The Mustangs and M-ettes went head to head

When the Wolves are away, the Mustangs and M-ettes will play.

What was supposed to be a weekend full of Homecoming games, Senior Night celebrations and festivities was thwarted by postponements due to COVID concerns.

The Malta Mustangs were scheduled to take on the the Wolf Point Wolves on Friday, September 19, and the the Malta M-ette Volleyball team was scheduled to face the Lady Wolves but Malta Public Schools released a letter last Thursday afternoon stating the games against Wolf Point would be postponed based on information given to the Phillips County Health department from Indian Health Services in Wolf Point.

Instead of taking the weekend off, the Malta coaches and administration let the public know that the Mustangs and M-ettes would see action in a couple of Coed events that pitted the football team and volleyball team against each other.

The first event occurred at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 19, at the Malta Gymnasium as the Malta Football Team took on the M-ettes in a friendly game of volleyball.

The M-ettes varsity and JV teams both posted three wins over the Mustangs. The set scores of the varsity game were 15-4, 15-6, and 15-10.

After the volleyball games, the M-ette and Mustang athletes met at Mustang Field for coed flag football. Each team was comprised of boys and girls assigned by their class. Teams had five downs to score a touchdown with the ball placed at the 40 yard line. If a boys scored a touchdown, then it was worth one point and if a girl scored a touchdown it was worth two points.

In the first round, the Senior class defeated the freshman class and the junior class defeated the sophomores, pitting the senior class against the junior class for the championship. The winner was awarded doughnuts donated to the winner by Malta High School Principal Shawn Bleth.

During the championship game, senior Jeramiah Benson intercepted junior quarterback Rex Williamson.

During the Senior class' opening drive, Peyton Jones made a one handed catch to set Malta up at the 6-yard line but the junior class prevented a score. Jones would later record an interception in the endzone on the junior class' next drive.

On the senior class' following drive, quarterback Kooper Oxarart recorded a deep sideline pass to RC Skiff who ran in for a 40-yard touchdown. 1-0 senior class.

The senior class would later score on a goal line shovel pass from Oxarart to Jones, giving the seniors a 2-0 lead.

The junior class found themselves facing a third down with 2:30 to go in the game. Williamson found Justine Lamb down the field on a play that ended at the two-yard line. Kaylee Bishop crossed the goal line on the following play. 2-2 with 46 seconds left in regulation.

The seniors failed to score in the remaining seconds thanks to an interception by Williamson in the endzone.

During the overtime period, three girls from each team had two downs to score from the 10-yard line. The senior class won the first possession after winning a game of paper, scissors, rock.

The seniors made quick work of their first possession, as Sidney Meeks handed the ball off to Erica Smith, who would easily score. 4-2 seniors.

The junior class responded as Lamb scored on a run play the next play. 4-4.

In the next series of overtime possessions, the junior class was awards the ball first. Lamb was caught by Smith on both downs the next possession, giving the seniors a chance to win the game.

Smith would again score on the following play for the seniors. 6-4 seniors.

"I didn't really know what I was doing out there but we pulled through!" Smith said after scoring the walk-off touchdown. "I have watched football my whole life. Not to where I know the correct spots on the field."

Oxarart, who does know where to line up on the football field, was also happy with the event that made the most of the postponed games.

"We got the W and we are getting doughnuts on Monday, so it's a great day," Oxarart said.

Oxarart also said that he, Parker and Pierce Mortenson had doughnuts and shared one of their doughnuts with Mr. Bleth Friday morning.

Oxarart was asked what it was like playing quarterback in flag football as opposed to a regular game.

"It was really weird playing with the girls on the team," he said. "It was a good (game)."

Though both Smith and Oxarart said that the class was upset that the games were postponed, they enjoyed the event.

"We were thankful for what we got instead of what we missed out on," Smith said.

Earlier in the Week, the M-ettes defeated the Harlem LadyCats in five sets. The scores were 27-25 Malta, 27-29 Harlem, 25-18 Malta, 25-23 Harlem, and 15-7.

"In the fifth set, we knew we had to work as a team," Kunze said. "We did it and we won!"

Malta was led by Justine Lamb who had 14 kills. Kylie Hunter had 19 digs. Erica Smith had 22 assists and six aces. Allison Kunze had Malta's lone block.

It was during the C-Squad game, that the team found out the homecoming game was cancelled. Kunze was asked what she felt of the coed games that were played in place of the Wolf Point game.

"By playing these games I feel like it made everyone happy instead of being sad about our homecoming being canceled," Kunze said.