SOUTH WESTERN MUSTANGS GRIDIRON 2009-6

By Bill Engelhardt
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Last Friday evening, October 2, the Mustangs of South Western hosted the Wildcats of Dallastown at the Mustang Corral and came away with a 24-10 win to stay in the ranks of the undefeated. The Mustangs started off by holding the Wildcats to a short opening series with a punt after gaining one first down. Levi Sager scampered virtually untouched for a 62-yard touchdown for the Mustangs on their first play from scrimmage. Ian Smith’s extra point kick put the Mustangs up 7-0 at the 9:29 mark in the first quarter.

The Wildcats went three and out and punted and the Mustangs launched an eight play 73-yard drive, featuring 15-yard pass from Ian Smith to Kyle Mahorney and a terrific 22-yard touchdown toss from Smith to Mike Felton. Smiths extra point kick put the Mustangs up 14-0 with 4:07 left in the first quarter.

The Wildcats responded with a seven play 71-yard drive featuring an 11-yard run by Tyler Imhoff and a 39-yard run by Adam Lawicki, and ending with a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Ben Kline. Ryan Behrmann’s extra point kick made the score 14-7 with 50 seconds left in the first quarter.

Ryan Sexton recovered a fumble to stop a Wildcats drive and Jimmy Nicklas intercepted a pass, stopping another Wildcats drive, in the second quarter. The first half ended with the score 14-7.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter, with Ian Smith nailing a 25-yard one for the Mustangs at the 7:19 mark and Ryan Behrmann nailing one for 26-yards for the Wildcats at the 4:17 mark. The third quarter ended with the score 17-10 in favor of the Mustangs.

Jake Shaffer recovered a fumble for the Mustangs to thwart a Wildcats drive and the Wildcats failed to convert on a forth down play on another drive and the Mustangs took over on downs at the 40-yard line of the Wildcats. Seven plays later, featuring an 8-yard pass from Smith to Jimmy Nicklas, and a 7-yard pass from Smith to Kyle King, King scampered for a 16-yard touchdown for the Mustangs. Smith’s extra point kick closed out the scoring at 24-10 in favor of the Mustangs with 2:13 left in the game.

The Mustangs took over on downs again with 1:20 left and ran out the clock.

Kyle Mahorney, Jake Myers, Ryan Sexton and Jake Shaffer led the Mustangs defense with 10 tackles each, followed by Cody Fricke and Jimmy Nicklas with 7 each, Dan Laird and Levi Sager with 5 each, Colby Fuhrman, Matt Funk and Tyrell McCleary with 4 each, Aaron Bosley, Bobby Porter, and Billy Utz with 2 tackles each, and Kyle King with 1-tackle. Jake Shaffer recorded 2 pass defenses, Mike Felton recorded a pass defense, Mahorney recorded 2 pass hurries, and Shaffer recorded a pass hurry, for the Mustangs.

Levi Sager returned 3 kickoffs for 74-yards, with the longest going for 38-yards, and fair caught 2 punts, for the Mustangs. Norton Redding kicked off 5 times for 246-yards, with the longest going for 53-yards for the Mustangs. Mike Felton punted 4 times for 110-yards, with the longest going for 33-yards, for the Mustangs.

Aaron Bosley, Mason Brady, Cody Fricke, Colby Fuhrman, Dan Laird, Kyle Mahorney, Jake Myers, Ryan Sexton, Jake Shaffer, Billy Utz, and Anthony Wildasin manned the offensive and defensive line and linebacker positions, with help from Matt Funk. Kyle King, Tyrell McCleary, Jimmy Nicklas, and Levi Sager patrolled the secondary for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs gained 219-yards rushing and 83-yards passing for a total of 302- yards of offense. Levi Sager led the Mustangs rushing attack with 13 carries for 90-yards (including a 62-yard touchdown), followed by J. R. Mummert with 17 for 83, Kyle King with 6 for 53 (including a 16-yard touchdown), Ian Smith with 7 for 9-yards, Mike Felton with 1 for minus 3-yards, and a team loss of 13-yards. Quarterback Smith completed 7 of 16 passes for 83-yards and a touchdown, 3 for 40-yards to Felton (including a 22-yard touchdown), 1 for 17-yards to Kyle Mahorney, 1 for 10-yards to Sager, 1 for 8-yards to King, and 1 for 8-yards to Jimmy Nicklas, for the Mustangs. Smith kicked a 25-yard field goal and 3 extra points for the Mustangs. Nicklas intercepted a pass, and Ryan Sexton and Jake Shaffer each recovered a fumble for the Mustangs.

The Wildcats gained 145-yards rushing and 78-yards passing for a total offense of 223-yards. Adam Lawicki led the Wildcats rushing attack with 14 carries for 100-yards, followed by Josh Luckenbaugh with 5 for 34, and Tyler Imhoff with 9 for 10-yards, and Ben Kline with a 1-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Luckenbaugh completed 7 of 20 passes for 57-yards and quarterback Ford Reinalda completed 2 of 6 passes for 21-yards, for the Wildcats. Kline caught 2 passes for 30-yards, K. C. Abakporo caught 1 for 17-yards, Imhoff caught 4 for 16-yards, and Grant Miller caught 2 for 15-yards, for the Wildcats. Ryan Behrmann kicked a 26-yard field goal and an extra point for the Wildcats.

The 83 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 pregame performance. The field production of the 2009 edition of the Band, under the guidance of second year Director Ethan Clark, is titled “Horsing Around in the Mustang Corral” and is a 50th anniversary musical celebration featuring the school “Alma Mater,” “Magnificent 7,” a lullaby of “All The Pretty Little Horses,” and “The Red Pony.” The 177 member Dallastown Wildcats Marching Band put on a spirited half time show entitled “Movin Out: The Music of Billy Joel,” including “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” “Piano Man,” “My Life,” ”Only the Good Die Young,” “And So it Goes,” “Prelude to an Angry Young Man,” and “Just the Way You Are.” The 24 member strong Mustangs Cheer Leading squad, and the Wildcats Cheer Leaders were very impressive in rousing their fandom. As part of the 50th anniversary of the football program, the Mustangs introduced members of the football teams from the 1970s before the game.

The Mustangs of South Western are 5-0-0 overall and 2-0-0 in York Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association (YAIAA) Division I league play.

Don Seidenstricker has a 178-77-1 (.698) record as coach of the Mustangs, who have a career record of 319-195-8. The results of the 522 games played in the history of the South Western Mustangs are a career .621 winning percentage and a .626 non-losing percentage.

Next week the Mustangs continue league play and visit the Rockets of Spring Grove. The Rockets are coming off of a 40-23 loss to the Lions of Red Lion. From here it looks like the Mustangs are ready to gallop along on the winning track. GO MUSTANGS GO.