The McCracken County Mustangs live to see another week after pulling off a commanding 41-12 win over Warren Central Friday night to begin what they hope to be a long playoff run.
After a delayed start due to travel complications for the Dragons, the Mustangs would get right work work, making efficient use of their offensive possessions. Those possessions would be complimented well by the defense stopping drives, interrupting two-point conversions and snagging interceptions.
“We started really well with that first possession with just three or four plays to score and the defense did a great job of getting the ball right back to us,” McCracken County head coach Tyler Brooks said. “They showed us something a little uncharacteristic that we hadn’t seen on film. They got in a three-man front and dropped eight on us and made it a little tougher to complete a ball, but we adjusted, turned to the run game a little more and things really came together.”
That first drive started from the Mustangs own 45 yard line after a squib kick from the Dragons to open play. Maddox O’Neal would make quick work in the opening possession when he found Reed Brookshire from 40 yards out for the touchdown. The duo would connect twice on the night for big scoring plays, the second from 66-yards on a streak down the left side midway through the second quarter.
Warren Central would make it a 7-6 game after a 45-yard pass to RaMaun North found the end zone. The Mustangs would hold their ground on the two-point conversion attempt to keep the advantage.
With that different defensive attack from the Dragons, the ball would go to the hands of junior Dawson Hayden for the next two McCracken County touchdowns. The first was a 29-yard carry to the house with 6:38 to play in the first and the second came on a 54-yard carry, dodging nearly every Dragon coming his way for the 20-6 score before the first quarter would end.
The Mustangs would would their foot on the gas through the second as O’Neal found Jakari Matchem for a 58-yard dart in just the first play of the second quarter.
Strong defensive play resulted in a fumble recovery which later led to a 1-yard march home for Elijah Pullen for the 34-6 score and the 66-yard dart to Brookshire would trigger the running clock at 41-6.
“It was extremely important for us to get up big early in the game,” Brooks said. “We have a lot of guys banged up from last week, our quarterback being one of them. So, being able to pull him in the second quarter helped a lot. We didn’t have to play Cooper (Falconite) very much, so it was nice to get our guys some rest, but also get some of our younger guys some action like Jakari Matchem who played his tail off tonight.”
A short pick six just before the half made it a 41-12 game and from there the Mustangs defense would hold strong as that’s how the score sat.
A pair of fumble recoveries in favor of the Mustangs would be the highlights of the the third quarter and and interception for Braedyn Noland late in the game would highlight the fourth.
“Our defensive backs are getting better every week,” Brooks said. “We challenge them a lot and sometimes we put them on islands and they responded well tonight and made some plays.”
In total, the Mustangs put together 361 total yards of offense, 172 on the ground and 189 in the air. The Mustangs had 201 total yards, 42 rushing and 159 in the air. Dawson Hayden had six carried for 170 yards and two TD’s and Brookshire had three catches for 111 yards and two TD’s, while QB1, O’Neal broke the school’s single season touchdown passing record with 39 touchdown passes and counting.
The Mustangs will return home next Friday for the second round of 6A playoff football action where they will host Central Hardin.