SOUTH WESTERN MUSTANGS GRIDIRON 2008-2

By Bill Engelhardt
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Last Friday evening, August 29, the Mustangs of South Western hosted the Warriors of Gettysburg at the Mustang Corral and soundly defeated them 33-6. Mustangs quarterback David Sager, who completed 7 passes for 90-yards and 3 touchdowns, and ran in for a touchdown, was declared the game MVP by the broadcasting crew of radio station WGET 1320AM. It was nip and tuck between him and J. R. Mummert, who rushed for 118-yards and a touchdown for the Mustangs. As high as the score was, the defense also dominated for the Mustangs, recovering 6 Warriors fumbles and making 2 interceptions.

On the second play from scrimmage Derek Supel recovered a Warriors fumble for the Mustangs and the Warriors got the ball right back on a fumble recovery of their own on the next play. After an exchange of punts Brandon Nicastro recovered a Warriors fumble at their 5-yard line for the Mustangs and J.R. Mummert scored a touchdown on a 1-yard run with 6:50 to go in the first quarter to put the Mustangs up 6-0.

The Warriors got the ball in great position at the Mustangs 17-yard line after a Mustangs punt failed to get off. Shortly thereafter Andrew Sells intercepted a Warriors pass and returned it 75-yards to the Warriors 1-yard line. A penalty moved them back to the 16 and eventually David Sager threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Mahorney at 11:08 in the second quarter to put the Mustang up 12-0.

Zac Scott then recovered a Warriors fumble at their 32-yard line and 7 plays later David Sager scored a touchdown on a 2-yard run. Zak Kruger’s extra point kick upped the score to 19-0 at 7:33 in the second quarter.

Jake Shaffer recovered a punt for the Mustangs at the Warriors 28-yard line and they drove to the Warriors 3-yard line before Justin Rudisill recovered a Mustangs fumble for the Warriors and the first half ended.

Mummert ripped off a net 50-yard jaunt early in the third quarter. The Mustangs fumbled twice but Chris Helwig and Andrew Sells recovered them for the Mustangs and eventually David Sager threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Nicklas. Kruger’s extra point kick put the Mustangs up 26-0 at 8:15 in the third quarter.

Jake Shaffer recovered a Warriors fumble for the Mustangs at the Warriors 33-yard line. 5 plays later, including a nifty 19-yard pass from David Sager to Drew Sneeringer and a penalty that set the Mustangs back, Sager connected with Sneeringer again on a 24-yard touchdown pass. Kruger’s extra point upped the score to 33-0 at 4:35 in the third quarter.

The Warriors then put on a 12-play drive covering 71-yards, including a 28-yard pass from Trevon Johnson to Tyler White. Johnson connected with Miles Sherman on a 2-yard touchdown pass at 11:04 in the 4th quarter to close out the scoring in the game, with the Mustangs up 33-6.

Ryan Sexton and Drew Sneeringer recovered fumbles for the Mustangs. Ray Sites sacked the Warriors quarterback for a 13-yard loss at the Warriors 11-yard line. The game ended 5 plays later.

Tyrell McCleary returned a kickoff for 21-yards, Chris Helwig returned a punt for 12-yards, and Levi Sager returned a punt for 9-yards for the Mustangs. Zak Kruger kicked off 6 times for 316-yards, with the longest going for 60-yards and a touchback. Jake Myers punted 5 times for 176-yards, for a 35.2-yard average, with the longest going for 44-yards, for the Mustangs.

Jake Shaffer, who had 7 tackles and a fumble recovery for the night, led the Mustangs defense; followed by Mike Brant, Jake Myers, and Drew Sneeringer with 6 tackles each, Brandon Nicastro with 5 tackles, Adam Day, Dan Laird, Derek Supel and Jeb Shipley with 4 tackles each, Chris Helwig, Zac Scott and Andrew Sells with 3 tackles each, Alex Berwager, Colby Fuhrman, Chris Houser, Kyle King, Kyle Mahorney Jimmy Nicklas, Levi Sager, Ryan Sexton, with 2 tackles each, and Tyrell McCleary, Brandon Myers, and Ray Sites, and Ian Smith with 1 tackle each. Andrew Sells returned an interception 75-yards and Drew Sneeringer also had an interception for the Mustangs. Ryan Sexton, Zac Scott, Jake Shaffer, Derek Supel, Drew Sneeringer, and Brandon Nicastro each recovered a fumble for the Mustangs. Day and Sites each had a sack for the Mustangs. Shipley with 3, Levi Sager with 2, and Berwager, Jake Myers, and Nicklas with 1 each, had pass defenses for the Mustangs. Nicastro, Supel, and Helwig each had a pass hurry for the Mustangs.

