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Even though the Mustangs were plagued with the “stomach bug” Friday night, they were able to overcome while the Bridge City Cardinals were bitten by the “Mustang bug” that they were never able to overcome. The Mustangs won, 46-0, after another slow start because of the virus.

“We performed well with Bridge City coming into our place,” Head Coach Cornel Thompson said. “We had several kids sick around game time but our back-ups responded well and we got after them pretty good.”

The Mustangs also had another distraction with celebrating senior night prior to kick-off. Eighteen senior football players were introduced, along with the senior trainers, cheerleaders, Fillies, band members, managers and Silver Studs.

The WO-S offense put up big numbers, scoring 46 points in three quarters, with twelve offensive players touching the ball, as they racked up 409 total offensive yards. The defense was also outstanding, holding the Cardinal offense to just 43 yards, 37 of those coming through the air. Bridge City running back Ashton Hunter, who came into the game with 1010 yards for the season, was held to just 13 on 16 carries.

Quarterback Jimmy Salter had two rushing touchdowns and also had two passes completed for touchdowns. He finished with his hand in at least 180 offensive yards. He started off the scoring early in the second quarter after moving the ball down the field with a 19-yard run by Quentin Tezeno, a 14-yard pass to J’Marcus Rhodes and a 9-yard pass to Dre Spencer before taking it across the goal line from three yards out.

Just three minutes later, Rhodes snagged a BC Daniel Faulk pass and returned it 39 yards for the second score. Rodickson Cano’s kick was off but the Mustangs still led, 13-0. On the Mustangs next drive Tezeno took the ball as the “Wildcat” quarterback and headed around the right side to the end zone for the third score.

Up 19-0 wasn’t enough for Salter going into the locker room so on the last play before the half, he scrambled around until he saw an open lane and took the ball in for another score from eight yards out as time expired before the half.

The Cardinals started the second half, kicking to WO-S, who promptly moved the ball 60 yards for the first score of the third quarter. Tremaine Anderson scored on a 21-yard pass from Salter. Back-up quarterback Chase Rutledge scored the last two touchdowns for the Mustangs on a 2-yard run and a 1-yard run. All three of Cano’s kicks were good in the second half.

The Mustangs have scored 233 points in district while allowing no points to be scored on them. However, the game that has been talked about since the season started is just around the corner for WO-S.

“This one is the one everyone has been waiting for,” Thompson said. “Every week I’ve had to remind them-‘Silsbee is the last game. We can’t look past the one this Friday.’ And now it is here. So I will ask them today, ‘What are we going to do now?’ We have got to be prepared.”

Silsbee (8-1, 5-0) comes into the game having lost only their first contest to Port Neches-Groves, 20-21. The Tigers are led by Patrick Reed, who, according to Thompson, is the best quarterback WO-S has seen since the Central game.

“The Reed kid has great mobility, a great arm and can throw the length of the field,” Thompson said. “He’s a real athlete.”

Reed’s favorite receivers are Montana Garcia, Jordan Holmes and Chris Elam while Floyd Spearman is a threat toting the ball. Their defense, according to Thompson, is very similar to the Mustangs, where they swarm the ball. Tiger nose guard Seth Adams leads the defense with Elam and Garcia rounding out the corners.

“I’ve been in all the contests against Silsbee and they have all been good games,” Thompson said. “We’ll be playing there and it may just come down to who makes the last mistake. I’m going to tell our guys that if you don’t bring your ‘A’ game, don’t get on the bus.”

The big match-up will be at Silsbee’s Tiger Stadium Friday night at 7 pm. Tickets will not be on sale at the WO-S athletic office but will have to be purchased Friday prior to the game at the gate. Admission will be $4 for adults and $2 for students.

The Stallions beat all three Cardinal teams last Thursday with the 7th and 8th B team winning 16-0, the 7th A team winning, 28-8 and the 8th A team coming from behind to win, 24-22.

The ninth grade team also made a comeback with 1:03 left in the game to win it, 10-8.

WO-S scored a safety 4:42 left in the fourth when BC snapped the ball out of the end zone.

Then JaDarrius Thompson scored a TD from 4 yards out to tie it and Payton Robertson caught the two-point conversion from Maliki Hodge to seal the victory.

Offensive standouts were Thompson, Robertson, Hodge and David Webb.

Defensive standouts were Robertson, Webb and Jovontae Johnson.

The freshmen team finishes the season with an overall record of 7-2 and a district record of 5-0, making them the district champs.

Dre Spencer blocks for Rashon McDonald on a pass that set up a touchdown for the Mustangs.

The JV team beat Bridge City, 36-8. Dee Wolfford scored on a 32-yard run to start the scoring and Dillon Sterling-Cole ran in the two-point conversion. Sterling-Cole also threw a touchdown pass to Jermaine Mitchell for 18 yards, had a 28 yard touchdown run, another two-point conversion and two touchdown passes to Caleb Collins-a 36-yarder and a 60-yarder to finish the game. Outstanding players for the JV team were Stephen Tims, Marco Jaganathan, Sterling-Cole, Collins and Mitchell.

The JV team will combine with the freshmen to finish out the season Thursday night at home against the Silsbee Tigers. Kick-off will be at 6 pm.

The Mustangs will need all of their fans to be at Friday’s game in Silsbee, cheering the entire game. Come out and show your support.

Quentin Tezeno catches a 16 yard pass from quarterback Jimmy Salter that set up the last touchdown before the half.