MIDDLETOWN — A transfusion of AB-positive was just what the doctor ordered for the Middletown Mustangs.
The AB was Austin Benson and all the junior running back did on Monday night was rush for 188 yards and four touchdowns as the Mustangs worked over the Upper Lake Cougars 28-8 in a non-league varsity football game matching the county”s top two teams.
“I thought this would be a game Benson would break out,” Middletown coach Bill Foltmer said. “He”s our breakaway threat.”
Benson scored on runs of 13 and 20 yards in the second quarter, 10 yards in the third quarter and 1 yard in the fourth quarter, the final scoring run coming with 6:56 left in the game and stretching the Mustangs” lead to an insurmountable 28-8 as Anthonie Guzman added the two-point conversion run.
Benson, who carried the ball 24 times on a night when the Mustangs (1-1) lost their other primary running threat, Tyler Drew (5 carries for 48 yards) to an ankle injury right before halftime, did most of his damage on a play called “toss right,” often dragging Upper Lake players behind him down the field.
In fact, each of his first three touchdowns came on plays where he turned the corner and weaved his way up the Upper Lake sideline.
“It”s the preseason and we”re playing around with a lot of things, but between the defensive end and the outside linebacker, there definitely was a breakdown,” Upper Lake coach Alex Stabiner said of Benson”s success against his squad.
Upper Lake (1-1) briefly took an 8-7 lead in the second quarter. After Benson had scored early in the quarter on a 13-yard run to put Middletown up 7-0, the Cougars answered right back with a seven-play, 79-yard drive capped by Ward Beecher”s 4-yard run with 6:09 left in the first half. All seven plays were of the running variety and Upper Lake was also aided by a pair of Middletown facemask penalties, one of them for 15 yards.
Middletown returned the favor, taking the ensuing kickoff and marching 55 yards on seven straight running plays, the final one a 20-yard sprint up the Upper Lake sideline by Benson, who dragged Cougar players behind him as he lunged into the end zone for the go-ahead touchdown. Drew”s extra-point kick made it 14-8.
The Mustangs also scored on their first possession of the third quarter to gain some leverage on the scoreboard, taking the second-half kick and driving 57 yards in five plays. A 15-yard pass from quarterback Ben Pike to wide receiver Brad Beckwith gave Middletown a first-and-goal at the 10 and Benson scored on the next play, his third score of the night.
Both teams had opportunities to score later in the third quarter but came away empty. The Mustangs couldn”t take advantage of a shanked punt that left them with great field position at the Upper Lake 28-yard line (losing possession on downs at the 23), and the Cougars were facing a second-and-five from the Middletown 20 when Beckwith stripped the Upper Lake ballcarrier and teammate Jherico Earl recovered.
The Mustangs put the game away in the final period after Upper Lake gambled and lost on a fourth-and-five play from its own 40. Middletown”s defense swarmed fullback Joey Valdez, dropping him for a 2-yard loss, and the Mustangs took over on downs. They scored five plays later as Benson racked up his fourth TD.
Key to the game was the play of the Middletown defense in the second half. The Mustangs finally bottled up Upper Lake”s running game and limited the Cougars to just 55 yards of offense over the final two quarters.
“In the first half we weren”t making the adjustments like we had practiced for all week,” Foltmer said. “We weren”t moving our linebackers over. Our outside linebacker was not getting containment.”
Upper Lake”s longest running play in the second half was just seven yards.
Meanwhile the Middletown offense was rolling along led by Benson, even as Drew watched from the sidelines. Benson gained 80 yards in the third quarter alone, including three double-digit bursts, the longest a 38-yard run.
“We got our asses kicked,” Stabiner said. “Middletown wanted it more than we did tonight.”
While Stabiner was impressed with the play of his secondary of Travis Coleman, Scott Menan and Jeremy Martin, he said the team didn”t get much from anyone else.
“We needed the front eight to take care of the running game.”
Middletown lost three fumbles to Upper Lake”s two. Ward Beecher had two of those fumble recoveries for the Cougars.
“It looks like he comes from the side and tries to strip the ball,” Foltmer said. “He does a good job of that.”
Beecher”s recovery of a Benson fumble — probably the only thing the Middletown junior did wrong all night — stopped a Middletown drive deep in Upper Lake territory during a scoreless first quarter.
Benson returned the favor in the fourth quarter, recovering a Beecher fumble.
Coleman”s 87 yards on 14 carries led the Upper Lake offense. Beecher and Valdez, Upper Lake”s top two rushers coming into play, were held to a combined 51 yards on 15 carries.
Neither coach said moving the game from Saturday to Monday had a negative effect on their respective teams. Originally scheduled for Saturday in Upper Lake, the game was postponed because of all the smoke created by the nearby Scotts Fire. It was moved to Monday at Upper Lake but was then switched to Middletown because the air quality on the Northshore was at an unhealthy level. As a result, Upper Lake was still the home team even though the game was played at Bill Foltmer Field, and the Cougars received all the gate.
“That”s definitely a first,” Foltmer said of the Mustangs being the visiting team on their home turf.
Not that it mattered to Austin Benson. He felt right at home.
Middletown 28, Upper Lake 8
At Middletown
Middletown 0 14 6 8 – 28*
Upper Lake 0 8 0 0 – 8
*Middletown was visiting team
M – Benson 13 run (Drew kick), 9:04 left 2nd.
UL -Beecher 4 run (Coleman pass to Thaxton), 6:09 left 2nd.
M – Benson 20 run (Drew kick), 2:32 left 2nd.
M – Benson 10 run (run failed), 10:13 left 3rd.
M – Benson 1 run (Guzman run), 6:56 left 4th.
JV game – none held.
Upper Lake stats
Rushing – Valdez 7×22, Beecher 8×29, TD: Coleman 14×87, Menan 4×6, Gonzalez 2×4, Martin 6×21. Totals: 41×169, TD.
Passing – Coleman 4-8-0, 75 yards.
Receiving – Valdez 2×33, Beecher 1×12, Thaxton 1×30.
Total offense (minus sacks) – 231 yards.
Turnovers – two.
Fumble recoveries – Beecher 2, Seevers.
Interceptions – none.
Sacks – none.
Penalties – 9×51.
Record – 1-1
Next game – Friday at Portona (2-0).
Middletown stats
Rushing – Benson 24×188, 4 TDs; Drew 5×48, Pike 3×8, Beckwith 4×30, Southern 2×11. Totals: 38×285, 4 TDs.
Passing – Pike 3-8-0, 31 yards.
Receiving – Beckwith 1×15, Benson 2×16.
Total offense (minus sacks) – 316 yards.
Turnovers – three.
Fumble recoveries – Earl, Benson.
Interceptions – none.
Sacks – Bologna.
Penalties – 4×35.
Record – 1-1.
Next game – Friday at El Molino (0-3).
