SwtwtrMstngs04
10-21-2006, 05:22 PM
The Sweetwater defense may be peaking at the right time.
For the third straight week, Sweetwater limited its opponents to under 200 yards total offense and it set the tone for the game early. In the end, the Mustangs scored a 48-20 win over Clyde in a District 7-3A contest Friday night in the Mustang Bowl.
“It could not have gone any better,” said Sweetwater head coach Kent Jackson of the defensive game plan in the first half. “They stepped it up again tonight.”
Sweetwater (7-1, 2-0) held the Bulldogs to 59 total yards in the first half, including minus-1 yard on the ground.
The defensive play helped Sweetwater come out and take an early lead, which was never in jeopardy following the first quarter.
“The offense was very opportunistic, except for the two turn-overs,” Jackson said. “The de-fense kept us in it.”
Jackson was also pleased with the special teams, which used returns, pressure and kickoff recoveries during the game.
“The special teams had a big roll in this game, especially kicking the ball,” Jackson said. “So a lot of things went well.”
But Jackson knows his team cannot rest as it has a date this week at Abilene Wylie (5-2, 1-0), which was open last week.
“Next week will be a special night,” he said. “It is going to be a lot of fun for both teams.”
Sweetwater was able to march down the field against Clyde, taking the opening kickoff 67 yards for the score. It was seventh time this season the Mustangs have scored on the opening drive.
The march was all on the ground and ended when Joseph Banyard found the end zone with 8:06 remaining on the clock.
But the turnover bug hit Sweetwater on its next two possessions. The Mustangs first turnover did not mean much as the defense stepped it up and forced a punt.
The Bulldogs took advantage of the second turnover, recovering a fumble at the Sweetwater 33. On fourth down, Jacob Gonzales hit Hunter Yates for a 32-yard touchdown. Clyde miss-ed the extra point as Sweetwater held the 7-6 lead with 2:12 left in the first quarter.
But once again, the Mustang offense was able to march down the field. Thomas Holsey set up the score as he returned the ensuing kickoff 24 yards to the Clyde 39. Three plays later, Skye Green found the end zone on a 12-yard run to give Sweetwater a 14-6 lead.
The special teams came up big for Sweetwater to set up the next score. A bad snap on a punt forced Clyde to try and run the ball for a first down. However, Jacob Canada was stopped for a 27-yard loss and Sweetwater took over at the Bulldog nine.
From there, Green scored his second touchdown of the night to give the Mustangs a 21-6 lead with 11:37 remaining in the first half.
Logan Glass recovered the onside kick for the Mustangs and the offense took the field again. Eight plays later, Green hit the end zone for the third time and Sweetwater held a 28-6 lead.
After forcing a Bulldog punt, Sweetwater was able to add to its lead. Duone Cunnings, who finished with 139 yards on the ground, gained 40 yards on a fourth down fake punt to set up the score. Banyard found the end zone from three yards out to give the Mustangs a 35-6 lead.
Clyde was able to put together a drive on the Mustang defense at the end of the half. The 11-play drive ended when Gonzales hit Derek Mar from 15 yards out to cut the lead to 35-12.
However, the Mustangs still had 15 seconds on the clock. Holsey, who finished with 44 yards on kickoff returns, set up the Mustangs next chance to score. Holsey returned the kickoff inside Clyde territory and the Bulldogs were called for a facemask penalty. The result gave Sweetwater the ball at the Clyde 31. Green scampered down the sideline and was knocked out at the one as the halftime horn sounded.
The Bulldogs came out and looked to control the clock during the second half — something it was able to accomplish. But the first drive ended when Justin Rodriguez intercepted a pass at the Sweetwater 19.
It took only one play for Green to find the end zone for the fourth time on the night. His 81-yard touchdown run with 9:29 left in the third quarter gave Sweetwater a 41-12 lead.
But no one knew that the run would be the only offensive play for the Mustangs in the third quarter.
“That third quarter, they kept the ball,” Jackson said. “They are a very resilient bunch.”
Clyde took the ball and used the final 9:25 of the third period clock to move the ball. The 68-yard drive, which took 19 plays, ended with 10:06 left in the game. Gonzales threw his third touchdown of the night, hitting Yates on an 11-yard pass to cut the deficit to 41-20.
However, the Mustangs struck quick as Cunnings scored on a 42-yard run with 9:29 left in the game to finish off the scoring.
Jackson said his team will have to stay sharp as it takes on Wylie and Breckenridge to complete its season.
