Mustangs put the squeeze on Newton, 70-0

Published 11:15 pm Friday, September 18, 2020

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By Van Wade

Orange Leader

WEST ORANGE – It was a tremendous opener for the West Orange-Stark Mustangs Friday night as they showed very little rust from the long wait to play a game as they blasted Class 3A power Newton 70-0 at Hooks Stadium.

The Mustangs (1-0) were never really challenged by the Eagles (0-2) as the Mustangs totally came out and dominated the first half, sprinting out to a 35-0 lead by intermission.

Senior quarterback Jerren Terrell and his receivers worked with precision, especially in the first half.

Thompson completed 8-of-11 passes for 207 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. Two of them went to Jalen Thompson, who had three catches for 117 yards in the half, while the other one went to running back Elijah Gales, who had three catches for 49 yards. Gales also had 40 yards and a touchdown on five rushes in the half.

Terrell finished the game 9-of-13 for 221 yards as he rested most of the second half. Gales wound up with 101 yards on just six carries.

The Mustangs had 263 yards of total offense in the half. The Mustangs limited Newton to 51 yards in the first 24 minutes and sacked Eagle quarterback Mark Woods five times. Eagle back DeAnthony Gatson had 41 yards on nine carries in the half. Woods made the start for the Eagles after normal starter Nate Williams had to sit out with ankle and knee soreness.

It got worse on offense in the second half for the Eagles as they finished with a minus eight yards in the half to finish with just 41 total yards on the night. The Mustangs, meanwhile, totaled 465 yards.

The Mustangs marched 91 yards in nine plays for their first score of the season.

Terrell hit Thompson with a 30-yard connection on a third-and-14 play that kept the drive alivethat got to the Mustang 40.

After a 18-yard pass to Jayson Zeigler Jr. and a 13-yard run by Gales, Terrell and Thompson capped it off with a 21-yard touchdown dart over the middle. Angel Ibarra booted the extra-point as WO-S led 7-0 with 6:21 in the first quarter.

Gales would make it 14-0 when he capped off a short six-play, 34-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown jaunt right up the middle with 0:29 in the first quarter.

Woods would fumble the ensuing kickoff and WO-S kicker Miguel Villeda was right their to scoop it up and return it 15 yards to push the lead to 21-0 with 0:20 in the first quarter.

The Mustangs expanded the lead when Terrell connected with Thompson out a quick out to the left and Thompson juked a Newton defender and zipped 66 yards down the sideline to make it 28-0 with 9:52 left in the half.

WO-S capped the half with a seven-play, 56-yard scoring driveas Terrell hit Gales down the right sideline for a beautiful 33-yard touchdown pass with 3:34 in the half.

Newton’s biggest play of the half was nullified due to a holding call when Gatson when off the left side and went 83 yards for a touchdown that was called back with a little more than three minutes left in the first quarter.

The only sore spot for the Mustangs in the half was their 10 penalties for 70 yards. They finished with 14 for 120 yards.

The Eagles looked wore down in the second half. Gales added to their misery with a 61-yard touchdown gallop off the left end on the first play of the third quarter.

After another short field, back Jamaal Shaw capped off a six-play, 34-yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown run up the middle to make it 49-0 with 7:28 in the third.

Woods fumbled the ball away in the Newton end zone as Mustang defender Patrick Mickey fell on the gift to push it to 56-0 with 3:36 in the third.

The Mustangs made it 63-0 when Zeigler stepped in at quarterback and teamed up with Demarcus Thibodeaux on a 66-yard touchdown toss down the left sideline.

Mustang defender Jaschin Harris capped the scoring when he scooped up a fumble and zipped 32 yards for a score with 2:14 left.

The Mustangs will open up District 11-4A Division II action next week at Hamshire-Fannett.