SOUTH WESTERN MUSTANGS GRIDIRON 2015-12

By Bill Engelhardt

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Last Friday evening, November 13, as the number 12 seed in the District 3 Class AAAA Playoff picture the Mustangs visited the number 5 seed Lancaster-Lebanon League Section 1 Black Knights of Hempfield (8-3 overall, 5-2 league) in the first round and were edged 23-21 in a thriller that wasn’t decided until a Black Knights’ interception with less than a minute left in the game.

The Mustangs opened the game with a seven-play drive, featuring a 19-yard pas from Brock Geiman to Noah Staub, but turned the ball over on downs at their 49-yard line.  The Black Nights then had a two-play drive, including a 38-yard pass from Sam Kramer to Riley Carouse, end when Josh Zeroth recovered a fumble for the Mustangs at their 6-yard line.  The Mustangs went three and out and punted against a strong wind, putting the Black Knights at the Mustangs 36-yard line.  Six plays later Chris Kosmela kicked a 38-yard field goal and the Black Nights were up 3-0 at the 4:24 mark of the first quarter.

The Mustangs then had a seven-play drive, featuring a 26-yard pass from Geiman to Corbin Byers, end when Tyler Reber recovered a fumble for the Black Knights.  The Black Knights then drove 55-yards in four plays, ending with Will Blair’s 43-yard touchdown run as the first quarter came to a close.  Kosmela’s extra point kick put the Black Knights up 10-0.

The Mustangs turned the ball over on downs on their next drive and the Black Knights punted on their next drive.  The Mustangs then drove 45-yards in nine plays, featuring a 10-yard pass from Geiman to Staub and a 9-yard run by Robby Harbison, and ending with Geiman’s 1-yard touchdown plunge.  Wes Sneeringer kicked the extra point and the score was 10-7 in favor of the Black Knights with 2:36 left in the first half.

The Black Knights started a drive on the Mustangs 49-yard line after the Mustangs opened the second half with an unsuccessful onside kick.  Ten plays later, in a drive that featured a 10-yard run by Blair and a 10-yard run by Kramer, Kramer scored a touchdown on a 6-yard run.  Kosmela’s extra point kick put the Black Knights up 17-7 at the 8:19 mark of the third quarter.

Miles Francis returned the Black Knights kickoff 32-yards, setting the Mustangs up on their 33-yard line.  But the Mustangs punted eight plays later.  The Black Knights returned the favor by turning the ball over on downs twelve plays later at the Mustangs 23-yard line.

The Mustangs then drove 77-yards in seven plays, featuring a 46-yard pass from Geiman to Staub and a13-yard pass from Geiman to Tyler Fulmore.  Fulmore ended the drive with a 2-yard touchdown plunge.  Sneeringer’s extra point kick closed the score to 17-14 in favor of the Black Knights with 9:21 left in the game.

The Black Knights then drove 55-yards in ten plays, featuring a 13-yard run by Blair, and ending with a 27-yard touchdown run by Kramer.  Corbin Byers blocked the extra point kick for the Mustangs and the Black Knights led 23-14 with 4:03 left in the game.

Miles Francis returned the Black Knights kickoff 24-yards to the Mustangs 49-yard line.  Five plays later, in a drive that featured a 12-yard pass from Geiman to Jeff Green, the Mustangs scored a touchdown on Geiman’s 21-yard pass to Green.  Sneeringer’s extra point kick closed the score to 23-21 in favor of the Black Knights with 2:40 left in the game.

The Mustangs defense then forced the Black Knights to go three and out and punt.  The never say die Mustangs started at their own 48-yard line and drove to the Black Knights 41-yard line.  Geiman lofted a pass toward the end zone intended for Green but a Black Knights defender knocked Green to the ground as he reached for the ball.  Much to the dismay of the Mustangs faithful, no pass interference call was forthcoming.  Shortly thereafter Jimmy Dizon ended the Mustangs hopes with an interception for the Black Knights.

Wes Sneeringer kicked off 3 times for 133-yards, for an average of 44.3-yards, with the longest going for a 60-yard touchback.  Brock Geiman punted 2 times against the wind for 46-yards for an average of 23-yards, with the longest going for 26-yards.  Miles Francis returned 2 kickoffs for 56-yards, with the longest going for 32-yards, and 1 punt for no yards, for the Mustangs.

Matt Smolko, with 14 tackles, led the Mustangs defense, followed by Corbin Byers with 13 tackles, a blocked extra point kick, a sack for a loss of 2-yards, and 2 passes defended, Mike Farace with 13 tackles, Josh Zeroth with 11 tackles and a recovered fumble, Tyler Fulmore with 11 tackles, Skylar Bowman with 9 tackles, Quan Marshall with 8 tackles, Nate VanCampen with 4 tackles and an interception returned for 23-yards, Miles Francis with 3 tackles, Brock Geiman and Zach Hughes with 2 tackles each, and Kaiden Gaylord with 1 tackle.

