Mustangs Pull Away with Big Second Half Surge to Stomp the Cougars 49 to 13 at Governor Mifflin Stadium ! @GMSDAthletics @HBGCougar_FBall

Tagged under: District 3, Gameday Hub, News

Daniel Reed | September 18, 2021

Mustangs Pull Away with Big Second Half Surge to Stomp the Cougars 49 to 13 at Governor Mifflin Stadium !

Friday night’s game between the Harrisburg Cougars and Governor Mifflin Mustangs was a matchup of two state ranked teams, Harrisburg ranked #9 in Class 6A, and the Mustangs at #1 in 5A. Governor Mifflin would begin the game on offense and would score on their first possession with a 9 play, 62 yard drive, lead by the trio of QB Eden Johnson, RB Trey Rock and of course RB Nicholas Singleton, capped off by RB Aiden Gallen with an 8 yard run to the endzone putting the Mustangs on top 7 to 0 with 6:47 to play in the first. The Mustangs would quickly get another shot after a 3 and out by the Cougars that began at their 21. Just one play later, Mustangs stud RB Singleton would take the pitch from Johnson, bounce left and down the sidelines he went, for 53 yards and the score to put the Governor Mifflin up two scores early, 14 to 0 with 5:17 to play in the first quarter. Harrisburg would get the ball back once again, this time starting from their own 33. After a couple run plays for 7 yards, Cougars senior WR Justin Cook, would be open and receive the pass for a 41 yard reception, taking the ball to the Mustang 18 yard line. On the next play, the Cougars would fumble, and recover for a 5 yard loss. Harrisburg’s drive would end however on the next play when QB Shawn Lee’s pass would be intercepted by senior QB and Safety Eden Johnson when he would step in front of the Cougar receiver, and make a spectacular one handed catch as shown below. Unfortunately, the Mustang drive would stall after 9 plays, and would turn the ball over on downs at the Harrisburg 10 yard line.

Now in the second quarter, the Cougars would take over on downs at their 10 yard line, they would once again have to punt after another 3 and out series. Governor Mifflin would get the ball at their 36 yard line. Just a few plays later, the Mustangs would punt. Harrisburg would let the ball take a couple bounces and the Mustangs would down the ball at the Cougars 26. Harrisburg wouldn’t muster much on the drive setting up yet another 3 and out. Governor Mifflin’s offense would sputter some as well, giving the ball back to Harrisburg, setting the Cougars up around mid-field. Eventually in the second quarter, the Cougars would get their first points of the game when Junior RB Mahkai Hopkins would take the handoff up the middle left to the endzone to close the gap to 7, trailing 14 to 7, that being the score at halftime as well.

To begin the third quarter, Harrisburg would receive the kickoff and start the drive at their own 40. The Cougars would run 2 plays for 11 yards before another fumble would give the ball to the Mustangs in good field position at the Mustang 45. Just 2 plays later, the Mustangs would have a 21 to 7 lead when Junior RB Ayden Martin would haul in the pass from Johnson for about 53 yards and the score with 9:41 to play in the quarter. Harrisburg would receive the ensuing kickoff, and that quick, just 3 plays later, Junior WR Kyle Williams would haul in a short pass, and race down the left sideline for 62 yards for a Cougar touchdown with 8:11 to play in the third. After a failed extra point attempt, the Cougars would trail 21 to 13. Governor Mifflin would receive the kickoff, and start the drive at their 38 yard line, after 10 plays, the Mustangs would score again, this time from #80, Junior TE, Aidan Young, who would haul in yet another pass from the Senior QB Johnson for 24 yards to put Governor Mifflin back on top 28 to 13 with 2:39 to play, still in the third quarter. With 1:01 left in the quarter, Braylon Stewart of Governor Mifflin, would intercept a Shawn Lee pass and would take over at the Cougar 19 setting up yet another touchdown run by Singleton for 7 yards with 11:04 left in the game. This one his second of the game.

The rest of the fourth quarter, with the Mustangs now leading 35 to 13, would play out much the same. Governor Mifflin would again, intercept another Cougars pass on the next possession and the Stangs would roll from there eventually adding two more scores, the first being from WR Ayden Martin, his second of the game, from 23 yards out, and the second touchdown, a run by stud RB Singleton for 57 yards, giving him 3 touchdowns, and around 200 yards on the night on about 20 carries. Mustangs Eden Johnson would have a good night as well, completing two touchdown passes for 77 yards between the two. After the game, I spoke with Nicholas Singleton who was being watched early by Penn State HC James Franklin, and asked why he wasn’t being used much in the first half, he responded by saying, ” Obviously we have other players that can do everything like Eden, and Trey, they took the pressure off me because they were leaning on me heavily in the beginning. ” Singleton said he hopes, plans to attend Penn State, and was glad to be able to play in front of the PSU coach.

**PLEASE CHECK BACK LATER THIS EVENING FOR THE PHOTO GALLERY, AND EXTENDED VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE GAME**