Adam Day, Jordan Gall, Chris Helwig, Jake Myers, Zac Scott, Andrew Sells, Jake Shaffer, Drew Sneeringer, Derek Supel, and Wes Trostle manned the offensive and defensive line and linebacker positions, with plenty of help from Colby Fuhrman, Chris Houser, Dan Laird, Brandon Myers, Steven Munchel, Ben Shultz, and Ray Sites. Alex Berwager, Kyle King, Jimmy Nicklas, Levi Sager, Ian Smith, and Tyrell McCleary patrolled the secondary.

The Mustangs gained 145-yards rushing, with a team loss of 11-yards for a net of 134-yards, and 90-yards passing for a total of 235-yards of offense (224 net). Quarterback David Sager completed 7 passes for 90-yards, including 2 for 43-yards to Drew Sneeringer (who scored the touchdown on a 24-yard reception), 2 for 17-yards to Jimmy Nicklas (including the 8-yard touchdown), 1 for 13-yards to Scott, 1 for 11-yards to Mummert, and 1 for a 6-yard touchdown to Kyle Mahorney, for the Mustangs. Mummert led the Mustangs rushing attack with 19 carries for 118-yards and a touchdown, followed by Zac Scott with 6 for 28-yards, Mike Brant with 5 for 14-yards, Levi Sager with 2 for 3-yards, Tyrell McCleary with 1 for 2-yards, David Sager with 3 for no yards and a touchdown, Jeb Shipley with minus 2-yards, Chris Helwig with minus 3-yards, and Ian Smith with minus 5-yards.

The Gettysburg Warriors rang up 104-yards rushing and 58-yards passing for a total of 162-yards gained. Trevon Johnson completed 3 passes for the 58-yards and a touchdown, 1 to Justin Jones for 28-yards, 1 to Tyler White for 27-yards, and 1 to Miles Sherman for 3-yards and a touchdown. DJ Johnson led the Warriors rushing attack with 11 carries for 47-yards, followed by Zach Hill with 4 for 24-yards, Gabe McKenzie with 6 for 13-yards, Drew Myers with 1 for 12-yards, Jones with 3 for 5-yards, and Sherman with 1 for 3-yards.

Gettysburg still hopes to be a contender in the Keystone Division of the Mid Penn Conference. The Mustangs are hoping to do the same in Division I of the YAIAA this year.

The 93 member 9-time Cavalcade of Bands Champions, Tournament of Bands Group IV Champion and US Scholastic Band Champion South Western Mustangs Marching Band put on a stirring pre-game performance, although the rainy weather prevented marching so the Band was limited to standing on the track. The field production of the 2008 edition of the Band, under the guidance of first year Director Ethan Clark, is titled “B-Classical” and features the energetic rhythms of Bernstein, passionate melodies of Borodini, and empowering harmony of Bizet. The 112 member Gettysburg Warriors Marching Band’s rousing half-time show from the stands, celebrating the school’s 80th anniversary with “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” “I Got Rhythm,” “JailhouseRock,” “Play that Funky Music,” and “Simple Gifts,” also enthralled the faithful. The 23 member strong Mustangs Cheer Leading squad was very impressive as they roused the faithful in the dreary weather.

The Mustangs of South Western are 1-0-0 overall and 0-0-0 in York Area Interscholastic Athletic Association (YAIAA) Division I league play.

Don Seidenstricker has a 170-71-1 (.705) record as coach of the Mustangs, who have a career record of 311-189-8. The results of the 508 games played in the history of the South Western Mustangs are a career .622 winning percentage and a .628 non-losing percentage.

Next week the Mustangs visit the Golden Tigers of Hollidaysburg. Hollidaysburg opened the season with a 37-0 loss to State College. The Mustangs played great offense and great defense in their season opener. They are looking to continue in their winning tradition. GO MUSTANGS GO.