Mustangs Outrun Indians to Advance to Semifinals

HUNTINGDON (November 21) — The Huntingdon Mustangs punched their ticket to the semifinals of the TSSAA Class 2-A playoffs and a rematch with the Milan Bulldogs this past Friday night at Paul Ward Stadium as they defeated the East Robertson Indians 42-20. The Indians had entered the game undefeated and ranked second in the state, but the Mustangs took advantage of their running game and some timely passes to win and improve to 12-1 for the season.

The game was sloppy for a quarter-final round, as 22 penalties were called against both teams combined. The Mustang offense rushed for 285 yards, and QB Kenton Smith rushed for 120 yards and scored four touchdowns, and threw for 96 yards on 3 of passing and one touchdown.

The Mustang defense played well against a high-scoring Indian squad, holding East Robertson to 62 yards on the ground. The Indians, who never had the lead in the game, went to the passing game, and QB Kason Young completed 27 of 47 passes for 354 yards.

The Mustangs made a statement on their opening possession of the game as they drove from their 34 to score the first points of the night on nine plays. The Mustangs scored on a one-yard run by Smith with 8:01 left in the first quarter, and Greyson Anderson’s PAT gave the Mustangs a 7-0 lead.

East Robertson answered with a nine-play drive of their own but settled for a 24-yard field goal by David Summerer with 3:25 left in the quarter to cut the lead to 7-3.

It took the Mustangs one play to stifle whatever momentum the Indians had gathered on the field goal as Tyreke Hutch scampered 65 yards for a touchdown with 3:13 left in the first. Anderson added the point after, and the Mustangs led 14-3.

The Indians inched closer with 6:40 left in the second quarter when Young connected with Brock Taylor for an 82-yard scoring strike, and Summerer added the point after. The lead for the Mustangs shrank to 14-10.

The Indians refused to kick deep after scoring the entire game, and the Mustangs kept getting the ball in great field position. After the Indian score, the Mustangs took over at their 40, and two plays later found the end zone on a 32-yard run by Smith with 6:03 left in the half. Anderson was good on the PAT, and the lead was 21-10 at the half.

The Indians managed more points on their second possession of the third quarter, but the Mustang defense held the Indians to a 33-yard field goal with 3:04 left in the third, and the lead stood at 21-13.

The Mustangs again started in great field position at their 39, and Smith gained 45 yards on first down and scored two plays later from six yards away, and the Mustangs led 28-13 with Anderson’s extra point.

The Indians started at their 20 and completed six of 10 passes for 57 yards and drew within eight points of the lead when Young completed a 27-yard pass to Christopher Groves with 10:07 left in the game. Summerer tacked on the point after, and the score stood at 28-20.

The Mustangs again answered quickly as Smith tossed a short pass to Broox Bennett, who turned it into a 70-yard pass play as he broke a couple of tackles and sprinted to the end zone with 9:59 left. Anderson was true again on the point after, and the Mustangs led 35-20.

The Mustangs added a final score after East Robertson turned the ball over on downs at their own 20 and Smith scored on a five-yard run five plays later, and the Mustangs, with Anderson’s PAT, had their 42-20 win to advance to the semifinals.

The Mustangs, who lost to Milan 34-9 earlier in the season, will travel to Milan this Friday for a 7 p.m. kickoff and the chance to advance to the championship game.