MIDDLETOWN — Never did a team feel so quite at home as did the Middletown Mustangs in their 56-0 homecoming victory over the Willits Wolverines on Friday night in Middletown.
While it was the North Central League I North varsity football opener for both teams, it also was more of the same for two teams headed in opposite directions in 2008. Middletown (1-0 North, 5-1 overall) won its fourth straight, the last three by shutout, and Willits dropped to 0-6 on the season, one during which the Wolverines have scored a whopping 17 points.
“We did pretty much everything we wanted to do,” Middletown coach Bill Foltmer said of a nearly flawless effort by the Mustangs. “Willits is down and they”re young.”
Middletown did its best to keep the score down, including taking a knee at the Willits 2-yard line in the final seconds of the first half, which ended with the Mustangs comfortably in front 35-0.
Foltmer emptied his bench in the second half and even used linemen at running back. Two of them — Dakota Bracisco and Justin Reyes-Lopez — scored on short runs, Bracisco on a 1-yard run late in the third quarter and Reyes-Lopez on a 2-yard run late in the fourth quarter.
Middletown”s top two running backs, Eric Tomko and Tyler Owen, combined for only 14 carries. Tomko rushed for 67 yards and two touchdowns and Owen 83 yards and one TD.
Quarterback Matt Outen completed four of five passes, three of them to wide receiver Dylan Galusha, who had TD catches of 39 yards in the first quarter and 17 yards in the second quarter.
Willits had a total of 91 yards and never penetrated Middletown”s 40.
The Mustangs forced three turnovers and turned the ball over once when Dustin Clark, after intercepting a Willits pass, fumbled the ball back to the Wolverines.
Jake Davis recovered a fumble and had one of the Mustangs” two sacks. Danny Beckwith had a fumble recovery and converted all eight of his extra-point kicks.
Middletown plays its final NCL I interlock game next Friday night in St. Helena. After that, the Mustangs resume their North schedule with a big game against Fort Bragg (5-1) in Fort Bragg.
