Mustangs Falter in Non-Region Matchup

BY SCOTT WRIGHT / FOR THE RECORD

Cullman High School is known for several things, but football would be at the top the list of things that they do best.

While they were voted state champions once, the 5A powerhouse has never won a state championship on the field in the football, but every school in the state is envious of their field, field house, tradition and success rate.

The Madison Academy Mustangs hope to one day be seen in the same light, and tried to continue building this tradition by matching up with Cullman on Friday night.

The end result was a loss for the Mustangs, but yet another learning experience for this young team. The Bearcats, running the no-huddle, spread offense that has become popular in the college game, found a lot of success through the air and beat the Mustangs 42-21.

Quarterback Zack Crocker for Cullman completed nineteen of twenty-five passes in the first half and would finish the game with five touchdown passes to lead the way for the Bearcats.

The Mustangs could never seem to get their footing on offense, but were lead by senior wide receiver Nick Haas with four catches for over one hundred yards and a touchdown.

The Mustangs, having been tied or in the lead for much of the first half, came out of the halftime break looking to take the ball and even the score at twenty-one. However, the Bearcats caught Madison Academy napping and recovered a surprise onside kick, turning that into another touchdown and increasing their lead to 28-14.

The Mustangs would bounce back quickly and Kerryon Johnson would score from about twenty-five yards out to pull his team back within one possession, but that would be the final time of the night that the Mustangs would be that close.

A late fumble that occurred while Justin Wimberly was attempting to hand the ball off to Johnson would seal Madison Academy’s fate and the Bearcats would finish the game out, winning 42-21.

This will be looked at as a disappointing loss for the Mustangs, but it should provide the team with an opportunity to work on some specific things as they re-enter region play next Friday night at Elkmont High School.

The Cullman Bearcats will go back to region play as well as they take on Russellville High School next week. Perhaps Nick Haas said it best when discussing the Mustangs’ coming week of practice, “It will be a tough week, like it always is, but our coaches will have us ready to bounce back next Friday night.”

There is no doubt that this Mustang team is resilient, but that does not lessen the sting of this loss in the mind of the players, coaches, and fans. This team will use this loss as motivation for the remainder of the season.