SOUTH WESTERN MUSTANGS GRIDIRON 2015-6

By Bill Engelhardt

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Last Monday evening, October 5, in a game postponed from Friday because of a rain soaked field, the Mustangs of South Western hosted the Panthers of Central York and galloped and tossed their way to a 35-14 victory.  Robby Harbison’s first appearance this season, after a preseason injury, sparked the Mustangs as he rushed for 121-yards and 2 touchdowns.

The Mustangs opened the game with an 80-yard touchdown drive, featuring a 23-yard run by Harbison and his 20-yard touchdown jaunt.  Wes Sneeringer kicked the extra point and the Mustangs led 7-0 at the 8:47 mark of the first quarter.  The Mustangs never looked back.

The Panthers and the Mustangs exchanged punts and the Panthers punted again.  Then the Mustangs put on another 80-yard touchdown drive, this time in four plays featuring a 19-yard run by Brock Geiman and a 16-yard run by Jeff Green and ending with Geiman’s beautiful 57-yard touchdown pass to Noah Staub.  Sneeringer’s extra point kick put the Mustangs up 14-0 with 1:4 left in the first quarter.

The Panthers ended up punting and the Mustangs drove 65-yards in ten plays, featuring a 26-yard pass from Geiman to Miles Francis, and ending with Geiman’s 15-yard touchdown pass to Green.  Sneeringer’s extra point kick put the Mustangs up 21-0 at the 8:47 mark of the second quarter.

The Panthers then drove 64-yards, featuring a 23-yard pass from Nik Strine to Brandon Falkenstein.  The drive ended on the Mustangs 1-yard line when Zach Hughes intercepted a pass and returned it 36-yards for the Mustangs.  The Panthers soon returned the favor when Drew Anderson intercepted a Mustangs pass.  The Panthers then drove 51-yards in nine plays, featuring an 18-yard pass from Strine to Sandy Paulino and a 13-yard pass to Shawn Johnston to the Mustangs 2-yard line (that was tipped by at least 3 players).  A penalty pushed the Panthers back to the 7-yard line and Strine threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Shyheim Goff.  Carter Luckenbaugh’s extra point kick made the score 21-7 with six seconds left in the first half.

The Panthers made it interesting by opening the second half with a 96-yard touchdown drive in thirteen plays.  Goff scored his second touchdown with a 25-yard jaunt and Luckenbaugh’s extra point kick made the score 21-14 in favor of the Mustangs at the 7:12 mark of the third quarter.

The Mustangs ended up punting for the first time in the game but soon got the ball back when Miles Francis intercepted a Panthers pass and returned it 32-yards to the Panthers 25-yad line.  Four plays later Harbison plunged in from the 2-yard line and Sneeringer’s extra point kick put the Mustangs up 28-14 with 2:19 left in the third quarter.

The Panthers and The Mustangs exchanged punts; the Panthers turned the ball over on downs at their 17-yard line.  Two plays later the Mustangs fumbled into the end zone and the Panthers recovered it for a touchback.  The Panthers got off a 32-yard pass from Strine to Falkenstein but turned the ball over on downs when Nate VanCampen defended a pass for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs drove 59-yards in five plays, ending with Michael Johnson, Jr’s 51-yard touchdown run.  The ever reliable Wes Sneeringer kicked his 5th extra point of the game, making the final score 35-14 in favor of the Mustangs with 1:16 left in the game.

Wes Sneeringer kicked off 6 times for 294yards, for an average of 49-yards, with the longest going for 56-yards, and Brock Geiman punted 3 times for 72-yards, for an average of 24-yards, with the longest going for 36-yards.  Miles Francis returned 1 kickoff for 44-yards and 2 punts for 22-yards, with the longest going for 11-yards, for the Mustangs.

