FORT BRAGG — It was quick and easy for Middletown”s Mustangs to establish the upper hand against Fort Bragg on Friday night. While handing the Timberwolves their first loss in seven games with only token opposition, the Mustangs established themselves as the team to beat in the North Central League I North with a 38-14 triumph in Fort Bragg.
Playing its best defense of the season, Middletown virtually stripped the Timberwolves of their passing game, the strength of which brought them into Friday night”s showdown with a 6-0 record.
Quarterback Brandon Freitas, who threw six touchdown passes against Lower Lake a week earlier, was held to 58 yards by the end of the first half when the Timberwolves trailed 17-0. He passed for one TD in the third quarter, but for the first two quarters the ”Wolves were rendered weaponless when their go-to running back, Caleb Cunha, was held to less than 10 yards.
Mustang coach Bill Foltmer said there was no special emphasis during the past week on tactics to slow down the Fort Bragg passing game.
“We”re a pretty good team and we play pretty solid defense,” Foltmer ventured. “I think they”re (Timberwolves) a good football team. At the start of the season I thought they were the team to beat, but I don”t think people realize the defensive players we have back from last year.”
One such defensive player — 5-foot-7 defensive back Andres Fernandez — put Fort Bragg in a hole early with two takeaways in the first quarter, both of which led to Mustang points. Three plays after the Timberwolves received the opening kickoff, Fernandez recovered a fumble caused by a teammate and Middletown capitalized by driving 55 yards for a Danny Cardenas field 20-yard field goal.
Two plays after the ”Wolves received the kickoff following the field goal, Fernandez struck again, this time intercepting a Freitas pass and returning it 32 yards for the Mustangs” first touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
In the second quarter, fullback Jake Davis celebrated his return to the Mustang offense on a full-time basis by bolting 83 yards for a TD after taking a screen pass from quarterback Kyle Brown. Trevor Finley threw a key block to spring Davis.
The Mustangs added the element of shock in the opening moments of the third quarter when David Pike ran for his 17th TD on a sweep from 46 yards out. Pike also scored on a 6-yard run in the fourth quarter, giving him 116 points for the season.
Between them, Pike and Davis, in the same backfield for the first time on a steady basis, rushed for more than 200 yards to give the Mustangs the ball control they sought.
Brown developed a new nickname for Davis ? “Rhino, because he runs like a rhino,” Brown said. “They told me I was out of my cage,” said Davis. “I tell you this,” said Brown of the potent offense he commands, “Pike and Davis are a two-headed monster.”
