Mustangs clobber Wildcats

The Malta Mustangs have punched their tickets to the 2017 MHSA Class B football Championship Series thanks to a 50-8 win over the Harlem wildcats last Friday, October 13.

"It feels really good," Senior linebacker/ tight end Konner Kuehn said with a laugh.

The Mustangs are hold a 5-2 record and are 3-2 in the Northern B conference. Their conference and overall record has Malta currently at third overall in the conference. With the Glasgow Scotties being the only opponent left this season, win or lose, Malta will be representing the Northern B as the third seed in the playoffs.

The team will travel to Glasgow on Friday, October 20, to face a young Scotties team that is currently 2-7 overall and 1-4 in the Northern B Conference.

Glasgow most recently lost 25-6 to Baker on Friday, October 13. Glasgow's lone touchdown was scored by Diesen Blayne. Glasgow's lone conference win came against the Harlem Wildcats, a game in which the team scored 66 points on Thursday, September 7.

In Malta's win over Harlem, the team was led by quarterback Trace Simonson, who was 3-of-3 passing for 98 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 58 yards and two more touchdowns on 4 carries.

In the first touchdown of the game, Simonson found Kevin Henry wide open for a 57-yard touchdown in the team's first drive.

"I fumbled the snap, so I was just going to take off running," Simonson said. "Then I saw Kevin streaking down the sideline, so I decided to lob it up to him and it worked out pretty good."

Like many of the Mustangs, the team's starting quarterback Simonson is in his first season in a new position.

"I think it's going well," Simonson said. "We are really meshing together well and our line is doing a solid job up front, getting the push. Our skilled position players are doing a good job getting into the end zone."

The game against Harlem was the Mustangs' senior night in which the team's seniors were honored before the game. The game potential served as the last home game for the senior class.

"It's a little bit sad, but it was a fun game," Malta guard / defensive lineman Kendall Koss said. "It was a fun trip and fun road to get here."

When asked about his favorite memory, Kuehn couldn't pin-point just one.

"There's too many I guess," he said. "There is not really one that sticks out."

Simonson shared a memory, but it wasn't a cheerful one.

"One memory that didn't end up so good was the Glasgow game last year," Simonson said. "We gotta get some revenge next week."

Kuehn showed off his hands on a one-handed interception early in the game, that Malta was eventually able to turn into a touchdown.

"I was in the flats and he just threw it up and I picked it off," Kuehn said.

As far as the flashiness, Kuehn wasn't show-boating.

"It was the only way I could get it," Kuehn said.

Koss has been a pivotal part of Malta's run game that has racked up 1855 yards and 21 touchdowns on 290 carries (6.4 YPC).

"You just gotta get a good push so that your running back and quarterback can have a good hole," Koss said.

Malta had a total of 218 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 25 carries (8.72 YPC).

"We ran the football really well," Kuehn said.

Cormac Benn had 61 yards and two touchdowns on six carries (10.17 YPC). Trey Simanton had one touchdown and ten yards on three carries (3.33 YPC). Andres Lopez had two carries for 40 yards (20.0 YPC). Tanner Smith had two carries for 30 yards (15 YPC) and Cordel Salsbery had five carries for 27 yards (5.40 YPC).

Henry had 1 reception for 57 yards and one touchdown, Smith had one catch for 37 yards and a touchdown.