Mustangs drop Conrad 50-19

The Malta Mustangs are now 2-0 in 2019 after a strong 50-19 win over the Conrad Cowboys on Friday, September 13, at Mustang Field.

"It feels good," Mustang senior Tanner Smith said about their two-win start. "I don't know what else to say. Everyone is executing. The line is blocking perfectly. The holes were huge. You couldn't ask for a better hole from the lineman."

The Mustangs head to Wolf Point on Friday, September 20, to take on the 1-1 Wolf Point Wolves. The Wolves lost to Baker 34-13 on Friday, September 6. The Wolves bounced back against the Harlem Wildcats on Friday, September 13, defeating them 34-0, thanks to a strong running game. The Wolves had over 250 yards and three touchdowns. The wolves defense also registered seven sacks and two interceptions.

"Wolf Point has a number of good athletes that will present challenges for us if we don't contain them early in the game," Malta Mustangs Head Coach Nick Oxarart said. "Wolf Point always plays us tough on their home field."

Coach Oxarart and the Mustangs have a good idea of what to expect from the Wolves and that is a plethora of different plays.

"They have a good quarterback and an ability to line up in many different formations," Coach Oxarart said. "We need to be able to line up correctly and be ready for everything they throw at us."

Despite a couple of early fumbles, Malta bounced back against Conrad in a dominating win, racking up 376 yards, 351 of which came on the ground.

Malta was led by Smith, who had 108 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries.

Rex Williamson had 104 rushing yards and one touchdown on seven carries, including a 45-yard run. He had 259 yards on six kick off returns. Cash Salsbery had 100 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. Callan Mears had thirty yards and one touchdown on four carries.

Williamson scored Malta's first touchdown from three yards out of the endzone. Smith would score on the next drive from 30 yards, putting Malta up 12-0.

Throughout the game, Malta also forced five turnovers on defense, all of which were interceptions. Four of those interceptions occurred in the first half.

Mears scored the first defensive touchdown of his career on a 16-yard interception return, which put the Mustangs up 20-0 in the first quarter.

"I was just at the right spot at the right time, just reading the play and following people," Mears said.

Mears was asked about the team's performance on defense.

"Everyone was just doing their job, reading the guards," Mears said. "The linemen were getting a push and the defensive stayed with the receivers."

Williamson nearly scored on a 45-yard interception return, in the third quarter but Williamson was tripped up and fell at the 2-yard line. Salsbery punched the ball in the endzone the next play.

Smith scored on a 19-yard run in the second quarter, followed by Salsbery who would not be denied on a 35-yard run. Earlier there was a would-be touchdown reception in which Salsbery would have scored, but Malta was flagged for holding.

"First it kind of started rough, but I got the handoff and the line spread it wide open," Salsbery said. "I couldn't see anyone in the way and I was running and thought, 'God! The Line! Wow!'"

The team welcomed back Pierce Mortenson, who missed the opening game due to injury. Mortenson left a wake of destruction, throwing several monstrous blocks.

"The line was just blowing it up," Salsbery said, still in awe of the line's performance.

On the next drive Conrad's Tommy Hammond wowed the crowd and both sidelines as he split the uprights on a 41-yard field goal kick. He had to re-kick the attempt and drilled both attempts. The score at halftime was 34-3 in favor of the Mustangs.

Salsbery grabbed another touchdown from two yards out in the third quarter and was followed by another touchdown by Cam. Mears. The Mustangs went up 50-3 by the end of the third quarter.

Conrad scored a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the first a three-yard pass off the arm of Caden Huntsinger and the second was a 43 pass from Carson Bitney to Huntsinger. The final score was 50-19.

Scoring Summary:

1st Quarter: Rex Williamson 3 yard run (pass failed) 4:02 6-0

Tanner Smith 30 yard run (run failed) 1:52 12-0

Callan Mears 16 yard Interception return (Mears pass from Connor Tuss) 1:33 20-0

2nd Quarter: Smith 19 yard run (pass failed) 10:16 26-0

Cash Salsbery 35 yard run (Williamson run ) 8:37 34-0

Tommy Hammond 41 yard field goal 4:49 34-3

3rd Quarter: Salsbery 2 yard run (Smith run) 42-3

Camryn Mears 21 yard run (Kanyon Stiles run) 50-3

4th Quarter: Brady Bokma 3 yard pass from Caden Huntsinger (Huntsinger run) 50-11

Huntsinger 43 yard pass from Carson Bitney (Bitney run) 0:43 50-19