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

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

The Mustangs gained 122-yards rushing and 174-yards passing for a total of 296-yards of offense.  Senior quarterback Brock Geiman completed 10 of 18 passes for the 174-yards and 1 touchdown, 4 for 77-yards to Noah Staub, 4 for 58-yards to Jeff Green (including a 21-yard touchdown), 1 for 26-yards to Corbin Byers, and 1 for 13-yards to Tyler Fulmore, for the Mustangs.  Geiman has completed 99 of 188 passes for 1,526-yards and 19 touchdowns for the season, setting a new school season passing yardage record.  Noah Staub has set a new school season pass reception yardage record with 704-yards, a new school career pass reception yardage record with 1,387-yards, and a new school record for career pass receptions with 83.  Robby Harbison led the Mustangs rushing attack with 7 carries for 29-yards, followed by Geiman with 13 for 23-yards (including a 1-yard touchdown), Miles Francis with 5 for 16-yards, Green with 4 for 14-yards, Fulmore with 3 for 14-yards (including a 2-yard touchdown), Nigel Williams with 4 for 13-yards, DeLunche Shaw with 4 for 8-yards, and Zach Hughes with 3 carries for 5-yards.  Wes Sneeringer kicked 3 extra points, Nate VanCampen intercepted a pass and returned it 23-yards, Josh Zeroth recovered a fumble, and Byers recorded a sack for a 2-yard loss and defended 2 passes, for the Mustangs.

The Black Knights gained 287-yards rushing and 40 yards passing for a total of 327 yards gained.  Quarterback Sam Kramer completed 2 of 7 passes for the 40-yards, 1 for 38-yards to Riley Canouse and 1 for 2-yards to Andrew Green, for the Black Nights.  Will Blair led the Black Knights rushing attack with 28 carries for 172-yards (including a 43-yard touchdown), followed by Kramer with 17 carries for 98-yards (including touchdowns of 6 and 27-yards), and Green with 4 carries for 17-yards.  Chris Kosmela kicked a 38-yard field goal and 2 extra points, Jimmy Dizon intercepted a pass, and Tyler Reber recovered a fumble, for the Black Knights.

The 74 member 10-time Cavalcade of Bands, Tournament of Bands Group IV Champion and US Scholastic Band Champion South Western Mustangs Marching Band put on a stirring post game performance, presenting their 2015 field show “What If,” a musical and visual depiction of the process of implementing a change and making a difference.  The music is based on Michael Kamen’s “The New Moon in the Old Moon’s Arms.”  The show began with the inception of the idea or change, represented with the theme played by trumpet soloist Veronica Hurst.  Further numbers reflected the encountering of obstacles and challenges standing in the way of goals and a moment of reflection on the purpose and nature of change.  The closer continued to build upon the hope of this change and reached a climax where the change was successful.  The show ended with the fleeting sounds of the musical theme played by trumpet soloist John Dyson.

The 24 member strong Mustangs Cheer Leading squad and the Black Knights’ squad were very impressive as they roused the faithful.

The Mustangs of South Western ended their season with a record of 7-4-0 overall and 5-2-0 in York Adams Interscholastic Athletic Association (YAIAA) Division I league play.

The Mustangs have a career record of 353-218-8.  The results of the 579 games played in the history of the South Western Mustangs are a career .619 winning percentage and a .623 non-losing percentage.

We bid a fond and tearful farewell and offer our best wishes for the future to the 19 departing seniors.  We owe them all our gratitude for their efforts in providing us with exciting football over the course of their high school careers.  They are: Skylar Bowman, Corbin Byers, Kyle Davis, Scotty Dickmyer, Mike Farace, Tyler Fulmore, Brock Geiman, Chris Ginevra, Jeff Green, Robby Harbison, Nigea Hardison, Zach Hughes, Mike Johnson, Justin McAbee, Jordan Morela, Matt Smolko, Noah Staub, Chris Steckel, and Josh Zeroth

I want to say a very special thank you to Richard Lupro for faithfully compiling the official Offensive, Special Teams and Scoring statistics for the Mustangs, and for inputting them at the Max Preps web site very quickly each week so that they were always available for my use.  He was instrumental in coming up with the records that will be mentioned below.  And a very special thank you also goes to Mustangs Assistant Coach Chris Heilman for inputting all of the Defensive stats at Max Preps after reviewing game films on very short notice.  They were always available for my use on a very timely basis.

The 2015 edition of the Mustangs of South Western gave their fans lots of excitement and thrills.

Senior Brock Geiman completed 99 of 188 passes for 1,526-yards and 19 touchdowns.  The yardage set a new school record, surpassing his own record of 1,489-yards in 2014.  His season passing yardage also places the team in 2nd place for team passing yardage for a season in school history behind the 1,583-yards in 2009.  The 19 touchdown passes thrown for the season put him in 2nd place in school history, behind J.C. Laughlin’s 20 in 2006.  His 34-career touchdown passes set a new school record, surpassing J.C. Laughlin’s 29.  His career-passing yardage of 3,171-yards sets a new school record, surpassing Andy Adams’ 2,894-yards.

