Mustang Defense Stifles JCM

HUNTINGDON (September 19) — On a night when the Huntingdon Mustangs' offense seemed a little sluggish, the Mustang defense turned in its best performance of the season in a 27-7 win over JCM.

The Mustangs held the Cougars to 64 rushing yards on 23 attempts and 9 of 18 passing for 99 yards and forced one turnover.

Senior linebacker, Broox Bennett who has missed the last three games for injury, led the Mustang defense with 14 tackles, four for loss and intercepted a pass.

The Mustangs, now 4-1 for the season and 2-1 in region 7-2A, rushed for 263 yards on 42 attempts and completed 3 of 3 passes for 53 yards.

Junior QB Kenton Smith ran for 37 yards and completed 3 of 3 passes for 53 yards, Tyreke Hutch ran for 86 yards and Hayes Eubanks contributed 72 yards on the ground.

The Mustang defense stopped JCM on their first drive of the game after the Cougars got off to a good start and drove to the Mustangs 24, but a fourth down pass fell incomplete.

The Mustangs moved the 76 yards in three plays to score on a Hutch 54-yard sprint to the end  zone. Greyson Anderson knocked through the PAT and the Mustangs led 7-0.

The Mustangs, after fumbling earlier in the second quarter to end a drive, scored the final points of the first half after taking over at the Cougar 48 following a 14-yard punt. The Mustangs faced a fourth down from the nine-yard line, and Kenton Smith found Carter on an out pattern for the touchdown with 12 seconds left in the half. The extra point was missed and the score stood at 13-0 with 24 minutes of the game gone.

Both the Mustangs and Cougars punted on their first possession of the second half and the Mustangs started a scoring drive from their own 14 that covered 14 plays to paydirt. Hayes Eubanks capped the drive with a four-yard run with 8:23 left in the game. Anderson was good on the point after, and the Mustangs led 20-0.

Anderson's kickoff was in the end zone, and the Cougars started at their own 20. On first down, Bennett intercepted a Terell Williams pass and returned it to the Cougar 17. On the next play, Hutch got some great blocking off the right side and waltzed into the end zone. Anderson was true on the point after, and the score increased to 27-0.

The Cougars answered with their only points of the night by going 73 yards in seven plays and scored on a four-yard pass from Williams to Jayland Eckford with four minutes left in the game. The point after was good to make the final score 27-7.

The Mustangs take to the road this Friday for the last time during the regular season as they will face Gibson County in Dyer for a region match-up. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.