Mustangs Stem the Tide with Second Half Surge

It was a tale of two halves for the Huntingdon Mustang football team as they hosted Trenton Peabody Friday night at Paul Ward Stadium. The Golden Tide entered the game undefeated and ranked third in the Class 2-A poll, and the Mustangs came in ranked fifth in the same poll and with a record of 7-1.

The first half was a shootout as the score was tied at the half at 21-21, but Huntingdon’s defense dominated the second half, and the Mustang offense kept the pressure on Trenton’s defense and outscored the Golden Tide 19-0 in the second half.

​The first half saw Trenton throw for 144 yards, and two of their ten completions went for touchdowns. The Tide also ran for 48 yards in the first half but only managed 23 in the second half. The Mustang offense ran for 191 yards in the first half and 192 in the second half. The Mustangs also completed 3 of 4 passes for 61 yards in the game.

​Huntingdon, after a Trenton punt, scored the first points of the game when Tyreke Hutch, who led all rushers with 181 yards in the game on 13 carries, sprinted 57 yards to the end zone on the Mustangs’ first play of the game with 9:12 left in the first, and Greyson Anderson tacked on the point after for a 7-0 lead.

​Trenton answered with a 78-yard eight-play drive to tie the game. The Tide were faced with a third and 12 from their nine-yard line but converted to keep the drive alive and scored on a 22-yard pass from Jonah Smith to Ja’Marcus Haynes with 4:20 left. Desmond Griffin kicked the point after for a 7-7 tie.

​Huntingdon responded with a nine-play drive that covered 72 yards, and the touchdown came on a Kenton Smith 36-yard pass to Broox Bennett with 11:20 left in the half. Anderson gave the Mustangs a 14-7 lead with the point after.

​It took Trenton 16 seconds to answer as Edward Agnew took the ensuing kickoff and returned it 99 yards for the touchdown. Griffin tied the score at 14-14 with the point after.

​The Mustangs didn’t blink as they moved from their 17 to the end zone in eight plays, and Smith recorded his second touchdown pass of the game with a 20-yard toss to Zayden Connelly with 7:57 left in the second. Anderson added the point after, and the lead was back at 21-14 for the Mustangs.

​Trenton tied the score at 21-21 with 4:01 left when Smith completed a 22-yard pass to Mikhel Wilks. Griffin added the PAT.

​The Mustangs started the second half with possession and took the lead back with a four-play drive that covered 67 yards. Hutch scored his second TD of the night on a 53-yard run with 9:49 left in the third. Anderson added the PAT, and the score grew to 28-21.

​Huntingdon’s defense then took over the game. Trenton on the kickoff started at their nine, and on third down, Smith was sacked in the end zone by Bennett and Jeramyah Cannon for a two-point safety, giving a 30-21 lead with 8:11 left in the third.

​The Mustangs received the free kick after the safety and started at their 25 after a penalty negated a huge return by K’Shun Carter. The Mustangs ate almost eight minutes off the clock with a 13-play drive that stalled at the Trenton 24. Anderson booted through a 41-yard field goal for a 33-21 lead with 27 seconds left in the third.

​Anderson’s kickoff was returned to the Trenton nine, there was a forced punt, and the Mustangs took over at the Tide 20. Hayes Eubanks scampered 20 yards for the score, and Anderson was true on the point after, and the Mustangs led 40-21.

​Kenton Smith then intercepted a pass at the Mustang one-yard line. With 9:13 left in the game, Huntingdon ran off all nine minutes with 13 plays and claimed the region win.

​The Mustangs, now 8-1, can claim second in the region with a win over Union City Thursday night at Paul Ward Stadium. A Mustang win and a Trenton victory over Milan next week will give the Mustangs the region championship.