’s going to be a fun thing to talk about.”

The discussion about the 2008 battle will begin with one play. The play in question started on the Mount Vernon 38. Sager, who had spent much of the game nursing a bruised right thigh, came off the bench and lined up out wide. O’Neill was at the end of the line in a tight end slot on the opposite side of the unbalanced line.

Quarterback Dylan Boe fired the ball over to Sager, who lofted it up for O’Neill running open to the end zone for the score.

“It’s a play we’ve had for a few years,” O’Neill said. “We use it when we need a big play. We ran it, I was wide open, and Cole threw a perfect pass. It was executed really well.”

“Dylan Boe threw an amazing pass right to me,” Sager said. “Troy Skogmo’s block — there was no one around me. Troy O’Neill, running a great route, waived his hand and I just threw it up and watched him grab it. It was a great team effort.”

Mount Vernon coach Jaxon Schweikert discussed the play on the sideline with the officiating crew for several minutes, but was unable to convince the referees of his point. After the game, Schweikert declined to give his opinion on the play or what he and the officials discussed.

Tigers coach Bruce Shearer said he showed the officials the diagram of the play before the game to prove it was a legal formation.

While Schweikert and the officials were talking, fans on the Bulldog side began chanting “Forward pass,” saying that Boe had thrown the ball forward to Sager, which would make the second pass illegal.

The long play was the exception in a game that was otherwise ruled by defense. Neither team was able to run the ball with any consistency.

Burlington-Edison, the more run oriented squad, managed just 51 yards on the ground on 35 carries.

“We practiced all week against their offense and watched a lot of film,” Mount Vernon defensive end Daniel Barnet said. “I think we just really picked up the intensity. Tonight, big game, we just stepped up. We didn’t change much except for the intensity.”

“I was really surprised,” O’Neill said. “I thought they only had an offense. They have a pretty good defense. We definitely hurt ourselves with the turnovers and stuff, but their defense really surprised our offense. They fought hard.”

Mount Vernon (2-2, 2-4) actually had a net loss of 13 yards on its running plays, which also includes quarterback sacks.

“We need to be able to run the ball, to loosen up the coverage,” Schweikert said. “It’s tough to throw on eight guys dropping in coverage. We’ve got to be able to punish them with the run.”

O’Neill, in just his second game back at receiver after starting the year as quarterback, finished with 142 of the Tigers’ net 159 receiving yards.

Boe threw for 119 yards, but was intercepted three times.

“They had some pretty good skill players. I was impressed,” Shearer said. “They were able to match up with the wideouts. They did a good job of scouting us. They brought a lot of pressure that was kind of overwhelming for our guys.

“We wanted to keep doing certain things with them. We probably should have just ran the football. I wanted to throw the ball. The more chances I get my young quarterback, the better we’re going be later on.”

Two of those picks went to Michael Acode, the third to Colin Findley-Meier, who returned it 40 yards to set up Mount Vernon’s only score of the game.

Ray Walser threw for 176 yards with the help of several spectacular catches by his receivers. Findley Meier caught six passes for 59 yards, and he, Acode and Kyle Larson each had tough grabs for the Bulldogs.

The Tigers got on the board early with a 22-yard Andrew Furney field goal, and that was all the scoring until early in the third quarter and Sager’s pass to O’Neill.

Mount Vernon got back within a touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Findley-Meier’s interception, plus his catch on fourth down as he was nailed by Luke Thomas, set up David Navarro’s 21-yard field goal.

The Bulldogs had two chances to drive for the tying score, but Tiger defensive backs ended both threats with interceptions.

“Our DBs are a great team,” Sager said. “When you pass a lot, like Mount Vernon does, they do a good job of it. People are going to get open every once in a while, but our DBs make great breaks on the ball. They still did an amazing job, holding Mount Vernon to three points. That says it all right there.”

• Eric Francis can be reached at 360-416-2131 or by e-mail at