The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

Meri Elen Jacobs - For The Record

Claiming the district title Friday night with a 48-0 win over Hardin Jefferson was not the only thing that the Mustangs did in their last regular game of the season. They also established the top spot in offense and the top spot in defense for district play. The Chain Gang only allowed 3 pts in the four district games-a Matthew Rainey field goal in the Orangefield win. The WO-S secondary also didn’t allow a single pass completion during the district run.

“I thought we played really well for senior night,” Head Coach Cornel Thompson said. “We are getting better at a time when we need to. We were able to hold Hardin Jefferson from making big plays. We had a big win to finish the regular season.”

The Mustang defense was stiff from the beginning, forcing the Hawks to punt after just three offensive plays. WO-S defensive end Keyshawn Holman was able to block the punt and the Mustang offense took over at the 10. Two plays later, Justin Brown bulldozed his way into the end zone for the first score of the night. Quarterback Jack Dallas scored on a two point conversion when he took the snap and ran straight up the middle.

The Chain Gang took three plays to score when Ronald Carter stripped the ball from HJ’s Cole Priddy and took it 25 yards for six. Dallas’ pass to Kentavious Miller was good for two more points and with less than four minutes off the clock, the Mustangs led, 16-0. On the Mustangs next offensive possession, Dallas hit Thomas Wallace on the first play down the sideline for a 69 yard score.

It only took the Mustangs three offensive plays to lead, 22-0 in the first quarter and they were by no means through with hitting the end zone.

“The offense is improving, even though we did not rush like I thought we should,” Thompson said. “And for our defense to e as young as they are we’ve performed pretty well.

The Mustangs started the second quarter with a nine play drive before Brown scored his second of the night from just two yards out. The Hawks fumbled three plays later, and the Mustangs took over on the 38 yard line. Six plays later, Dallas found receiver Blake Robinson for a 26 yard pass for a touchdown. The two point conversion failed, but the Mustangs led, 34-0.

Dallas used six different receivers to move the ball down the field on their last drive of the half, before handing off to Jeremiah Shaw for a three yard touchdown run. Ryan Baham-Heisser’s PAT was good and the Mustangs hit the field house for the half up, 41-0.

The Mustangs came out from the half, recovered the onside kick and took over five minutes off the clock before Dallas hit Jay’len Matthews for a one yard touchdown pass to put six more on the board. Baham-Heisser’s PAT was good and the Mustangs led, 48-0.

Hardin Jefferson got as close as the 25 yard line, but the Chain Gang held on fourth down and the ball went over to WO-S.

“We now enter the third phase of our season, the playoffs,” Thompson said. “We are going to reevaluate our goals this week for the playoffs. It’s an open week for us but not an off week. We will prepare like we normally do. Teams never stay the same. They either get better or back up. We have to find a way to maintain the edge.”

The Mustangs will face Houston Scarborough in the first round of the playoffs with a time and place to be determined later.

The combined team of the ninth grade and JV beat Hardin Jefferson in Sour Lake, 42-6.

Damion Morris started the scoring with a 55-yard touchdown reception from Kaleb Ramsey.

Chaka Watson scored the next six points on a 10-yard touchdown run.

Watson’s pass to Deandre Hawthorne was good for the two point conversion.

Ramsey hit Alex Williams for a 64-yard and 20-yard touchdown pass.

Watson had two touchdown passes to Hawthorne (5 yards) and Williams (45 yards) and also a 3 yard run for six.

The offensive standouts are Ramsey, Watson, Williams, Jon Washington and Hawthorne.

Defensive standouts are Jaqualin Coleman, Davien Teate, Andrew Hebert and Jacorry Brady.

The team finished the season as the District Champions, 10-0.