By russellBUSH
The Huntingdon Middle School Mustangs began their 2022 season in impressive fashion as they defeated the Lexington Minutemen 18-8 Thursday at Paul Ward Stadium. The Mustangs’ Kenton Smith continued his impressive performance from the Jamboree in McKenzie with a three-touchdown night and rushed for 203 yards on 23 carries. The Mustangs ran 25 plays from scrimmage and Smith touched the ball on 24 of them as he also completed one pass for seven yards.
The Mustangs’ first score of the game came with 2:44 left in the first half, as the Mustangs started a late first quarter drive that lasted for 14 plays, covered 70 yards, and ended with a two-yard run by Smith to give the Mustangs a 6-0 lead. Lexington on the ensuing drive reached the Mustang 13 but a fourth down run was stuffed and the Mustangs took their narrow lead into the half.
Lexington had the opening possession of the second half and turned it into gold as they drove from their 37 and reached the end zone on a 42-yard run by Cameron Smith, who rushed for 52 yards in the game, with 4:42 left in the third quarter. Elye Pearson ran the two-point conversion in and the Minutemen led 8-6.
The Mustangs answered in one play as Smith got around the right end and scooted down the sidelines for a 52-yard run to give the Mustangs a 12-8 lead. The Mustangs then recovered a Minuteman fumble at their own 30-yard line and six plays later put the game out of reach with a 41-yard run by Smith to give the Mustangs an 18-8 win to open the season.
The Mustangs travel to Jackson this week to take on Jackson Northeast with a 6:30 kickoff scheduled for Thursday.
