SOUTH WESTERN MUSTANGS GRIDIRON 2012-4

By Bill Engelhardt
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Last Friday evening, September 14, the Mustangs of South Western hosted the Mid-Penn Commonwealth Division’s defending AAAA State Champion Rams of Central Dauphin at the Mustang Corral and were defeated 63-7. The explosiveness of a bevy of Rams running backs was too much for the valiant Mustangs to overcome.

The Mustangs opened the game with a three and out series and punted. On the first play from scrimmage Jordan Bowman, as quarterback in the wildcat formation, galloped 62-yards for a touchdown and the Rams were off to the races.

The ensuing kickoff bounced off a Mustang player and was recovered by the Rams but the Mustangs forced the Rams to punt. The Mustangs fumbled the ball and Daylin Russo recovered for the Rams. A 32-yard drive ended with Drew Scales dashing in for a 15-yard touchdown. This was followed by a Mustangs punt which Scales returned 64-yards for a touchdown. The touchdowns continued to pile up on the Mustangs, with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Brandon LaVia to Ben Mosey, and a 10-yard touchdown run by Zayd Issah and 5 extra point kicks by Casey Hartzel leaving the Rams up 35-0 at the half.

The Rams opened the second half with a four play 60-yard drive ending with Mosey’s 32-yard touchdown run, upping the score to 42-0 with Hartzell’s extra point kick.

The Mustangs then drove 65-yards in twelve plays, featuring runs of 15 and 20-yards by Dillon Thomas and his 6-yard touchdown run. Jake Tracy’s extra point kick made the score 42-7.

The Rams tacked on three more touchdowns with a 34-yard run by Nate Dickey, a 58-yard run by Josh Salek and a 10-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Spencer Joppy when the snap on a Mustangs punt attempt went over the kickers head.

The Mustangs substituted liberally, giving the backups some game experience, but the Rams went with most of their first team until late in the game.

Jake Tracy kicked off 2 times for 91-yards, with the longest going for 49-yards. Brandon Utz punted 6 times for 226-yards and a 37.67-yard average, with the longest going for 43-yards. Jerome Robinson returned 5 kickoffs for 61-yards, with the longest going for 17-yards, and Brady Thayer returned 2 kickoffs for 40-yards, with the longest going for 25-yards, for the Mustangs.

Gabe Morela, who had 4 tackles, led the Mustangs defense, followed by Robinson with 3 tackles and 2 pass defenses, Ryan Krebs with 3 tackles and 1 pass defense, Eddie Lane, Aram Moffitt and Chris Weibe with 3 tackles each, Mike Mooradian, Dakotah Moses, and Hunter Palmer with 2 tackles each, and Aaron Doll, Mike Duffy, Gunner Holtz, Alex Jones, Ryan Lane, Zach Osborne, Payton Taylor, and Josh Walker with 1 tackle each.

Devon Ackerman, Alex Jones, Matt Helwig, Gunner Holtz, Eddie Lane, Aram Moffitt, Mike Mooradian, Gabe Morela, Dakotah Moses, Shawn Secola, Brady Shultz, Dillon Thomas, and Chris Weibe, manned the offensive and defensive line and linebacker positions, with help from Ryan Krebs, Ryan Lane, Ethan Paul, Josh Walker, Wayne Trostle, and Brandon Utz. Mike Duffy, Jordan Markle, Jerome Robinson, and Payton Taylor patrolled the secondary for the Mustangs, with help from Aaron Doll and Hunter Palmer.

The Mustangs gained 111-yards rushing and 19-yards passing for a total of 130-yards of offense. Quarterback Mike Duffy completed 2 of 6 passes for 11-yards and quarterback Tyler Sterner completed 2 of 5 passes for 8-yards. Jerome Robinson caught 1 pass for 11-yards, Zach Osborne caught 2 passes for 4-yars, and Payton Taylor caught 1 pass for 4-yards, for the Mustangs.

Dillon Thomas led the Mustangs rushing attack with 14 carries for 103-yards (including a 6-yard touchdown), followed by Camden Brown with 3 carries for 18-yards, Osborne with 3 carries for 10-yards, Brady Shultz with 3 carries for 6-yards, Sterner with 4 carries for 5-yards, Wyat Trostle with 2 carries for 3-yards, Bret Hertzog with 1 carry for minus 5-yards, Taylor with 2 carries for minus 7-yards, and Duffy with 6 carries for minus 22-yards. Jake Tracy kicked 1 extra point for the Mustangs.

The Rams gained 280-yards rushing and 92 yards passing for a total of 372 yards gained. Brandon LaVia completed 6 of 10 passes for 73-yards and 1 touchdown, and Nate Dickey completed 2 of 7 passes for 19-yards, for the Rams. Jordan Bowman caught 3 passes for 38-yards, Daylin Russo caught 1 pass for 26-yards, Andrew Burgwin caught 1 pass for 21-yards, Ben Mosey caught 1 pass for 7-yards and a touchdown, Zayd Issah caught 1 pass for 2-yards, and Malyk Harris caught 1 pass for minus 2-yards, for the Rams. Jordan Bowman led the Rams rushing attack with 1 carry for 62-yards and a touchdown, followed by Josh Salak with 1 carry for 58-yards and a touchdown, Mosey with 2 carries for 37-yards (including a 32-yard touchdown), Drew Scales with 4 carries for 36-yards (including a 15-yard touchdown), Dickey with 1 carry for 34-yards and a touchdown, Issah with 3 carries for 26-yards (including a 10-yard touchdown), Malachi Holmes with 3 carries for 14-yards, Chimdi Okpara with 3 carries for 6-yards, Quaniee Weedon with 1 carry for 6-yards, and Corey Allen with 1 carry for 1-yard. Scales returned a punt 64-yards for a touchdown, Spencer Joppy returned a fumble 10-yards for a touchdown, Casey Hartzell kicked 7 extra points, Jacob Kerschner kicked 2 extra points, Daylin Russo recovered a fumble, Mosey intercepted a pass, Spencer Chisolm, Issah, Mosey, AJ Perez, Elijah Robinson, and Joey Wilk each recorded a sack, and Nolan Pharris and Russo each recorded a half sack, for the Rams.

The 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 half time performance, presenting their 2012 field show “Unity: A Natural Balance.” The show took us on a musical and visual exploration of the three natural forces among us: Water, Air and Land. The show opened with “Of Men and the Sea,” depicting the energetic role of water in our world. The raging water calmed us as we turned our eyes to the sky, then with a ballad highlighting the beauty and mystery of the night air and the “stars.” The show closed with the exotic sounds of the land in “Puma.”

The 23 member strong Mustangs Cheer Leading squad and the Rams squad were very impressive as they roused the faithful.

The Mustangs of South Western are 1-2-0 overall and 0-0-0 in York Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association (YAIAA) Division I league play.

The Mustangs have a career record of 338-208-8. The results of the 554 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 visit the YAIAA Division II Colonials of New Oxford (1-1 overall, 0-0 league). New Oxford is coming off of a 9-0 loss to the Indians of Waynesboro. The Mustangs are looking to resume their winning tradition. GO MUSTANGS GO.