By russellBUSH
There is an old saying that history repeats itself and the 2022 Huntingdon Mustang football team is a classic example of that. The 2021 Mustangs went 8-2 in the regular season, losing only to McKenzie and Westview and needing a win over Union City in the last game of the season for a second-place finish in Region 7-2A. This year’s Mustangs lost to both McKenzie and Westview and likewise needed a win over the Tornadoes for second in the region. The 2022 Mustangs delivered with a hard fought 27-20 win over the Tornadoes.
The Mustangs went off script as Union City seemed to have an answer for the Mustang ground game and held the Mustangs to only 210 yards for the game but the Mustangs went to the air and sophomore QB Gray Eubanks completed 8 of 11 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown. Eubanks also led the Mustangs with 108 yards rushing on 18 carries and scored three times.
The Mustangs fell behind for the second week in a row as Union City forged to a 14-0 lead on touchdown runs of 46 yards by Keaten Brown and a one-yard run by Gage Smith and with only 32 seconds remaining in the half felt certain that they were on the way for an upset. The Mustangs, however, for the second week in a row scored a touchdown on the last play of the half. Ashton Hutcherson gave the Mustangs great field position with a 33-yard return of the kickoff to the Union City 36 with 24 seconds left in the half. Eubanks then passed to C.J. Pelonero for 24 yards and ran the last 12 for the TD and after the missed extra point the Mustangs trailed 14-6.
The Mustangs started the second half with the ball and drove 56 yards in 10 plays as Eubanks completed 4 of 5 passes on the drive for 51 yards and passed four yards to Hutcherson for the touchdown. Eubanks then ran in the two-point conversion to tie the score at 14-14 with 6:37 left in the game. The Mustangs then held Union City on downs and took over at the Tornado 49. Six plays later Eubanks found the end zone from 22 yards and the Mustangs led 20-14 after the missed two-point conversion.
Union City who only passed twice in the game, completed a pass of 22 yards from Brown to Cohen Simpson with 8:23 left in the game. Finn Frankum who made his first two point after, missed the next one and the score stood at 20-20.
The Mustangs unable to move the ball punted and Union City with just over six minutes left had a chance for a drive to win the game but on the second play after the Mustang punt form their 19 fumbled and the Mustangs recovered at the 17. The Mustangs then were faced with a fourth down at the four but Eubanks found the end zone and Cole Chafin tacked on the point after and the Mustangs led 27-20 with 2:54 left in the game.
Union City had one chance for a drive starting at their 33 but on second down after losing a yard on first attempted a pass and Austin Byrd forced an early throw from Brown and Brady Warbritton picked off the pass and the Mustangs then ran out the clock for the win.
The Mustangs will now face Memphis Mitchell their first-round opponent last year at Paul Ward Stadium to begin the playoffs.
