Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Tommy Mann Jr.

Special to the Orange Leader

 

WEST ORANGE – The No. 10 state-ranked Mustangs had little trouble with the Shepherd Pirates on last Friday night and rolled to a 62-16 district win at Dan R. Hooks Stadium.

West Orange-Stark jumped on the scoreboard quickly as the Mustangs needed just two plays to find the end zone as Jamarr O’Neal scored on a 34-yard run to put WO-S up, 7-0, with 11:36 to play in the first quarter.

The Mustangs defense forced Shepherd into a three-and-out and took over at its own 41-yard line after the punt. WO-S running back Khelvy Jefferson took the handoff on the next play and rumbled 59-yards for the score. Following the extra point by Brian Hernandez, the Mustangs led 14-0 with 9:13 to play in the first quarter.

Shepherd showed some fight on its next series as the Pirates answered with a four play, 53 yard drive. Running back Preston Stephens dashed through the Mustangs defense for a 46-yard run to the WO-S 9-yard line, which was followed by a 9-yard touchdown run by Jackory Davis. The two-point attempt was successful and left WO-S ahead, 14-8.

WO-S quarterback Marcus Turner Jr. was on target nearly all night with his passes. The key play of the Mustangs next drive was a 30-yard catch and run by Jefferson to put the ball at the Pirates 31-yard line. Three plays later it was running back Alexander Thomas scoring on a 2-yard plunge to extend the Mustangs advantage, 21-8 at the end of the first quarter.

The Pirates Slot-T offense did what it does best on its next possession as the offense chewed up nearly 6:30 on an eight play, 61-yard drive. Stephens had a big 34-yard run to put the ball at the Mustangs 25-yard line. From there the Pirates offense moved steadily toward the end zone as quarterback Landen Dellinger scored on a 1-yard run to make the score 21-16.

Just when it seemed as if the Pirates were within striking distance of the Mustangs, the WO-S offense displayed more fireworks as it needed just one play to reach the end zone. This time it was another short pass from Turner to Ja’mikael Davis who then dashed 52-yards for the touchdown and a 28-16 Mustangs lead at halftime.

The second-half was all West Orange-Stark.

Thomas scored on a 1-yard run for the Mustangs following a bad snap on a Pirates punt to WO-S the ball near the goal line. Jefferson added a 6-yard touchdown run on the Mustangs next possession and Turner scored on a 22-yard run to put WO-S ahead, 49-16, after three quarters.

An unidentified player scored a 16-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter and Dylan Myers found the end zone on a 1-yard run to make the final score, 62-16.

The West Orange-Stark Mustangs offense gained 490 total yards for the game, while only running 33 offensive plays for a 14.8 yards-per-play average.

Turner passed for 253 yards and one touchdown, while completing 12 of 13 attempts. He had one rush for 22 yards and another touchdown.

Jefferson rushed for 94 yards on five carries and two touchdowns, while Thomas had two touchdowns on two carries for three yards.

Jefferson had four receptions and 49 yards on the night. Raymond Mallett Jr. added three catches for 71 yards.

The Mustangs defense limited Shepherd to 263 total yards, while forcing two interceptions and one fumble and one sack.

The Mustangs (6-1, 2-0) travel to Silsbee (5-2, 1-1) today/Oct. 25 to face the Tigers in an important district contest which will have serious implications on playoff positioning as the post-season approaches. Silsbee beat the Tarkington Longhorns, 46-3, on Friday night.