In sports, being the home team is always acknowledged as an advantage. But this season the Mustangs’ have proven that may not be the case. The 45-25 loss on Nov. 9, to Coalinga College brings the Mustangs’ home record to 1-4 this season and 4-5 overall, highlighting a challenging stretch for the team.
Coach Chris Shipe commented on the team’s slow start of the game.
“We came out and sputtered in the first half,” Shipe said.
Underlining the Mustangs’ difficulty in gaining traction early on. A critical lost chance came in the first quarter when the Mustangs allowed a long yard conversion on a third down.
“It’s a team game and a momentum game, and we can’t give up a 3rd and 30 for a first down,” he said. “That’s just bad football.”
Coalinga scored first on a field goal by Mario Delgado, but the Mustangs answered when William Baldwin recovered a fumble and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown, briefly putting Los Medanos ahead 6-3.
Later that quarter, Coalinga quickly recovered control, with Logan Johnson scoring a 1-yard rushing touchdown to cap the first quarter.
The Mustangs showed a newfound identity after halftime.
“In the second half, we competed,” Shipe said.
Quarterback Garrett Deatherage connected with Marques Singleton for a 3-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and the quarterback added a 7-yard running touchdown early in the fourth, cutting the lead to 38-25. However, Coalinga quarterback Logan Johnson squashed the Mustangs’ hopes with a last touchdown drive, securing the game at 45-25.
Despite the loss, Shipe remains optimistic.
“One thing we expressed was not turning the ball over, which we didn’t do today,” he added, happy with the team’s ball security.
Statistically, Coalinga had the clear advantage, with 541 total yards to Los Medanos’ 381. Johnson of Coalinga threw 27 of 34 passes for 399 yards, including three rushing touchdowns, to lead a balanced offense.
Deatherage was the key player for the Mustangs, racking up 105 rushing yards and 255 passing yards while contributing to all three scores. Marques Singleton and Sima Dumbaya also impressed with Dumbaya taking in five catches for 81 yards and Singleton catching seven for 71 yards and a score.
The Mustangs may have fallen short, but their persistence bodes well for the next game, when they hope to repeat their earlier season victory against Chabot.