Senior Noah Staub’s 1,387 career pass reception yards set a new school record, surpassing Mike Felton’s 1,156-yards.  His 704 season pass reception yards set a new school record, surpassing Tim Rill’s 599.  His 41 pass receptions for the season puts him in 2nd place in school history, behind Tim Rill’s 45.  His 83 pass receptions for his career set a new school record surpassing Tim Rill’s 70.  His 7 touchdown pass receptions for this season put him in a tie for 2nd place in school history, with Zach Krise, Tim Rill and Drew Sneeringer, and his 16 career touchdown pass receptions put him in a tie f or 1st place with Mike Felton in school history.

The season pass reception leaders were Noah Staub with 41 for 704-yards and 7 touchdowns, followed by Jeff Green with 28 for 373-yards and 8 touchdowns, Corbin Byers with 9 for 144-yards and 1 touchdown, Zach Hughes with 9 for 94-yards, Miles Francis with 4 for 86-yards and 2 touchdowns, Matt Smolko with 3 for 71-yards and 1 touchdown, DeSean Crump with 3 for 33-yards, Tyler Fulmore with 1 for 13-yards, and Mike Johnson with 1 for 8-yards.  There were a total of 99 pass receptions for 1,526-yards and 19 touchdowns.

Mike Johnson led the team in rushing this season with 46 carries for 385-yards and 1 touchdown, followed by Robby Harbison with 54 carries for 296-yards and 3 touchdowns, Tyler Fulmore with 59 carries for 276-yards and 2 touchdowns, Jeff Green with 39 carries for 271-yards and 2 touchdowns, Nigel Williams with 34 carries for 235-yards and 3 touchdowns, Brock Geiman with 58 carries for 207-yards and 7 touchdowns, Zach Hughes with 46 carries for 181-yards and 1 touchdown, Miles Francis with 33 carries for 148-yards, DeSean Crump with 21 carries for 140-yards, Jacob Muir with 13carries for 46-yards, Thaddeus Davis with 6 carries for 41-yards, DeLunche Shaw with 8 carries for 25-yards and 1 touchdown, Grayson Wingert with 4 carries for 17-yards, Carson Perry with 2 carries for 11-yards, Drew Hartlaub with 3 carries  for 9-yards, Wyatt Laudicina with 1 carry for 7-yards, Kyle Davis with 2 carries for 4-yards, Josh Higdon with 2 carries for minus 2-yards, and a team loss of 10-yards on 10 carries.  

There was a total of 441 carries for 2,287-yards and 20 rushing touchdowns for the season.  You’d have to call that a very balanced offense with a great mix of rushing and passing for the season.

Wes Sneeringer led the team in scoring with 47 points on 35 extra points (putting him in a tie for 4th place with Jake Tracey in school history) and 4 field goals, followed by Jeff Green with 62 points on 10 touchdowns and two 2-point conversions, Brock Geiman with 42-points on 7 touchdowns, Noah Staub with 42-points on 7 touchdowns, Robby Harbison with 18-points on 3 touchdowns, Nigel Williams with 18-points on 3 touchdowns, Miles Francis with 12 points on 2 touchdowns, Tyler Fulmore with 12 points on 2 touchdowns, and Corbin Byers, Zach Hughes, Mike Johnson, Carson Perry, Matt Smolko, and DeLunche Shaw with 6 points on 1 touchdown each.  The team scored 289 points for the season.

There were 6 players with at least 50 tackles for the season, Mike Farace with 87, Tyler Fulmore with 81, Matt Smolko with 62, Corbin Byers with 74, Nate VanCampen with 57, and Skylar Bowman with 54.

Corbin Byers led the team with 7 sacks on the season, followed by Skylar Bowman with 3, Quan Marshall and Josh Zeroth with 2 each, and Bubba Carbaugh, Mike Farace, and Tyler Fulmore with 1 each.  There was a team total of 17 sacks for the season.

The team registered 15 interceptions, Miles Francis with 4, Noah Staub with 3, Carson Perry with 2, and Mike Farace, Jeff Green, Drew Hartlaub, Zach Hughes, Noah Langenfeld, Nate VanCampen with 1 each.  The team registered 7 fumble recoveries, with Bubba Carbaugh, Mike Farace, Tyler Fulmore, Kaiden Gaylord, Jeff Green, Noah Staub, and Josh Zeroth with 1 each.

Wes Sneeringer kicked 35 extra points and 4 field goals for the season.  He also kicked off 49 times for 2,196-yards and 1 touchback.  His 35 extra points puts him in a tie for 4th place with Jake Tracey in school history.

The 2015 Mustangs represented their school and league honorably, played hard, and never gave up.  They have a great nucleus of returning players from the varsity and the junior varsity and solid players coming up within the ranks.  The Junior Varsity ended their season with a 7-1 record.  I can’t wait for next season to begin.  Until then, GO MUSTANGS GO.