The Los Medanos College Mustangs lost Saturday, Oct. 17 at 6-0 Hartnell College by 23-21.
“Keeping our heads up and focus is all we need for Hartnell,” said head coach Chris Shipe before the game.
According to quarterback Gabe Taylor, the offense did not fair too poorly against their undefeated league rival. He threw for over 200 yards with a touchdown pass and only one interception.
“I don’t feel like we had a bad game this time,” Taylor said. “I think if we clean a few things up, like me being on the same page with our receivers, our season will not be lost yet.”
Some players, like freshman Joshua Jackson, are already looking forward to next season. Jackson noted the team members, including himself, have had some crucial injuries, and the season could have gone differently if everyone was healthy.
“Next year we are going to be really good,” Jackson said. “We have a lot of guys coming back, and there will be a lot of team chemistry.”
“The athlete,” as he calls himself, cannot wait to get back on the field for the 2016 season. He’s focusing on recovering, resting and bulking up for next year.
The Stangs, along with head coach Chris Shipe, are in future mode this year, however.
They made the change from sophomore quarterback Julius Mozee to the freshman Taylor earlier in the year, who is getting good experience going into next season.
If the team rallies and wins their upcoming games, they can still earn a winning record.
This weekend’s game is going to serve as an appropriate test of where they are at as the Mustangs take on Yuba College at home, Saturday, Oct. 24.
The Yuba College 49ers are 3-3 overall, with a 2-1 league record, and lost their last game to the juggernaut Contra Costa College Comets 18-16.
The Mustangs did get blown out by over 40 points by the Comets, but the 49ers also lost a close game to Hartnell , so the teams are comparable in that sense.
Just a few key plays here and there could have changed the season outcome so far, but the Mustangs still have time to turn it around, all the while prepare for the future.