SOUTH WESTERN MUSTANGS GRIDIRON 2012-8

By Bill Engelhardt
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Last Friday evening, October 12, the Mustangs of South Western visited the den of the Panthers of Central York and were defeated 54-13. The Panthers speedsters were too much for the Mustangs to stop.

The Mustangs opened the game by driving 49-yards in 4 plays, aided by a 15-yard penalty, to the Panthers 22-yard line. However, Jay Stone intercepted a pass from Mike Duffy and the Panthers took over on their own 15-yard line. Corey Hartz threw an 85-yard touchdown strike to Darian Hampton on the first play from scrimmage. Kyle Smith’s extra point kick put the Panthers up 7-0 at the 9:41 mark of the first quarter.

The Mustangs went three and out and punted and the Panthers drove 50-yards in seven plays. Marquis Fells dashed 15-yards for a touchdown and Smith’s extra point kick made the score 14-0 at the 4:36 mark of the first quarter.

The Mustangs fumbled on their first play and Myles Thomas recovered it for the Panthers at the Mustangs 23-yard line. Two plays later Fells dashed in from the 7-yard line for a touchdown. The extra point was missed and the score was 20-0 at the 3:54 mark of the first quarter.

The Mustangs drove 13-yards in seven plays, featuring a neat 10-yard run by Dakotah Moses, only to turn the ball over on downs with a fake punt on which Wyat Trostle didn’t make the first down marker. The Panthers took over on the Mustangs 33-yard line and six plays later Fells plunged in from the 1-yard line and the score went up to 26-0 at the 10:36 mark of the second quarter.

The Mustangs drove 17-yards in six plays and punted. Four plays later Ryan Krebs intercepted a Panthers pass for the Mustangs at the Panthers 32-yard line. The Mustangs then drove 32-yards in four plays, featuring a 24-yard pass from Tyler Sterner to Jerome Robinson. Dillon Thomas scored on a 4-yard run and Jake Tracy’s extra point kick made the score 26-7 at the 4:08 mark of the second quarter.

The Panthers then drove 64-yrds in five plays, ending with a 31-yard touchdown sprint by quarterback Corey Hartz. Smith’s extra point kick made the score 33-7 at the 2:05 mark of the second quarter.

The Mustangs only got in two plays and fumbled on the second one. Fells recovered the fumble and returned it 42-yards for a touchdown for the Panthers. Smith’s extra point kick upped the score to 40-7 with 1:07 left in the first half.

The Panthers opened the second half with a 65-yard touchdown run by Jay Stone on the first play from scrimmage. Smith’s extra point kick upped the score to 47-7 at the 11:42 mark of the third quarter.

The Mustangs again got off just two plays and fumbled on the second one. Sherief Sutton recovered for the Panthers at the Mustangs 31-yard line. The Mustangs defense stiffened and nine plays later the Panthers misfired on a 32-yard field goal attempt.

The Mustangs then drove 14-yards in six plays and punted. The Panthers then drove 70-yards in seven plays. On a fourth down play the Panthers appeared ready to punt but called time out and then backup quarterback Zach Beam threw a 47-yard touchdown strike to Terrance Carter. Smith’s extra point kick upped the score to 54-7 with 7:34 left in the game.

Each team then ended up turning the ball over on downs and then the Mustangs drove 63-yards in three plays, a 53-yard pass from backup quarterback Ryan Krebs to Brandon McMinn, a 7-yard run by Zach Osborne, and a 3-yard touchdown plunge by Camden Brown. That made the final score 54-13 with 33 seconds left in the game.

Jake Tracy kicked off 2 times for 51-yards, with the longest going for 26-yards. Jerome Robinson returned 3 kickoffs for 42-yards, with the longest going for 19-yards Camden Brown returned 1 kickoff for 22-yards, Payton Taylor returned 1 kickoff for 15-yards, and Jordan Markle returned 1 kickoff for 10-yards. Brandon Utz punted 3 times for 102-yards, with the longest going for 38-yards for the Mustangs.

