The Olton Mustangs’ varsity football team had two late turnovers in the fourth quarter, as they fell to the Hale Center Owls on Friday, 32-14.
With the loss, the Mustangs fall to 2-2 overall on the season.
The Mustangs won the coin toss and elected to receive to begin the game.
Israel Santillan took the opening kick-off up to the Olton 45-yard line where the offense came out to begin their first drive.
Sophomore quarterback, Logan Lassiter, connected with Aldo Vasquez for eight yards on first down, but on second down, senior running back, Jack Allcorn, was tackled by a swarm of Owls for a loss on the play. Lassiter’s pass was incomplete on third down, as he was looking for Santillan and the Mustangs were forced to punt the ball away with 10:32 to play in the opening quarter.
The Owls took over at their own 18-yard line, after Lance Perez was brought down by Vasquez on the muffed punt return.
The Owls used a heavy rushing attack and quick temp offense, as they took the ball across midfield, but on fourth and eight from the Olton 45-yard line, Hunter Thompson’s pass intended for Zedric Guerra fell incomplete for a turnover on downs with 6:17 to play in the first quarter.
Olton put together a 10-play drive on their next possession, but the drive stalled out at the Owls 33-yard line, as Allcorn was forced to punt it away with just under four minutes to play in the quarter.
Hale Center took over at their own one yard line and Thompson kept it himself, just getting out of the endzone to avoid a safety. On second down, Thompson carried the ball around the left side for an Owls first down, but on the next play, the Owls were flagged for holding, backing them up to first and 14 from their own 16-yard line.
Thompson connected with Guerra for 11 yards and he kept it himself on the next play to move the chains for the Owls, before being brought down by Allcorn. Jakob Garza got the call on three consecutive plays taking the Owls up to their own 37-yard line and Thompson closed out the first quarter with a keep around the right side.
Thompson called his own number to open the second quarter and the Mustangs were flagged for a person foul, moving the ball down to the Olton 32-yard line. Thompson was tackled for a loss of one on first down by Vasquez and his pass intended for Aurick Rodriguez was incomplete on second down, bringing up third and 11.
Garza picked up four yards on third down and the Mustangs were drawn offsides on fourth and seven to make it a fourth and short situation for Hale Center. The Owls elected to go for it and Thompson kept it himself up the middle to pick up the first-down yardage. Brayan Alvidrez carried the ball on first down for 10 yards down to the Olton11-yard line for a first down.
Thompson connected with Rodriguez for the 11-yard touchdown to put the Owls up, 6-0, with 9:19 to play in the first half after the failed twopoint conversion pass.
Joel Olivas broke off a big return on the kick-off, but both teams were called for personal fouls after the play, putting the Mustangs on their own 49-yard line to begin their next drive.
Allcorn carried the ball up the middle to move the chains for Olton on back-to-back plays, but a holding penalty on the Mustangs backed them up to first and 20 from the 50-yard line. Lassiter hit senior, Bryson Ramage for five yards on first down and found Santillan on the next play for 10 yards, making it third and five from the Hale Center 35-yard line.
Lassiter’s pass was incomplete on third down, but the Mustangs were able to draw the Owls offsides on fourth down to move the sticks. Allcorn carried the ball up the middle on first down and the Mustangs drew a flag on the Owls on the next play for too many men on the field, making it first and goal from the 10-yard line.
Allcorn was tackled for a loss of two on first down, and Lassiter’s pass on second down was incomplete to AJ Reyna, as the Mustangs took a time out with 5:47 to play in the second quarter.
Out of the break, Vasquez kept it himself for a run up the middle on third down, taking it down to the seven-yard line to bring up fourth down.
On fourth down, the Mustangs got a free play, as the Owls were flagged for offsides, moving the ball up to the threeyard line. Vasquez was able to punch it in on the next play for the three-yard score to tie the game, 6-6, with just over five minutes to play in the half, after the failed PAT by Santillan.
The Owls took over at their own 33-yard line, but were forced to punt with just under four minutes to play, after going three-and-out.
Hale Center would get the ball back after another punt by Allcorn, but with no time on the clock, Thompson was picked off in the endzone by Ramage to end the half with the score, 6-6.
Hale Center put together an eight-play drive to open the second half, that was capped off with a 32-yard touchdown pass, as Thompson hit Rodriguez down the far sideline for the score with 9:38 remaining in the third quarter.
The Mustangs got the ball back and were able to take the ball deep into Owls’ territory, but the drive was derailed after a fumbled hand-off was recovered by Hale Center with 7:02 to play in the quarter.
The Olton defense bowed their necks and forced a punt with 3:50 remaining in the quarter, giving the Mustangs the ball at their own 46-yard line.
Vasquez took the snap on back-to-back plays and kept it himself to make it third and nine for the Mustangs. On third down, Lassiter connected with Ramage down the near sideline, who caught the ball and then had it stripped by the Owls’ defender, but Ramage was able to recover it to set the Mustangs up with a first down in Hale Center territory.
Allcorn got the carry on back-to-back plays and Josue Castro-Barajas carried the ball on third down, as Olton took a time out with 38 seconds remaining in the quarter.
The Mustangs elected to go for it on fourth down and Vasquez rumbled up the middle, taking it down to the 11-yard line to move the chains for Olton. Vasquez carried the ball again on first down and the Owls were called for a facemask penalty, moving the ball down to the four-yard line. Vasquez kept the ball again on first and goal, taking it up the middle for a short gain to end the third quarter.
Two plays later, Vasquez plowed ahead stretching the ball across the goal line for a touchdown with 11:20 to play in the contest. Olton opted for a fake field goal and drew a penalty on the Owls, moving the ball half the distance to the goal for a replay of the down. Allcorn punched it in for the two-point conversion to give the Mustangs the lead, 14-12.
Hale Center got a big return on the following kick-off from Rodriguez, setting them up with first and 10 from their own 47-yard line.
Garza carried the ball on three consecutive plays for the Owls taking it down to the Mustang’s 24-yard line and Thompson connected with Alvidrez on a pass, taking the ball down to the 12-yard line. Garza and Thompson carried the ball on back-to-back plays, before Thompson punched it in for a 13-yard touchdown run with 9:29 remaining. The twopoint conversion pass was incomplete, dropped by Martin Contreras, leaving the score, 18-14.
The Mustangs went three and out on their next possession and the Owls wasted no time capitalizing, as they needed just three plays to fine the endzone. On third and eight, Thomson connected with Guerra down the far sideline for a 73-yard touchdown pass with 6:13 to play in the quarter. The two-point conversion run by Thompson was no good, leaving the score, 24-14. Olton took over at their own
30-yard line, but on first down, Lassiter was picked off by Alvidrez who returned it down the Olton sideline. He had the ball ripped out, but it was recovered by Rodriguez and advanced to the Olton sevenyard line.
The Owls would punch it in on first down, as Alvidrez carried it around the right side, spinning out of a tackle for the seven-yard score with 5:47 remaining in the quarter.
Olton’s misfortunes continued as Marquez tried to make something happen on the kick return, but he had the ball ripped out and it was recovered by the Owls with 5:33 to play in the game.
Hale Center would run out the clock to take the contest, 32-14.