SwtwtrMstngs04
10-07-2006, 07:57 PM
Area Game of the Week: Mustangs tally 600th win in rout of Borger
By Evan Ren / rene@reporternews.com
October 7, 2006
SWEETWATER - After more than 90 years of high school football, the Sweetwater Mustangs have joined some elite company - and they picked the right night to do it.
Handing Borger a 35-0 defeat on Friday, the Sweetwater program reached the 600-win mark before a raucous homecoming crowd at Mustang Stadium in the Big Country Game of the Week.
Joseph Banyard and Skye Green combined for 202 yards rushing and four scores to lead the Mustangs (5-1), whose wishbone offense racked up 444 total yards without completing a single pass.
Borger dropped to 2-3 with the loss.
''You couldn't have scripted this any better,'' Sweetwater coach Kent Jackson said. ''This was just one of those very rare occasions when all the planets were aligned.''
With the win, the Mustangs are now one of just 11 Texas High Schools which have reached the 600-win plateau. Among them: Amarillo, Plano, Highland Park, Temple, Corsicana, Brownwood, Wichita Falls, Mart, Hondo and Cuero.
Defense played a huge role in reaching the milestone as well, with Sweetwater limiting Borger to 99 yards in total offense.
''To get the 600th win at homecoming was really special for our fans and our kids,'' Jackson said. ''We were thrilled that the state champion team of 1985 was here, the team of 1986 was here celebrating their 20th anniversary, and the 1996 team which won our 500th game was here to see it as well.''
It didn't take long for the alums to be entertained.
The Mustangs got things going immediately, scoring on their first play from scrimmage when Green took a toss sweep 67 yards down the left sideline for a score with 7:55 left in the first quarter.
Aided by a muffed punt by Jeremy Watson at the Sweetwater 48, the Mustangs struck again with 1:48 left in the quarter when Banyard raced 43 yards off right tackle for a 14-0 edge.
Banyard got into the act again with 5:34 left in the half, capping a 10-play 92-yard possession with a 30-yard touchdown run. One possession later, Green scored from four yards out to give the Mustangs a 28-0 advantage.
Borger, in the meantime, managed a grand total of 22 yards and two first downs through the first 24 minutes. The Bulldogs did have one first-half scoring opportunity, set up by a 55-yard kick-off return by Andrew Horton to the Sweetwater 18.
Four plays later, however, the Mustangs regained possession when a wide receiver pass from Watson to D.J. Dickson was deflected in the end zone on fourth-and-10.
''We had a few chances to score and didn't get it done,'' Borger coach Tim Anuszkiewicz said. ''Some of it was our fault, but a lot of it was because Sweetwater is just a very good team.
''I expect them to go very deep into the playoffs.''
A second muffed punt by Watson set up Sweetwater's final touchdown x96 a 20-yard option keep by quarterback Duonne Cunnings with 6:34 left in the third.
Beyond that point, it was largely a matter of mopping up for the Mustangs, who substituted liberally until the game's conclusion.
The Bulldogs had a final chance to score with 3:48 left in the game, but were turned away by the Sweetwater reserve defense when quarterback Tyler Kirkin's sneak was stuffed on fourth-and-goal from the 1.
Cunnings finished with 104 yards on 10 carries, while Sweetwater fullback Auston Davis tallied 70 yards on nine touches.
''I told the kids these things don't happen by accident,'' Jackson said. ''The good Lord puts us where he needs us, and it isn't an accident that we were all here together tonight.
''We talked to them about our families, and about the atmosphere and tradition that we have here. That took a lot of hard work by a lot of people and we've been very blessed to have it.''
Borger 0 0 0 0 - 00
Sweetwater 14 14 7 0 - 35
Scoring Summary
S - Skye Green 67 run (James Beckwith kick)
S - Joseph Banyard 43 run (Beckwith kick)
S - Banyard 30 run (Beckwith kick)
S - Green 4 run (Beckwith kick)
S - Duonne Cunnings 20 run (Beckwith)
Borger Sweetwater
First Downs 6 15
Rushes-yards 23-44 49-444
Passing-yards 45 00
Comp-Att-Int 10-15-1 0-1-0
Punts 4-36.0 3-27.1
Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-1
Penalties-yards 1-10 2-10
By Evan Ren / rene@reporternews.com
October 7, 2006
SWEETWATER - After more than 90 years of high school football, the Sweetwater Mustangs have joined some elite company - and they picked the right night to do it.
