It was an efficient and record-breaking night for the Huntingdon Mustangs on Homecoming night as they completed an undefeated regular season at 10-0 for only the second time in school history with a 72-6 win over Middleton. The Mustangs also finished 6-0 in Region 6-1A play for the third year in a row and will face a bye week for week 11 of the season before starting their playoff run in two weeks.
The Mustangs had their lowest production of the season as far as the number of plays as the Mustangs only had 16 offensive snaps in the game but scored ten touchdowns as the Mustangs scored on every possession in the game. The Mustangs totaled 385 rushing yards on 16 snaps as the Mustangs averaged 24 yards a play for the game. The Mustangs have scored 197 points for the last three games and finished the season with 513 points for the season which places them sixth on the list of best offensive seasons for a Mustang season.
In the win over Middleton the Mustangs had nine running backs score touchdowns and were led by Hunter Ensley with 126 yards rushing on three carries and two touchdowns, Brandon Lawton four carries for 40 yards and a touchdown, Konnor Pearson two carries for 35 yards and two touchdowns, Malek Cannon one carry for 33 yards and a touchdown, Aden Hutcherson one carry for 25 yards and a touchdown, Grant Bartholomew one carry for 48 yards and a touchdown, Elijah Flowers two carries for 56 yards and a touchdown, and Landon Gordon one carry for 17 yards and a touchdown.
The Mustangs also had a great night defensively as they held Middleton to 55 yards total offense for the game. Middleton had minus 65 yards in the first half and only the last two drives in which they amassed 120 yards late in the game got the Tigers on the plus side offensively. The Mustangs also had a safety and the Mustang defense gave its offense the ball six times to start a possession in Tiger territory. The Mustangs came close to their third shutout of the year and have only allowed 100 points for the season with 39 of those in one game against Milan.
Ensley started the scoring for the Mustangs as Huntingdon took the opening kickoff at their own 35 and Ensley raced 65 yards to pay dirt for the first points of the game with 19 seconds off the clock. Lawton followed up that score with a one-yard run at the 8:41 mark of the first after the Mustangs took over at the Tiger 40. Great field position set up the next score as the Mustangs started at the Tiger 29 and Konnor Pearson scored on the first play for his first score of the night with 7:08 left in the first. The Mustangs then took over at the Tiger 43 and Cannon sprinted to the end zone from 33 yards with 3:42 left in the first. Sebastian Kee then tackled a Tiger ball carrier in the end zone for a safety with 2:16 left in the first. Ensley capped off the scoring in the first quarter with a 42-yard run with 1:43 left in the first. Cole Edwards converted all five of his extra-point attempts in the first quarter and with the safety, the Mustangs led 37-0 after one quarter.
Pearson started the scoring for the Mustangs in the second quarter with a six-yard run with 9:58 left in the half. The Mustang on their next possession started at the Tiger 15 and Hutcherson scored from that spot with 5:33 left in the half. The final points of the first half came as Bartholomew scored on a 48-yard scramble with no time remaining on the clock in the first half. Edwards who was perfect for the night on extra points made three more in the second quarter as the Mustangs led at the half 58-0.
The second half was played with eight-minute quarters and a running clock but there was still plenty of offense. Gordon was the first one to find the end zone for the Mustangs with 2:00 left in the third quarter on a 17-yard run. Edwards knocked through the extra point and the Mustangs led 65-0. Tyler Dickey gave the Middleton fans something to cheer about when he raced 80 yards for a touchdown and the conversion failed as the score stayed 65-6. The final point of the game came when Elijah Flowers scored on a 48-yard run and Edwards tacked on the final point of the night for a 72-6 win. The Mustangs will rest for the final week of the season and will host a first-round playoff game at Paul Ward Stadium on November 8.
