Mustangs wrangle 25-16 win over Winston County

REMLAP  - One thing can be said about the Winston County Yellow Jackets: they played their hearts out against the Southeastern Mustangs even againt opposition.
The Southeastern Mustangs had the final say with a 25-16  victory in the griddy regional matchup Friday night, Oct. 18.
The Yellow Jackets played hard but were hit with penalties at the most inopportune moments of the ball game, stated Head Coach Mark Mitchell.
“We played hard and we played clean, but we kept getting the calls,” Mitchell pointed out on the field, just after both schools’ alma mater were played.
“They have great attitudes, and they do everything I ask them to do, and I’m proud to be the coach here,” Mitchell continued. “I am proud of where our program is going. No matter what happened tonight, we are going in the right direction, and I have their back and they have my back.”
The loss put the Yellow Jackets at 2-6 on the season and 0-4 on the region, with Sumiton Christian and Lynn still on the schedule as hopeful games for the Yellow Jackets, Mitchell said.
The Jackets were put out of the playoff picture last week with a loss to Cold Springs, the coach stated.
The Mustangs showed they meant business from the opening drive of the ball game, scoring in 12 plays, 74 yards. Key first downs on the drive were on a 12-yard quarterback keeper by Michael Carpenter, a complete pass to Austin Leith and a toss-out to Noah McCray.
A Yellow Jacket offsides penalty took the ball half the distance to the goal line on a first and goal situation, when McCray crossed the line with 6:30 left in the first quarter.  Rafael Nino’s PAT was good, and the score was 7-0.
The Jackets held on the ball and scored on their first possession of the ball game. After returning the kickoff to their own 19-yard-line, Ryker Morgan, at the quarterback slot, went up the middle for seven yards, bringing up 2nd and 3.
Morgan then was good for a first down at their own 39. Austin  Owens found good ground for a first down.
 Although James Abbott pulled one down out of the air, the Yellow Jackets were facing 4th and 6 from their 40. Morgan then found space to cross into foe territory and Owens ran a pattern up the middle as the first quarter expired.
The Jackets got a first down off a Mustang personal foul call near the opponent 22-yard-line, then Owens got another first down, edging the ball deeper to the 14.
A Mustang offsides call put the ball deep at the 2. Morgan found room at left to score with 7:55 left in the second quarter, but the play was brought back on an illegal block call.
The Jackets were at the foe 10, when a pass sailed complete to Owens. This time the score was good, with 7:33 left in the second quarter.  A delay of game backed up the extra point attempt, which turned into a two-point conversion throw from Morgan to Owens. The Jackets were ahead by one point 8-7.
The Mustangs are known for their speed, and Mason Golden enforced that point when he returned the kickoff 80 yards to the uprights with 7:20 left in the second quarter.  Nino’s PAT made it 14-8.
Owens had a 60-yard return to set up the Jackets deep at the 35, but the Jackets were hit on the next play with a holding call, bringing it back 15.
Morgan was pressured in the back field, bringing up 4th and 3, when Owens found enough room for a first down deep at the Mustang 21.
Owens was the man wide open for a complete pass in the endzone for the score, but the play did not count, due to an ineligible receiver penalty.
The Mustangs took over on downs from their own 14-yard-line.
The Mustangs used the quickness as seconds ticked away until half time.  Collin Blankenship pulled down a complete pass darting another 25 for a first down with 41 seconds left in the first half.
More seconds ticked off the clock with the Mustangs at first and goal from the Jacket 10. After a deep but incomplete pass to the end zone, Michael Carpenter darted around left but the play was brought back on a Mustang illegal block call.
The Jackets were hit with a personal foul call with no time showing on the clock.
 The Mustangs got a field goal from 20 yards out, with no time showing on the clock. The score at half time was 17-8.
The Jackets started out possession in the second half, and drove the ball deep to the Mustang 35, but Morgan was sacked for negative yardage, and the Mustangs took over on downs from their own 44.
The Mustangs were threatening from the Jacket 25-yard-line, when a pass was picked off by the Jackets for possession deep at their own 5.
Mustang defenders pressured Jackets for a loss in the backfield, forcing the punt on which they capitalized, when Mason Golden returned the ball 40 yards to score with 1:50 left in the third quarter. The play was brought back on a Mustang illegal block call.
The Mustangs had the ball at the Jacket 26, and turned the ball over on downs after they got deep but were kept out of the end zone.
The Jackets took over from their own 1 yard line and soon were facing third and 6 from their own 7, when the Jackets were pulled down in the end zone for a safety with 9:27 left in the game. The score was now 19-8.
The Jackets drove the ball 40 yards on the set, but were hit with a holding call then a pass intercepted by Leith, adding insult to injury.
The Mustangs now had possession from their own 30, when Joey Chaffin found space for a big first down play at the Jacket 35.
The Mustangs, however, were hit with a sideline warning and a false start call, but the Mustangs fought back with determination.
 A pass sailing complete to Fernando Chavez brought up first and goal deep at the Jacket 1-yard-line.
Then  Devin Humphryes plowed across the line with 2:25 left in the game. Chavez’s PAT failed, and the score was 25-8.
The Jackets had the final score of the night. Morgan set up the Jackets on a sturdy return, being knocked out-of-bounds at the Mustang 46.
Owens had the first down play and then rushed 20 yards to the uprights with 40 seconds left in the ball game.  The two point conversion was good off a Jacket recovery of their own fumble in the end zone. The final score was 25-16.

WCHS
GAME STATS
Total rushing 200
Total passing 19
Penalties 70 yards
Austin Owens was the leading rusher with 21 carries and 109 yards, 1 TD,
1TD receiving