Mustangs defeat Lions in final area game
BY SCOTT WRIGHT / SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
The final area game for the Madison Academy Mustangs is also a celebration of a senior class that has been to the playoffs the last three years.
Blake Copeland, Jacob Deep, Taylor Ernst, Hayden Faith, Daniel Graveman, Khyle Jackson, Thomas Nay, Hunter Olive, Marcus Sease, and Zac Smith makeup an impressive senior class that has continually dominated their area competition.
The opening drive took only three plays and one minute and twenty seconds as Kerryon Johnson took a bubble screen from Hunter Olive 43 yards for a touchdown. The ensuing kickoff was then fumbled into the end zone for an apparent Mustang touchdown, but was ruled a touchback. The Mustang defense would not bend, however, and caused an immediate three and out.
Two plays later, the Mustang offense would get back into the end zone as Olive hit Nick Haas for his second passing touchdown of the night. Another quick stop by the Madison Academy defense gave the ball back to the Mustangs, and Olive promptly ran it in from forty-one yards out to push the lead to 21-0. A fumble recovery would give the Lions their best field position of the night, but the smothering defense of the team in maroon kept them from making a first down. An extremely debatable interception gave Brindlee Mountain the football back.
Again, the drive was halted rapidly and the Lions were forced to punt. A considerably longer drive by the Mustangs still resulted in the same end as Olive took the ball in from one yard out to make the MA lead 28-0 with 5:55 left in the first half. The Lions would manage their only first down of the first half with four minutes remaining, but would again be stopped by the swarming Mustang defense. A long 50-plus yard run by Logan Hamlett continued the early dominance as the score then stood at 35-0 as the half came to an end.
The second half began with a long seven minute drive by Brindlee Mountain which ended with their first points making the score 35-3. The Lion defense stood up and stopped the Mustang offense, but were not able to capitalize and punted again. On a third down and eight, the Olive to Haas connection would strike again on a play action fade route to make it 42-3. The fourth quarter would bog down as both teams substituted freely and ran the ball almost exclusively.
Ziak would add a late rushing score for MA while the Lions would put a touchdown on the board late. The final tally would see the Mustangs win big again 49-10. The continued good play by quarterback Olive and the dominance of the Mustang defense has the Madison Academy Mustangs in a fantastic position to begin the playoffs in two weeks.
