The Olton Mustangs got the season started with a victory over the Sudan Hornets on Friday, 2215, at Mustang Stadium.
Olton starts the season 1-0, while the Hornets fall to 0-1 to begin the Campaign.
Sudan got the ball to begin the contest, but the Olton defense forced a three-and-out. The Hornets went to punt it away on fourth down, but the punt was shanked by Marcello King, giving Olton the ball at the Sudan 39-yard line with just over 10 minutes to play in the opening quarter.
Olton junior, Isaiah Ruiz, picked up a few yards on a first down carry, before senior quarterback, Raymond Ramirez, dropped back on second down and connected with senior receiver, Avery Garcia, for a big gain, down to Sudan’s 22yard line. Ramirez was stopped for a loss on first down, but hit Garcia on a route over the middle to set up first and goal for the Mustangs. On the next play, Isaiah Ruiz carried it up the middle for a 10-yard touchdown run to put the Mustangs up, 7-0, after the PAT by Chris Cabrera with 8:29 to play in the quarter.
Sudan got the ball back, but their offensive struggles continued, as they went three-and-out again. This time they elected to go for it on fourth down, but junior quarterback, Caleb Groetken, was stopped short of the line to gain for a turnover on downs with 6:44 remaining in the first quarter.
Sudan’s defense bowed their necks and forced a three-and-out for Olton. However, a bad snap on the punt was fielded by Ramirez, who rolled out to his left and connected with a receiver, but his foot came down out of bounds for a turnover on downs with 5:15 to play in the quarter.
Sudan took over at the their own 42-yard line, as Groetken’s first two passes fell incomplete, bringing up third and long. On third down, Groetken connected with sophomore, Cal Carter for seven yards to make it fourth and manageable near midfield. The Hornets went for it on fourth down, as King moved the ball across midfield to the Olton 46yard line, moving the chains for Sudan.
With a fresh set of downs, King picked up six yards on first down and the Mustangs were flagged for a facemask penalty on the following play, moving the ball down to the 26-yard line. A bad snap on first down backed the Hornets up to second and 12 after they were tackled for a loss by Garcia, and a blown play on second down was stopped by Jose Banda for a gain of a yard.
Sudan was flagged for a false start backing them up to third and 16 and a snap past Groetken on the next play made it fourth and long from the Olton 33-yard line. Sudan went for it on fourth down, as Groetken rolled out to his left and threw it up in the center of the field, as senior, Jaibryn Ornelas, came back for the ball, cutting it to the right side making several Mustangs miss, as he took it into the endzone to get the Hornets on the board. The PAT by Groetken was good, making the score, 7-7, with just under two minutes to play in the quarter.
The Mustangs got a big return on the kick-off from sophomore, Manny Carrasco, as they took the field at their own 49-yard line to begin their next drive.
Isaiah Ruiz broke loose for a big gain on first down, carrying the ball down to the Sudan 32-yard line. On the next play, Ramirez took the quarterback keeper up the middle for seven yards and on the following play, he kept it again on a scramble to his left, drawing a late hit out of bounds penalty on the Hornets. The penalty moved the ball down to the nine-yard line, as senior, Nathaniel Ruiz, carried the ball on first and goal to close out the first quarter.
The Sudan defense would hold to begin the second frame, forcing Olton to line up for a field goal on fourth down. Cabrera nailed the 22yard field goal to Olton back in front, 10-7.
Sudan’s offense sputtered in their first possession of the second quarter, as King punted it away with 10:12 to play in the first half.
Olton took over at their own 44yard line, but got behind the chains due to penalties and would have to punt it away from their own 26-yard line with just under nine minutes to go in the half.
After a series of punts and a turnover on downs by Sudan, the Mustangs regained possession with 2:24 remaining in the half.
Starting at their own 39-yard line, Isaiah Ruiz carried the ball up the middle for a short gain and Ramirez followed it up with a throw over the middle, connecting with junior, Ryan Vega to move the sticks for Olton. Olton was flagged for a false start, backing them up to the Sudan 45-yard line, but two plays later, Ramirez rolled to his right and found senior, Jaxon Tomsu, down the home sideline for a huge gain to set up first and goal from the five-yard line.
Three plays later, on third and goal, Isaiah Ruiz would punch it in from the one-yard line to make the score, 16-7, going into the locker room at halftime.
Olton got the ball to begin the second half, taking it into Sudan territory, before a pass on fourth and seven fell incomplete looking for Vega.
Sudan regained possession at their own 22-yard line with 8:34 to play in the third. King broke free for a big run up the middle, cutting it out to the right side, before he was brought down by Jett Tomsu at the Olton 43-yard line. Groetken hit Carter on a slant to move the chains and King followed it up with another first-down run, taking the ball down to the Olton 11-yard line.
Sudan lined up in the Wildcat formation, as King kept it on the direct snap moving it forward for two yards. King kept it again on second down, setting up third and goal from the three-yard line. Two plays later, Groetken would punch in the one-yard touchdown run to cut the lead to, 22-13. Groetken was sacked by sophomore, Emmitt Nelson with 5:35 to play in the quarter.
On the following kick-off, a solid return by Carrasco was negated by a block in the back penalty, taking it back to their own six-yard line. Ramirez would end up being sacked in the endzone for a safety on third down, trimming the lead to, 22-15, with 4:10 to play in the game. The score would stand with neither team able to find the endzone in the fourth quarter.
For the Mustangs, Ramirez finished the game, 7-13 passing for 100 yards, while also adding 19 carries for 100 yards on the ground.
Isaiah Ruiz led the rushing attack with 19 carries for 117 yards and two scores, while Nathaniel Ruiz added eight carries for seven yards.
In the receiving game, Jaxon Tomsu finished with two catches for 49 yards, while Garcia tallied two catches for 29 yards and Vega finished with two catches for 17 yards. Carrasco tallied one catch for seven yards.
Defensively, Jett Tomsu led the team in tackles with 13, including one tackle for loss, while Wyatt Nelson chipped in nine tackles and a fumble recovery, and Garcia finished with eight tackles, including one for a loss. Reyes tallied three tackles, one for loss, a sack and a scoop and score for a touchdown.
This week the Mustangs travel to Dimmitt to take on the Bobcats, while the Hornets travel to Tahoka to take on the Bulldogs.
Both games are slated to kick-off at 7 p.m.