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The WOS Mustang Chain Gang defense held Hamshire-Fannett's Kendrick King to 107 yards on 22 carries. RECORD PHOTO: Meri Elen Jacobs

Meri Elen Jacobs - For The Record

The Lady Mustang volleyball girls set the stage for the football team, beating Hamshire-Fannett’s Lady Horns an hour before kickoff, 3-1. The Mustangs followed up with their own win, 35-0 over the 5-3 Longhorns and held Kendrick King to 107 yards on the ground and zero yards through the air.

“We were focused on what we had to do,” Head Coach Cornel Thompson said. “We needed to slow ‘King Nation’ down and we did for the most part. He got lose a couple of times but we knew that we needed to hold him to less than 100 yards to win and we came pretty close.”

The Mustang defense did a good job of holding Hamshire-Fannett’s running game to 226 yards. The Longhorns came in averaging 383 yards a game. King, the district’s leading rusher, had a difficult time and had to rely on teammates Tyrese White and Hein Thomas to help out.

“We executed our defense, ran to the ball and gang tackled,” Thompson said. “I was happy with that. Both inside linebackers (Steven Tims and Justin Brown) did a great job with 18 tackles each. This was their best game together.”

The Mustangs first hit pay dirt on just two minutes into the game when quarterback Jack Dallas hit Aric Cormier for a 29 yard touchdown. The two point conversion from Dallas to Kentavious Miller was good and the Mustangs led, 8-0.

WO-S and HF traded punts a couple of times before the Mustangs found the end zone again in the second quarter. Dallas found Jeremiah Shaw on a pass around the left side so score six more. The two point conversion failed and the Mustangs went in at the half up, 14-0.

“I was happy over the win and the fact that for the first time in a while, we played well during the first half at Hamshire-Fannett,” Thompson said.

After forcing the Longhorns to punt on their first possession after the half, Dallas handed off to Shaw and Quentin Chargois to move the ball down the field before he took it in from one yard out for the score. The two point conversion failed and the Mustangs were up, 20-0.

Shaw was able to hit the end zone for his second score of the night from just two yards out to start the fourth quarter. Ryan Baham-Heisser’s PAT was good, putting the Mustangs up, 27-0. The Mustangs kicked off to the Longhorns, but the HF kick returner stepped back into the end zone resulting in a two point safety for the Mustangs. Four plays later, Dallas hit Thomas Wallace for a 28 yard touchdown.

For the third week in a row, the Mustang secondary has kept the opposing teams from completing a pass. King was 0 for 7 passing.

The Mustangs will honor their seniors Friday night in their last home game and game of the regular season against the Hardin Jefferson Hawks. The Hawks are also a predominantly rushing team with only 12 completed passes of 15 for the season.

“They have a couple of kids that we will have to contain,” Thompson said. “Talon Tilley is the #2 rusher in the district with 1025 yards and Dashown Moreaux is #4 with 953 yards.”

The Hawks are 2-6, losing several close games. Both district losses have been close and at the end of the game-Orangefield, 23-24 and Hamshire-Fannett, 38-42. Last week was HJ’s bye week.

“We need to win this game to solidify the district championship,” Thompson said. “We need to play well and win. HJ is still HJ and will be an armload for us.”

Eleven players will be honored senior night, beginning around 6:45pm. Senior band members, cheerleaders and drill team members will also be announced.

“I told them to cherish the night,” Thompson said. “Because it will be the last game that they will play in Mustang Stadium.”

Tickets will be on sale in the Athletic Office Thursday 9-12 and 1-3pm and Friday 9-12. Adult tickets are $5 and students are $2. All tickets at the gate are $5.

The combined team of the freshmen and JV beat Hamshire-Fannett, 20-8 last Thursday for their last home game. Alex Williams scored on a 30 yard pass from Chaka Watson. Watson scored the two point conversion and twice more on 3 yard touchdown runs. Ja’Vonn Ross had an interception on his first game back from a collar bone injury at the Jasper game.

The combined team will play their last game of the season at Hardin Jefferson Thursday, beginning at 5.

This week is Haunt the Hawks!! The cheerleaders ask that you wear black out attire or Halloween costumes on Friday.