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By Pat Cole
pcole@mckenziebanner.com |
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Huntingdon’s Mustangs held the second ranked Lions at
bay and returned with a vengeance to claim supremacy in
Region 6-AA last Friday night. After a fifth week loss
to Martin Westview, the Mustangs fell to fifth place in
the AP poll while the unbeaten Lions climbed to second
place. This was a challenge to the defending state
champions as they met their longtime rival at Wright
Field in Camden and returned home 5-1 overall and 3-0 in
regional play.
The Mustangs won the toss and elected to defer offensive
possession until the second half. The first series,
Huntingdon’s defense was at the top of their game,
holding the Lions to a loss of six yards with tackles by
Tony Nellett, Desmond Townes, and Scott Hampton. The
punt bounced to the Huntingdon 38 where the Stangs took
over.
The first two plays seemed to indicate the Lions were
more than prepared for the antics of Robert “Boo”
Weathers, whose ability to find the hole and rush to the
end zone has become a weekly phenomenon. However after
gaining three and then being held to no gain, Weathers
found that hole and rushed 59 yards to the end zone for
the first strike of the game. Hampton came in to kick
the PAT good and the Stangs led 7-0 at the 8:08 mark of
the first period.
Byron Boyd took the kick from Hunter Hastings and
returned the ball to the Camden 35 before he was brought
down by Nellett and Brandon Snyder. This time the Lions
found two first downs on their scorecard, one by
penalty. However, in the end, the Stangs took over on
downs. Defensively, Hastings, Nellett, Marcus Beal,
Hampton, Townes and Snyder led the attack. After Snyder
and Beal held B. Boyd to no gain on fourth and three,
the Stangs took over at their own 24.
Lightning struck quickly for the Mustangs. After
Weathers picked up six yards on the first down play,
Sophomore Chris Donald found that hold needed and rushed
70 yards to pay dirt at the 2:01 mark. Hampton was
perfect with the PAT to give the Mustangs a 14-0 lead.
Josh Boyd received the third kickoff from Hastings and
was stopped at the 34 by Kegan Ball. After holding
Camden on first down, Lions quarterback Brian Markham
threw a perfect pass to Matthew Chandler, but the ball
fell from his grasp, Hampton recovered for the Stangs
and came loose again. Jerry McClerkin was there to fall
on the loose pigskin and Huntingdon had possession at
Camden’s 48 yard line. Weathers picked up a first down
on two rushes and then broke loose for a big game to the
Camden six. At that point however, the strong defensive
line of the Lions was evident as they held Weathers to a
yard, Donald to two and then to a single yard. With the
ball a the two-yard line on fourth down, quarterback
Cody Crocker attempted to put the ball into the end zone
and was held inside the one where the Lions took over.
Huntingdon appeared to be in control of the momentum at
that point. Markham however had other ideas, held the
ball and advanced it to the 14 before Weathers pulled
him down. With more breathing room, the Lions went to
work despite the efforts of Hastings, Snyder, Drew Smith
and Beal who made significant tackles. A second first
down came at the Lions 27. A Markham pass was deflected
by McClerkin and then Beal held for a loss of one. But
on third down, Markham found B. Boyd who rushed the ball
to the end zone at the 5:38 mark of the second period
and Clay Carruth hit the first of three PAT’s to narrow
the margin to 14-7.
A holding penalty on the Lions stopped the Stangs on
their next possession. After a rush by Weathers, the
Stangs found themselves facing first and 20. Crocker was
held to a gain of two and then Weathers picked up 10.
Hampton took the ball for a gain of six, but needed two
more. West Williams came in to punt the ball which was
downed at the 13.
The Lions made good use of the time remaining in the
half and although they too received a 10-yard penalty on
the first play of the series, runs by Markham and J.
Boyd were good for a first down at the 26. Defensively,
Beal, Cody Baker, Hastings, Townes, J.P. Powell and
Weathers made the tackles. Markham then connected with
Josh Guarjardo for a first down at the Huntingdon four
and with 1:24 remaining, Camden called a timeout. On the
next play, J. Boyd was handed the ball and scored at the
1:18 mark. Carruth’s kick was perfect to tie the game at
14.
