By Allen Hamrick
In case you missed it, this past Thursday night was one of the best football games ever played on the grid iron. The Clay Middle School Mustangs were pitted against the Braxton Middle School Knights for the CWVAC Championship with the game being played at the Summersville stadium. Both teams were closely matched, and at their last meeting, the Knights gave the Mustangs their pink slip. This time, however, the Mustangs were carrying a different mindset.
The Knights came out as they did the last game, went to their starting running back/QB/kicker Bryson Moats and quickly started getting points on the board using the same tactics as the last time the two teams met. The Knights got on the board first with 5:46 left in the first quarter. It looked as though it would be a repeat of the last game, but on the Mustangs next at bat, Caleb “the Bull” Robinson knocked down Knights like bowling pins on his way to a 60+ yard TD run to tie the game at six.
The Mustang offensive line got to work and opened a hole big enough to fit a log truck through, and they did it all evening. It didn’t take long for the Knights to answer the call of the wild and took the ball to the end zone for their second score of the game. With 4:40 left to play in the first, the score stood at Mustangs 6, Knights 14. The Mustangs couldn’t answer the door bell on the next set of downs and gave the ball back to the Knights. Again the Knights took advantage of the opportunity and took the pig to the house, making the score 6-20 with four minutes left in the second quarter. Then, folks, it was as if someone turned the lights out for the Knights as the Mustang defense said that was enough. The Mustang offensive line picked apart the Knight defensive line and opened up the spotlight for Robinson who once again hit the end zone bringing the score to 14-20.
Mustang defense must have eaten a can of whip butt on the sideline; the Knights could no longer see the open end zone. One of the biggest plays happened when the Knights had the ball near the 30 yard line of the Mustangs and were going for the first down on a 4th and 3. The Knight QB went into motion, looking at the end zone, but had one big problem…Adam Canfield. Canfield ran down the Knight QB and dropped him for a loss with just a 1:20+ left on the clock. This gave the ball back to the Mustangs who under the masterful direction of QB John Paxton, played a one minute offense, and with just 12 seconds to play in the half, Robinson scored his third TD of the evening tying the ball game at 20 each…the crowd went crazy.
After the half, the Knights got the ball first and throughout the third quarter, it was a defense game as neither offense could break the monotony. It was turning into a nail biter, as fans on both sides of the field were getting their money’s worth. The fourth quarter clock started ticking, and it was going to prove to be one of the best fourth quarters ever played in a championship game.
The Mustangs had the ball and play began; the Mustang offensive line opened a small hole, just enough to get a body through, as the Knights tightened up the line. Robinson filled that gap and simply ran over the remaining Knight who was left standing and took the ball to the Knight 10 yard line. Moats was all that stood in his way. It made no difference as the Mustangs scored on the next set of downs. Knights got the ball back and deep in the Mustang real estate, the Mustang defense held their ground on a 4th and 8 and stopped the Knight attack. On the next set of downs for the Mustangs and with 1:49 left to play, Robinson ran his 5th TD of the evening making the score Mustangs 34 Knights 20.
It looked as though the championship was in the bag for the Mustangs but a team can never let their guard down, especially with a team like the Knights. The Mustangs kicked off and Cohen McPherson ran the ball back for a TD for the Knights making the score 34-26. One minute 33 seconds was left in the game, and the Knights attempted an onside kick that went out of bounds giving the ball to the Mustangs. John Paxton, who quarterbacked like a pro in the game, took a knee and time ran out for the Knights.
Mustangs are the 2024 CWVAC Champions in one of the best games ever played – bar none. Congratulations to the Mustangs and their coaching staff, it was two great teams going head to head with no quarter taken and none given. Also, hats off to the Knights and their coaches. Making All Conference for the Mustangs were Caleb Robinson, Collin Elliott, Adam Canfield, and Holden Winebrenner.
