MOUNT ZION - Mount Zion coach Dave Smith brought a physical style, an intensive weight training program and a hybrid offense he calls the wing bone when he took over the Braves this season.

But he also brought his two sons, senior lineman Matthew Smith and sophomore fullback Jacob Smith. The established Braves players accepted them immediately, and they've been as important as anyone in leading Mount Zion, which improved to 8-0 with a 49-10 win over Paris on Friday, to an unblemished record.

The victory gave the Braves (7-0 Apollo) their first undefeated conference season and outright title since 2001.

Dave Smith knows the Mount Zion players could've made it tough on his sons. But instead, it was the opposite.

"You worry about your son coming into a new town as a senior. That can be tough," he said. "But we've found a family in Mount Zion. They've been great to my two sons and two daughters. It's neat for me to see how happy they are here."

Mount Zion senior Eric Walters said there was never any jealousy or hard feelings toward the Smith brothers. Of course, it helped that Matthew was 225 pounds and Jacob was 195 - both pure muscle.

"We saw Matthew and we were pretty excited - he's a big kid," Walters said. "And they're the real deal. We pretty much welcomed them. Matthew is one of the best linemen I've had block for me, and Jacob is a phenomenal fullback."

The result of the Smiths' move to Mount Zion has been the most fun Matthew Smith has had playing football.

"I was excited to come down here from the beginning because I had not been successful my first three years of high school," said Matthew, whose Princeton teams went 5-22 in those seasons. "There was a connection with these guys immediately. It was a fresh start for me, and I've taken advantage of it every game."

Behind the blocking of Smith and the Braves' offensive line, Mount Zion established its dominant power running game against Paris with a first drive that took five plays spanning a minute-and-a-half. Walters' 37-yard run set up a Jacob Smith 4-yard touchdown run three plays later to give the Braves a 7-0 lead.

After forcing a punt, Mount Zion's next drive took four plays spanning 1:32, with Walters' 45-yard run setting up a 5-yard Walters TD to make it 14-0.

"Our offensive line came out, punched them in the mouth and really got it going for Eric and Jacob," Matthew Smith said. "The line is blocking well, the running backs are getting into the holes and there really isn't much else to it. It's pretty simple."

Mount Zion punted on its next possession but finished the half with two scoring drives - one ending on a 32-yard touchdown run by Drew Hadden and the other on a 1-yard plunge from quarterback Jake Jones to put the Braves up 28-3 at half.

The Braves made it four straight scoring drives with two third-quarter touchdowns, both on 14-yard runs by Walters to push the lead to 42-3. Walters finished with 187 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.

"We were playing physical, and a lot of things will go well when that happens," Dave Smith said. "The way our line gets off and controls people's fronts makes things look easy."

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