Editor’s note: This story has been revised to account for a mistake in statistics reported to the Record-Bee on Friday night.
Staff reports
CLOVERDALE >> Nash Field rushed for 104 yards and four touchdowns as the Middletown Mustangs pulled away in the third quarter to beat Cloverdale 34-22 in a North Central League I varsity football game at Daly Field in Cloverdale.
The victory combined with Kelseyville’s 42-21 win over Cloverdale leaves Middletown as the only remaining undefeated team in the league standings at 4-0. Clear Lake, Kelseyville and Lower are all a game back at 3-1 with three-time defending champion Fort Bragg at 3-2.
“Our offense couldn’t have moved the ball any better, both run and pass,” Middletown coach Bill Foltmer said of a first half that the Mustangs dominated, yet they led only 14-8 at halftime. “Penalties killed us,” Foltmer said. “We had a 75- or 80-yard touchdown called back on a hold that would have made it 21-0. Instead we had to punt, we gave Cloverdale a short field and they scored.”
The Eagles (1-4) also caught a break on the conversion when a high snap on the extra-pont kick turned into a desperation pass that ended up being good.
“So instead of being up 21-0 all of a sudden it’s 14-8 and they’re right in it with us,” Foltmer said.
Middletown kept running back Drake Harbison (high ankle sprain) on the bench in the first half but unleashed him on the Cloverdale defense as the second half opened.
“He lit a fire under us,” Foltmer said. “He was running over people and gaining lots of yards each time he touched the ball.”
Harbison took the Mustangs on an eight-play scoring drive that ended with a Field 4-yard touchdown run, his third TD of the night after scoring on a pair of 1-yard runs in the first quarter.
Middletown pushed its lead to 28-8 on its next possession that culminated with a Field 1-yard TD run.
Harbison had to leave the game at that point after spraining his other ankle.
“He was limping on it just like he was in our last game, only it was the other ankle this time,” said Foltmer, who was unsure of his condition.
With another Middletown running back also out of action with an ankle sprain (Isaiah Moore did not play against the Eagles), the Mustangs called up Nico Barrio from the junior varsity squad and he came through in a big way, gaining 97 yards on 16 carries.
Middletown’s passing game also thrived against the Cloverdale defense as quarterback Luke Holt went 6-for-11 for 122 yards, most of that to wide receiver Trey O’Neill (four catches for 93 yards).
“Luke did a good job,” Foltmer said.
Cloverdale sandwiched a pair of touchdowns around a Holt 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to round out the scoring.
“Cloverdale played us tough,” Foltmer said of the Eagles, who have lost four straight in league play.
Middletown returns home next Friday for its homecoming game against Clear Lake.