Aram Moffit, with 9 tackles, led the Mustangs defense, followed by Payton Taylor with 8 tackles, Chris Weibe with 5 tackles, Jerome Robinson and Brady Shultz with 4 tackles each, Ryan Krebs with 3 tackles and an interception, Dillon Thomas, Gunner Holtz, and Wyat Trostle with 3 tackles each, Devon Ackerman, Eddie Lane, Ryan Lane, and Brandon McMinn with 2 tackles each, Aaron Doll, Richard Bosse, Bret Hertzog, Alex Jones, Doug Krout, Gabe Morela, Logan Neiderer, Jonas Walter with 1 tackle each, Aaron Uttley with a caused fumble and a pass hurry, and Mike Duffy with a pass defense.

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

The Mustangs gained 144-yards rushing and 98-yards passing for a total of 242-yards of offense. Quarterback Tyler Sterner completed 5 of 7 passes for 41-yards, 3 for 32-yards to Jerome Robinson, and 2 for 9-yards to Jordan Markle, quarterback Ryan Krebs completed 1 pass for 53-yards to Brandon McMinn, and quarterback Mike Duffy completed 1 of 3 passes for 4-yards to Bobby Wildasin, for the Mustangs.

Dillon Thomas led the Mustangs rushing attack with 17 carries for 82-yards (including a 4-yard touchdown), followed by Dakotah Moses with 5 carries for 22-yards, Mike Duffy with 3 carries for 21-yards, Zach Osborne with 4 carries for 15-yards, Camden Brown with 3 carries for 9-yards (including a 3-yard touchdown), Brady Shultz with 1 carry for 5-yards, Bobby Wildasin with 1 carry for 1-yard, Wyat Trostle with 2 carries for minus 5-yards, and Tyler Sterner with 1 carry for minus 6-yards. Jake Tracy kicked 1 extra point, Ryan Krebs intercepted a pass, and Aaron Uttley recorded a sack for the Mustangs.

The Panthers gained 265-yards rushing and 179 yards passing for a total of 444 yards gained. Quarterback Corey Hartz completed 4 of 6 passes for 120-yards and 1 touchdown, 2 for 96-yards to Darian Hampton (including an 85-yard touchdown), 1 for 16-yards to Nate Trona, and 1 for 8-yards to Blue Curry, and quarterback Zach Beam completed 2 of 3 passes for 59-yards and 1 touchdown, 1 for 47-yards and a touchdown to Terrance Carter, and 1 for 12-yards to Zane Knaub, for the Panthers.

Marquis Fells led the Panthers rushing attack with 14 carries for 96-yards (including touchdowns of 15, 7 and 1-yards), followed by Jay Stone with 4 carries for 56-yards (including a 65-yard touchdown), Hartz with 3 carries for 44-yards (including a 31-yard touchdown), Sherief Sutton with 4 carries for 35-yards, Zach Steffee with 4 carries for 14-yards, Carter with 4 carries for 10-yards, Pearson Hinkle with 1 carry for 3-yards, Dylan Hose with 1 carry for 2-yards, and Beam with 1 carry for minus 3-yards. Fells returned a fumble 42-yards for a touchdown, Kyle Smith kicked 6 extra points, Stone intercepted a pass, and Fells, Sutton and Myles Thomas each recovered a fumble, for the Panthers.

The 9-time Cavalcade of Bands Champions, Tournament of Bands Group IV Champion and US Scholastic Band Champion 59 member strong 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 152 members strong Panthers Marching Band put on a stirring post game show performing show tunes from the film “Back to the Future.”

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

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

The Mustangs have a career record of 340-210-8. The results of the 558 games played in the history of the South Western Mustangs are a career .618 winning percentage and a .624 non-losing percentage.

Next week the Mustangs host the Lions of Red Lion (1-6 overall, 0-2 league) at the Mustang Corral. Red Lion is coming off of a 28-7 loss to the Rockets of Spring Grove. The Mustangs are looking to get back on the winning track. GO MUSTANGS GO.