KELSEYVILLE — The Middletown Mustangs converted a big third-and-12 play in the final minutes to hold off the Kelseyville Knights 28-25 in a North Central League I varsity football game that went from mildly entertaining to hold-onto-your-seat exciting in the fourth quarter Friday night at Kelseyville.
Middletown (3-2, 4-4) took a 28-10 lead into the final period only to watch Kelseyville (0-5, 0-8) rally back on the strength of touchdown runs by Geno Poloni and John Mark Reagan in the closing minutes. After Reagan scored with 3:17 remaining to cut Middletown”s lead to 28-23, Reagan passed to Steven Beck on the conversion to make it a three-point game — and Kelseyville kicker Diego Barajas already had one field goal in the game, a 37-yarder in the first quarter.
Kelseyville used its second timeout after Middletown”s first-down play and its final timeout after Michael Bateman sacked quarterback Ben Pike. Facing a third-and-12, the Mustangs called a screen pass and Pike completed it to running back DJ Brookshire for a 39-yard gain.
Austin Benson then broke off a long run to the Kelseyville 2. Middletown ran one play, which the Knights stopped, before the clock ran out.
While Kelseyville shut down Middletown”s running game, it was Pike who shined for the Mustangs, going 14-for-19 for 280 yards and two touchdowns in his first game of the season because of injury. It was also his varsity debut at quarterback.
“Pike stepped up at quarterback and threw the ball very well. That was the difference in the game,” Kelseyville coach Rob Ishihara said.
“Ben Pike and Kyle Brown was a nice combination,” Middletown coach Bill Foltmer said.
Brown, who started Middletown”s first seven games at quarterback, moved to wide receiver and caught seven passes for 161 yards and a touchdown. Brookshire had five catches for 109 yards and a TD.
Reagan rushed for 111 yards and two TDs for the Knights and Poloni had 87 rushing yards and 18 receiving.
“That”s three weeks in a row we”ve played well and come up a little bit short,” Ishihara said. “But nobody is hanging their heads around here. A number of guys stepped up tonight and I was very pleased with the way the defense played.”