“We had two tough ones, but we have two tough ones left,” he said. “We will get ready to take on Wylie.”
For the third straight week, Sweetwater limited its opponents to under 200 yards total offense and it set the tone for the game early. In the end, the Mustangs scored a 48-20 win over Clyde in a District 7-3A contest Friday night in the Mustang Bowl.
“It could not have gone any better,” said Sweetwater head coach Kent Jackson of the defensive game plan in the first half. “They stepped it up again tonight.”
Sweetwater (7-1, 2-0) held the Bulldogs to 59 total yards in the first half, including minus-1 yard on the ground.
The defensive play helped Sweetwater come out and take an early lead, which was never in jeopardy following the first quarter.
“The offense was very opportunistic, except for the two turn-overs,” Jackson said. “The de-fense kept us in it.”
Jackson was also pleased with the special teams, which used returns, pressure and kickoff recoveries during the game.
“The special teams had a big roll in this game, especially kicking the ball,” Jackson said. “So a lot of things went well.”
But Jackson knows his team cannot rest as it has a date this week at Abilene Wylie (5-2, 1-0), which was open last week.
“Next week will be a special night,” he said. “It is going to be a lot of fun for both teams.”
Sweetwater was able to march down the field against Clyde, taking the opening kickoff 67 yards for the score. It was seventh time this season the Mustangs have scored on the opening drive.
The march was all on the ground and ended when Joseph Banyard found the end zone with 8:06 remaining on the clock.
But the turnover bug hit Sweetwater on its next two possessions. The Mustangs first turnover did not mean much as the defense stepped it up and forced a punt.
The Bulldogs took advantage of the second turnover, recovering a fumble at the Sweetwater 33. On fourth down, Jacob Gonzales hit Hunter Yates for a 32-yard touchdown. Clyde miss-ed the extra point as Sweetwater held the 7-6 lead with 2:12 left in the first quarter.
But once again, the Mustang offense was able to march down the field. Thomas Holsey set up the score as he returned the ensuing kickoff 24 yards to the Clyde 39. Three plays later, Skye Green found the end zone on a 12-yard run to give Sweetwater a 14-6 lead.
The special teams came up big for Sweetwater to set up the next score. A bad snap on a punt forced Clyde to try and run the ball for a first down. However, Jacob Canada was stopped for a 27-yard loss and Sweetwater took over at the Bulldog nine.
From there, Green scored his second touchdown of the night to give the Mustangs a 21-6 lead with 11:37 remaining in the first half.
Logan Glass recovered the onside kick for the Mustangs and the offense took the field again. Eight plays later, Green hit the end zone for the third time and Sweetwater held a 28-6 lead.
After forcing a Bulldog punt, Sweetwater was able to add to its lead. Duone Cunnings, who finished with 139 yards on the ground, gained 40 yards on a fourth down fake punt to set up the score. Banyard found the end zone from three yards out to give the Mustangs a 35-6 lead.
Clyde was able to put together a drive on the Mustang defense at the end of the half. The 11-play drive ended when Gonzales hit Derek Mar from 15 yards out to cut the lead to 35-12.
However, the Mustangs still had 15 seconds on the clock. Holsey, who finished with 44 yards on kickoff returns, set up the Mustangs next chance to score. Holsey returned the kickoff inside Clyde territory and the Bulldogs were called for a facemask penalty. The result gave Sweetwater the ball at the Clyde 31. Green scampered down the sideline and was knocked out at the one as the halftime horn sounded.
The Bulldogs came out and looked to control the clock during the second half — something it was able to accomplish. But the first drive ended when Justin Rodriguez intercepted a pass at the Sweetwater 19.
It took only one play for Green to find the end zone for the fourth time on the night. His 81-yard touchdown run with 9:29 left in the third quarter gave Sweetwater a 41-12 lead.
But no one knew that the run would be the only offensive play for the Mustangs in the third quarter.
“That third quarter, they kept the ball,” Jackson said. “They are a very resilient bunch.”
Clyde took the ball and used the final 9:25 of the third period clock to move the ball. The 68-yard drive, which took 19 plays, ended with 10:06 left in the game. Gonzales threw his third touchdown of the night, hitting Yates on an 11-yard pass to cut the deficit to 41-20.
However, the Mustangs struck quick as Cunnings scored on a 42-yard run with 9:29 left in the game to finish off the scoring.
Jackson said his team will have to stay sharp as it takes on Wylie and Breckenridge to complete its season.
“We had two tough ones, but we have two tough ones left,” he said. “We will get ready to take on Wylie.”