WILLITS >> What figured to be a tough road test was anything but for the Middletown Mustangs on Friday night at Maize Field in Willits.
Behind 179 yards and four touchdowns from running back Coleman Drew, the Mustangs handed the Willits Wolverines their first loss of the season in impressive fashion, rolling to a 43-8 victory that lifts Middletown’s North Central League I record to 2-0 — the same as Fort Bragg and St. Helena, the Mustangs’ next two opponents (both games at Bill Foltmer Field).
“I’m pretty happy to go up there and win like that,” Middletown coach Bill Foltmer said of a game that paired the big and physical Wolverines against a Mustang squad that is fairly big and fast. “That’s a good game for us going into Fort Bragg (next Friday).”
Middletown, now 2-2 overall, led 14-0 after one quarter and 37-0 at halftime. As impressive as the Mustangs were in moving the ball on offense, their defense held the Wolverines (1-1, 4-1) in check, including forcing a safety late in the first half.
“Once they got behind, they went to a shotgun and they kept snapping the ball over the quarterback’s head,” Foltmer said. “That must have happened eight times.”
Middletown gave Willits good field position on its first few possessions but the Wolverines, despite moving the ball a little, were unable to sustain their drives.
“We still have some things to fix on defense, but I’m happy with the way they played. We did a little bending but no breaking,” Foltmer said.
Ty Chorjel rushed for 75 yards and two TDs. As a team, the Mustangs rushed for 353 yards.
Noah Williams intercepted a pair of Willits passes.
In other football action Friday:
Fort Bragg 54, Lower Lake 9
At Fort Bragg, Fort Bragg claimed its fifth win in as many games this season while handing Lower Lake (0-2, 3-2) its second straight NCL I loss.
The Trojans certainly put up a battle for the better part of three quarters, In fact, it was 12-9 Fort Bragg going into the third quarter and Lower Lake was driving for the go-ahead score before fumbling the ball away deep in Timberwolf territory. From there on it was all Fort Bragg as quarterback Kaylor Sullivan moved the ball at will against the Lower Lake defense. Meanwhile the Lower Lake offense hurt itself with a series of costly turnovers.
It was 34-9 by the end of the third quarter.
Cloverdale 48, Clear Lake 14
At Cloverdale, bouncing back from a 41-13 league-opening loss to St. Helena last week, the Cloverdale Eagles (1-1, 4-1) took out their frustration on the Clear Lake Cardinals in NCL I action.
Clear Lake (0-2, 1-4) scored in the second and fourth quarters on Tyler Dore touchdown passes – the first a 22-yarder to Jake Jackson and the second a 15-yarder to Fernando Figueroa. Dore finished the game six of 16 for 88 yards and one interception.
Cloverdale led 7-0 after one quarter and 34-7 at halftime.
Sam Long was Clear Lake’s leading rusher with 51 yards on six carries.
On defense, the Cardinals’ Austin Davis recovered a fumble and picked off a pass.
“If my kids keep playing hard for me, giving me 110 percent to the end of the game like they did tonight, we’ll hang in there,” Clear Lake coach Darin Brodnansky said. “I’m proud of the way they played hard right to the end.”
Clear Lake suited up 14 players but escaped Friday’s action with no injuries.