Handing Borger a 35-0 defeat on Friday, the Sweetwater program reached the 600-win mark before a raucous homecoming crowd at Mustang Stadium in the Big Country Game of the Week.
Joseph Banyard and Skye Green combined for 202 yards rushing and four scores to lead the Mustangs (5-1), whose wishbone offense racked up 444 total yards without completing a single pass.
Borger dropped to 2-3 with the loss.
''You couldn't have scripted this any better,'' Sweetwater coach Kent Jackson said. ''This was just one of those very rare occasions when all the planets were aligned.''
With the win, the Mustangs are now one of just 11 Texas High Schools which have reached the 600-win plateau. Among them: Amarillo, Plano, Highland Park, Temple, Corsicana, Brownwood, Wichita Falls, Mart, Hondo and Cuero.
Defense played a huge role in reaching the milestone as well, with Sweetwater limiting Borger to 99 yards in total offense.
''To get the 600th win at homecoming was really special for our fans and our kids,'' Jackson said. ''We were thrilled that the state champion team of 1985 was here, the team of 1986 was here celebrating their 20th anniversary, and the 1996 team which won our 500th game was here to see it as well.''
It didn't take long for the alums to be entertained.
The Mustangs got things going immediately, scoring on their first play from scrimmage when Green took a toss sweep 67 yards down the left sideline for a score with 7:55 left in the first quarter.
Aided by a muffed punt by Jeremy Watson at the Sweetwater 48, the Mustangs struck again with 1:48 left in the quarter when Banyard raced 43 yards off right tackle for a 14-0 edge.
Banyard got into the act again with 5:34 left in the half, capping a 10-play 92-yard possession with a 30-yard touchdown run. One possession later, Green scored from four yards out to give the Mustangs a 28-0 advantage.
Borger, in the meantime, managed a grand total of 22 yards and two first downs through the first 24 minutes. The Bulldogs did have one first-half scoring opportunity, set up by a 55-yard kick-off return by Andrew Horton to the Sweetwater 18.
Four plays later, however, the Mustangs regained possession when a wide receiver pass from Watson to D.J. Dickson was deflected in the end zone on fourth-and-10.
''We had a few chances to score and didn't get it done,'' Borger coach Tim Anuszkiewicz said. ''Some of it was our fault, but a lot of it was because Sweetwater is just a very good team.
''I expect them to go very deep into the playoffs.''
A second muffed punt by Watson set up Sweetwater's final touchdown x96 a 20-yard option keep by quarterback Duonne Cunnings with 6:34 left in the third.
Beyond that point, it was largely a matter of mopping up for the Mustangs, who substituted liberally until the game's conclusion.
The Bulldogs had a final chance to score with 3:48 left in the game, but were turned away by the Sweetwater reserve defense when quarterback Tyler Kirkin's sneak was stuffed on fourth-and-goal from the 1.
Cunnings finished with 104 yards on 10 carries, while Sweetwater fullback Auston Davis tallied 70 yards on nine touches.
''I told the kids these things don't happen by accident,'' Jackson said. ''The good Lord puts us where he needs us, and it isn't an accident that we were all here together tonight.
''We talked to them about our families, and about the atmosphere and tradition that we have here. That took a lot of hard work by a lot of people and we've been very blessed to have it.''
Borger 0 0 0 0 - 00
Sweetwater 14 14 7 0 - 35
Scoring Summary
S - Skye Green 67 run (James Beckwith kick)
S - Joseph Banyard 43 run (Beckwith kick)
S - Banyard 30 run (Beckwith kick)
S - Green 4 run (Beckwith kick)
S - Duonne Cunnings 20 run (Beckwith)
Borger Sweetwater
First Downs 6 15
Rushes-yards 23-44 49-444
Passing-yards 45 00
Comp-Att-Int 10-15-1 0-1-0
Punts 4-36.0 3-27.1
Fumbles-lost 2-2 2-1
Penalties-yards 1-10 2-10