SOUTH WESTERN MUSTANGS GRIDIRON 2008-8

By Bill Engelhardt
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Last Friday evening, October 10, the Mustangs of South Western visited the den of the Lions of Red Lion and were defeated 28-6. The Mustangs out gained the Lions by 48 rushing yards and 36 passing yards for a total of 84-yards of offense. But special teams play, including Todd Maciejewski’s 8 booming punts for a 38.4-yard average for the Lions, sealed their fate.

Joe Ross started off the special teams show by returning the opening kickoff 92-yards for a touchdown for the Lions. Casey Raver kicked the extra point and the Lions were up 7-0 only 13 seconds into the game.

After a series of punts and a missed field goal attempt on the part of the Lions, the Mustangs launched a 3 play, 80-yard touchdown drive. Zac Scott ran for 6 and 71-yards and Jeb Shipley scored on a 3-yard plunge. The extra point attempt failed and the Lions led 7-6 with 11:36 left in the second quarter. That was the score at the end of the first half, in what was to that point a close, hard fought, game.

Bobby Doyle intercepted a Mustangs pass early in the third quarter. After several punts, Brett Fishel returned a Mustangs punt 57-yards for a touchdown and Raver’s extra point kick made the score 14-6 at the 8:37 mark in the third quarter.

Doyle intercepted another Mustangs pass early in the forth quarter at the Mustangs 45-yard line. Two plays later Brett Fishel raced 45-yards for a touchdown and Raver’s extra point kick upped the score to 21-6 with 9:34 left in the game.

The Lions punted to the Mustangs but the punt bounced off of a Mustang player and Steve States recovered the ball for the Lions at the Mustangs 11-yard line. Two plays later Fishel plunged in from the 4-yard line for his third touchdown of the game. Raver’s extra point kick made the final score 28-6.

Jake Meyers led the Mustangs defense with 15 tackles, followed by Derek Supel with 11, Andrew Sells with 9, Alex Berwager with 8, Brandon Nicastro, Zac Scott, and Drew Sneeringer with 6 tackles each, Adam Day, and Levi Sager with 5 tackles each, Dan Laird, Jimmy Nicklas and Jake Shaffer with 4 tackles each, and Jordan Gall with 1 tackle. Dan Laird and Jake Myers each recorded a sack and Sells was credited with a pass defense for the Mustangs.

Chris Helwig returned 3 kickoffs for 56-yards, with the longest going for 20-yards, and Jeb Shipley returned 1 kickoff for 12-yards for the Mustangs. Chris Helwig returned 2 punts for minus 5-yards and Levi Sager returned 1 punt for 11-yards for the Mustangs. Zak Kruger kicked off 2 times for 109-yards, with the longest going for 57-yards, and Jake Myers punted 9 times for 294-yards, for a 32.67-yard average, for the Mustangs.

Adam Day, Colby Fuhrman, Jordan Gall, Chris Helwig, Dan Laird, Kyle Mahorney, Jake Myers, Brandon Nicastro, Zac Scott, Andrew Sells, Jake Shaffer, Drew Sneeringer, Derek Supel, and Wes Trostle manned the offensive and defensive line and linebacker positions. Alex Berwager, Kyle King, Jimmy Nicklas and Levi Sager patrolled the secondary for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs gained 169-yards rushing and 59-yards passing for a total of 228- yards of offense. Zac Scott led the Mustangs rushing attack with 7 carries for 97-yards (including that 71-yard run to the Lions 3-yard line), followed by J. R. Mummert with 13 for 51-yards, Chris Helwig with 8 for 27-yards, Jeb Shipley with 5 for 8-yards (including the 3-yard touchdown), Jake Myers with 1 for 1-yard, and Ian Smith with 3 carries for minus 15-yards. Quarterback Smith completed 4 of 14 passes for 59-yards, 2 for 45-yards to Mummert, 1 for 13-yards to Jimmy Nicklas, and 1 for 1-yard to Helwig, for the Mustangs.

The Lions gained 121-yards rushing and 23-yards passing for a total offense of 144-yards. Brett Fishel led the Lions rushing attack with 23 carries for 110-yards (including those touchdowns of 45 and 4-yards), followed by Jake Hagan with 4 for 13-yards, Mike Wiertel with 8 for 4-yards, Dalton Miller with 2 for minus 3-yards, and Dave Quakenbos with 1 for minus 3-yards. Quarterback Wiertel completed 4 of 7 passes for 23-yards, 2 for 15-yards to Joe Ross, and 2 for 8-yards to Todd Maciejewski, for the Lions.

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 rousing half time show entitled “B-Classical” and featuring the energetic rhythms of Bernstein, passionate melodies of Borodini, and empowering harmony of Bizet. The 115 member Red Lion Marching Band, celebrating 75 years as a marching unit, put on a terrific post-game show entitled “Symphonic Prism,” inspired by the music of Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. The 26 member strong Mustangs Cheer Leading squad, and the Lions Cheer Leaders were very impressive in rousing their fandom.

The Mustangs of South Western are 3-4-0 overall and 2-2-0 in York Area Interscholastic Athletic Association (YAIAA) Division I league play.

Don Seidenstricker has a 172-75-1 (.696) record as coach of the Mustangs, who have a career record of 313-193-8. The results of the 514 games played in the history of the South Western Mustangs are a career .619 winning percentage and a .625 non-losing percentage.

Next week the Mustangs continue league play and host the Panthers of Central York. The Panthers are coming off of a 48-0 victory over the winless Eagles of Dover. From here it looks like the Mustangs are ready to return to the winning track. GO MUSTANGS GO.