Mustangs To Host Wolves in Playoffs

The playoffs are here!

The Malta Mustangs football team will enter the 2023 MHSA Class B Football Championship Series as the second seed out of the Northern B with only one conference loss.

The team earned another home game, a matchup with the Three Forks Wolves, on Saturday, October 28, at Mustang Field.

"It's always beneficial to play at home, especially in the playoffs," Malta Mustangs Head Coach Nick Nick Oxarart told the PCN. "Our players worked hard and battled adversity to get an opportunity to play at home one more time."

Three Forks was 6-3 this season and 3-2 in the Southern B, earning the third seed. Manhattan is the first seed with an 8-1 record, and Columbus is second with a 7-1 record.

The Wolves scored six rushing touchdowns from six different athletes last week in their 62-0 win over Sweetgrass. Quarterback Shane Williams, a senior, took a majority of the rushing attempts (nine attempts for 61 yards). Williams was 7-for-17 passing for 170 yards and three touchdowns.

"Three Forks brings a potent offense along with a really stout defense to town on Saturday," Coach Oxarart said. "Their quarterback is very fast and throws the ball well. He will be tough to contain. He has quite a few athletes that he can get the ball to as well. Their offensive and defensive lines are solid as well. We will have to play our best game of the season in order to beat them."

In their last regular season game of the year, the Mustangs defeated the Fairfield Eagles 45-18 last Friday, October 20, in Fairfield.

"Our offense had some real explosive plays and our defense created turnovers and had some fourth down stops at key times," Coach Oxarart said. "We had a lot of mistakes and penalties that kept a few scores off the scoreboard."

The Mustangs racked up 549 yards offensively and were led by junior quarterback Stockton Oxarart, who completed 11-of-14 pass attempts for 308 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.

Junior Treyton Wilke had five receptions for 192 yards and three touchdowns, as well as eight rushing attempts for 62 yards.

Junior Blaine Downing had 15 carries for 114 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Dawson Hammond had four catches for 80 yards and sophomore Trooper Stiles had two receptions for 36 yards and one touchdown.

Junior Mason Simanton had a team-leading 15 tackles, and .5 sacks. Sophomore Straud Sims had 12 tackles, freshman Kenan LaBrie had 12 tackles, Downing had 10 tackles and one sack. Clay Hallenburg had nine tackles and .5 sacks. Duke Williamson had one sack.

Scoring Summary:

Qtr 1: No Scores.

Qtr 2: Blaine Downing 5 yard run (Mason Simanton pass from Stockton Oxarart) 9:42 8-0

Trooper Stiles 31 yard pass from Oxarart (Treyton Wilke run) 3:36 16-0

Qtr 3: Treyton Wilke 2 yard pass from Oxarart (Wilke pass from Oxarart) 10:46 24-0

McCoy Banner 4 yard run (run failed) 4:12 24-6

Downing 4 yard run (Downing run) 1:01 32-6

Qtr 4: Banner 1 yard run (run failed) 7:29 32-12

Wilke 25 yard pass from Oxarart (pass failed) 5:11 38-12

Wilke 63 yard pass from Oxarart (Oxarart kick) 4:43 45-12

Devin Lonner 61 yard pass from Sloan Giles (run failed) 0:29 45-18