MIDDLETOWN — Ryan Peterson rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns and Jake Strickler and Brandon Breedon hooked up on a pair of scoring strikes as the Middletown Mustangs quickly and efficiently put the Cloverdale Eagles out of their misery early with a 48-0 rout on Friday night in Middletown.
The North Central League I interlock varsity football game didn”t hold much suspense as the Mustangs (1-1) scored 27 first-quarter points and had a 41-0 lead at the intermission.
“The kids really responded,” Middletown coach Bill Foltmer said of his Mustang squad, which was coming off a season-opening 32-6 loss to Salesian. “The game was pretty much over after the first quarter.”
Nathan Doyle scored the first of his two touchdowns on a 2-yard run to open the points parade for the Mustangs in the first quarter. Strickler, whose only two passes on the night were touchdowns, then hooked up with Breedon on 19-yard strike. Scoring runs of 15 and 3 yards by Peterson pushed Middletown”s lead to 27-0.
In the second quarter, Strickler and Breedon connected on a 40-yard pass play and Peterson scored on a 19-yard run.
“It was a beautiful catch,” Foltmer said of Breedon”s touchdown. “The free safety had position on Brandon and the ball was a little underthrown, but Brandon reached up over him without touching him and came down with the ball in the end zone.”
Doyle, who finished with 70 yards on the ground, capped the scoring with a 5-yard run in the third quarter.
Middletown forced two turnovers — Doyle had an interception and Luis Montanez recovered a fumble — that led to touchdowns and the Mustangs also blocked two punts — one by Cody Rylance and the other by Ryan Bower — that set up scores.
Cloverdale is 0-2.
Middletown returns to action next Friday at home against Clear Lake (1-1).