Huntingdon took over at their own 35 after the ball was
kicked out of bounds and Donald had a quick first down
at the 47. Crocker then connected with Hampton for a
second first down at the 30, but time was running out. A
pass to Donald was good for seven and then Crocker found
Hampton near the end zone for the touchdown at the 27.2
mark. Hampton’s kick however was wide as the Stangs held
a 20-14 lead.
The Stangs were far from finished. After Camden received
the ball and began its own series at the Lions 37, a
fumble was recovered by Baker for Huntingdon and he was
stopped at the Stangs 43. A pass to Hampton was
incomplete and another to E.J. Mann was also incomplete
as the half ended with Huntingdon holding a slight edge.
After superb performances by the Marching Mustangs and
Marching Lions, play resumed with the Stangs receiving
the opening kick of the second half.
The Stangs had high hopes of increasing their lead and
began the half well. Weathers received the kickoff and
returned the ball to the 18. He moved right for a first
down at the 34 and then up the middle for another five.
Donald took the ball to the 45 for the first down.
Weathers gained four and a procedure call moved it back
five. Weathers regained the lost five and another three
while Donald moved up the middle to put the ball at the
Camden 44. The Stangs gained another two and after a
penalty on Huntingdon and fumble, Camden took over at
its own 16.
The Lions wasted no time in their bid for supremacy. In
only three plays, with the last one a four-yard run by
J. Boyd, the Lions had tied the contest at 20. Carruth
quickly gave his team the lead on the kick and at the
6:10 mark of the third period, Camden held their first
lead of the game at 21-20.
Using the clock to their advantage, the Stangs made a
methodical run to the end zone. The ball was kicked into
the end zone and play began at the Huntingdon 20.
Weathers gained six, Donald was held for no gain and
Weathers picked up first down at the 30. Donald rushed
up the middle to the 44 and gained another eight before
Weathers was held for no gain. Crocker held for the
first down at the Camden 45. Weathers was held to a
yard, but a Crocker pass to Powell brought the first
down at the 28. Weathers gained two, Donald seven and
Crocker the first down at the 17. Weather gained six
more as the third period ended. With the ball at the
Camden 11, Donald moved up the middle for the first down
at the four. Weathers was held on his first attempt, but
succeeded on his second and moved into the end zone at
the 10:47 mark of the final period. A pass to Powell was
good for two and the Stangs now led 28-21.
J. Boyd returned the ball to the Camden 32 where he was
stopped by Hastings and Brent Taylor. After a gain of
two and the stop by Townes, Markham attempted a second
down pass which was deflected by McClerkin. A third down
pass was incomplete and a motion penalty declined. The
ball was punted to Hampton who was immediately stopped.
The Stangs showed their dominance on this series
however. Weathers was held for a loss of three and then
stopped for no gain. A penalty on Huntingdon was
declined and facing third and 13 at the Stangs 38,
Weathers received the block he needed for open space and
a 62-yard run to pay dirt. At the 8:28 mark, Hampton
came in to successfully kick his third (of four) PAT of
the night and Huntingdon led 35-21.
Camden was far from through, managing to get the ball
down to the Huntingdon 18 before the Stangs took over
again at the 4:59 mark. After a successful first down
run by Weathers to the Stangs 34, the ball was stripped
and recovered by Camden at the 4:29 mark.
It appeared as if the Lions would gain one more score
for their vocal fans. After good defensive play by
Huntingdon and three incomplete passes, Markham threw to
Chandler on fourth down and he managed to get to the 14
before Townes made the tackle. Markham held for a gain
of five with Baker and Cale Belew on the tackle. B. Boyd
was stopped by Hastings, Nellett and Townes after
gaining one and Jesse Leonard was held to a loss of two
by Beal, Weathers, Donald and Nellett. Facing fourth and
six, Markham took to the air and was intercepted by
Hampton who was stopped at the Huntingdon 40 at the 1:29
mark.
Weathers gained a yard and then Crocker took a knee
twice to end the contest with a 35-21 Mustang victory.
This week, the Stangs travel to Milan for a non-regional
game. The Bulldogs are coming off a two-game losing
streak and will be prepared to end that skid as they
face the team that stopped their bid for a state title
last year in the playoffs. Camden will host Dyer County.
