By Allen Hamrick
This past Thursday night was homecoming night for the CCMS Mustangs. The game was a cliffhanger, to say the least, and probably pound for pound one of the best games of the week from pro football to middle school. It had everything from nail biting drama to jaw dropping let down. Both teams played a game worthy of a twenty dollar ticket; regardless of the rivalry, credit has to be given both teams for an excellent game. It was no picnic for either defense or offense as each down had to be played with gut wrenching precision to come out on top.
The Mustangs came into the game with a dominating ground and pound style of football and an added air show to keep the defense guessing. The Braxton Knights came in with a ground and pound running game using some quick stepping, bulldozing running backs. They had a good line that had some good blocking up front and got some big runs against the Mustang defense. However, the Mustang defense held their ground in critical opportunities when the Knights had a chance to score. The Mustang offense, led by Bryson Peters, has the same type of running game but also had receivers that can get open and make the big catches.
With that being said, here is the blow by blow. The Mustangs got on the boards first with a well calculated drive while adding a good mix of strong running and passing, and it did not take long. They couldn’t get the ball in for the extra points so the score stood at 6-0. The Knights, not being outdone, unleashed their best speedster who took the ball down the field adding up the yards. Some good blocking up front opened up some holes just big enough for him to get through. Mustang defense did a good job but needed a different set of blueprints to stop them. The Knights took the ball over the bread and butter line and added six plus the extra points making the score 6-8. It was Brody Scarbro’s turn at the wheel and on the next play after kick off, Brody took the ball roughly 80 yards for the TD as the Knight bench went silent. This time the Mustangs got the extra eggs in the basket and retook the lead 14-8. The game went into defense mode after that and neither offense could get the ball rolling, and it went into half time with the Mustangs on top.
Once halftime was over, it was back to the business of defense. The game went back and forth until the Knights drove the ball back down the field early in the 4th quarter and scored, but it took 15 rounds of boxing to get it there against the Mustang defense. They couldn’t get the ball over the line for the extra point so the score stood tied up 14-14. It didn’t take long for the Mustang offense to show the Knight defense it wasn’t Christmas anymore; they took the ball to the house scoring what seemed to be a winning TD. The Mustang defense just had to hold; however, on the ensuing kickoff with just 1:01 left in the game, the Mustangs attempted an onside kick and normally a player just falls on the ball to stop play. This did not happen! In a heads up play by #52 of the Knights, instead of falling on the ball, he picks it up, finds a hole and takes it nearly in for the TD but was stopped just short. The Knight bench and fans went wild as they took the ball in for the score and tied the game up with 40 seconds left. The Mustangs were unable to utilize the 40 seconds, and the game went into overtime with each team getting four downs to get the ball in from the 20 yard line. It was make or break time; the bleachers on both sides were absolutely on the edge of their seats. It just doesn’t get better than this. Two offenses and two defenses – nothing else mattered.
The Knights got the chance first, and it was a magnificent pure grit and grind attempt at scoring. They nearly had it in, but on the next play, the Mustang defense went after the quarterback like he was meatloaf at Sunday dinner and sacked him back to where they started from. Unable to get the ball in, it was the Mustangs’ turn. The Mustangs drove the ball into the teeth of the Knight defense on some great blocking by the Mustangs to open the hole for Bryson Peters to step it into the end zone. That folks was a championship game in the middle of the season; if you were there, you know what I mean. Hats are off to the Knights for coming and playing smash mouth football. This win was a big one for the Mustangs and certainly will be remembered as one of the best. Congratulations to the Mustangs on a great win!