Mike Farace, with 12 tackles and 1 sack for a 5-yard loss, led the Mustang defense, followed by Tyler Fulmore with 10 tackles, Nate VanCampen with 7 tackles and 2 passes defended, Zach Hughes with 5 tackles and 1 interception returned for 36-yards, Miles Francis with 5 tackles, 1 interception returned for 32-yards, and 2 passes defended, Skylar Bowman with 5 tackles and 2 pass hurries, Corbin Byers with 4 tackles and 3 pass hurries, Matt Smolko with 4 tackles, Josh Zeroth with 3 tackles and 2 pass hurries, Carson Perry with 2 tackles and 2 passes defended, Brock Geiman with 2 tackles and 1 pass defended, Noah Staub with 2 tackles and 1 pass defended, Quan Marshal and Austin Reusing with 2 tackles each, Michael Johnson, Jr. with 1 tackle and 1 pass hurry, Kurt Eichhorn, Kaiden Gaylord, Chris Ginerva, Noah Langenfeld, Chris Steckel and Nigel Williams with 1 tackle each, and Tommy Aumen with 1 pass hurry.  

Skylar Bowman, Corbin Byers, Bubba Carbaugh, Scotty Dickmyer, Mike Farace, Tyler Fulmore, Zach Hughes, Quan Marshall, Carson Perry, Austin Reusing, Matt Smolko, Chris Steckel, and Josh Zeroth manned the offensive and defensive line and linebacker positions.

DeSean Crump, Miles Francis, Brock Geiman, Jeff Green, Noah Staub, and Nate VanCampen patrolled the secondary for the Mustangs.

The Mustangs gained 287-yards rushing and 127-yards passing for a total of 414-yards of offense. Senior quarterback Brock Geiman completed 8 of 12 passes for the 127-yards and 2 touchdowns, 4 for 91-yards to Noah Staub (including a 57-yard touchdown), and 4 for 36-yards to Jeff Green (including a 15-yard touchdown), for the Mustangs.  Robby Harbison led the Mustangs rushing attack with 19 carries for 121-yards (including touchdowns of 20 and 2-yards), followed by Michael Johnson, Jr. with 1 carry for 51-yards and a touchdown, Nigel Williams with 6 carries for 46-yards, Miles Francis with 7 carries for 41-yards, Jeffrey Green with 4 carries for 19-yards, Geiman with 3 carries for 9-yards, Tyler Fulmore with 1 carry for 1-yard, Zack Hughes with 1 carry for no yards, and a team loss of 1-yard.  Wes Sneeringer kicked 5 extra points for the Mustangs.

The Panthers gained 113yards rushing and 255 yards passing for a total of 368 yards gained.  Quarterback Nik Strine completed 16 of 38 passes for 201-yards and 1 touchdown, 7 for 117-yards to Brandon Falkenstein, 4 for 34-yards to Sakai Barton, 1 for 18-yards to Sandy Paulino, 1 for 13-yards to Shawn Johnston, 2 for 10-yards to Shyheim Goff (including a 7-yard touchdown.), and 1 for 9-yards to Elzir Stroman, and Cade Pribula completed 4 of 8 passes for 54-yards, 3 for 40-yards to Barton and 1 for 14-yards to Falkenstein (who had a total of 131 receiving yards for the game), for the Panthers.  Goff led the Panthers rushing attack with 22 carries for 91-yards (including a 25-yard touchdown), followed by Pribula with 1 carry for 14-yards, Stroman with 3 carries for 8-yards, and Strine with 2 carries for no yards.  Carter Luckenbaugh kicked 2 extra points, Drew Anderson intercepted a pass, Kollin Vaught recovered a fumble, Rodney Johnson recorded 3 sacks, Devin Gaffney caused a fumble, Stroman defended a pass, and Lonnie Blount recorded a pass hurry, for the Panthers.

The 21 member Mustangs Cheer Leading Squad and the Panthers Cheer Leading squad were both very impressive as they roused the faithful in this unusual late Monday afternoon game.

The Mustangs of South Western are 4-1-0 overall and 2-0-0 in York Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association (YAIAA) Division I league play.

The Mustangs have a career record of 350-215-8.  The results of the 573 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 will visit the Lions of Red Lion (3-2 overall, 1-1 league).  Red Lion is coming off of a 14-13 loss to the Bobcats of Northeastern.  The Mustangs are looking to continue on the winning track.  GO MUSTANGS GO.