By Van Wade
The Orange Leader
WEST ORANGE – It is time for a little rest for the West Orange-Stark Mustangs.
After all, they just waltzed to another district title and went through their District 9-4A Division II schedule like it was butter.
The district champion Mustangs made it look way too easy Friday night at Hooks Stadium, burying the Hardin-Jefferson Hawks 48-0.The Mustangs (9-1, 4-0) were never challenged by the Hawks (2-7, 0-3) as they cruised to a 41-0 lead at the half after leading 22-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The Mustangs outgained the Hawks 283-60 in the first half, limiting H-J to just one first down.
WO-S quarterback Jack Dallas completed 12-of-14 passes for 256 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the first 24 minutes.
The Mustangs will enter their bye week next week. They will likely play Houston Scarborough in the 4A Division II Region III bidistrict round in a couple weeks. Scarborough is currently 1-7 in 10-4A Division II play but competes in a four-team district where everyone makes the postseason.
It did not take long for the Mustangs to find the end zone against the Hawks.
Mustang Keyshawn Holman blocked a H-J punt and WO-S took over at the H-J 9 with 9:48 in the first.
KJ Miller ran eight yards to the 1 and fullback Justin Brown capped it with a one-yard touchdown blast. Dallas ran in the two-point conversion as the Mustangs led 8-0 with 9:39 in the first.
On third-and-2 from the H-J 25, the Mustang defense stuffed Hawk fullback Cole Priddy and Mustang defensive end Ronald Carter literally swiped the ball from Priddy’s hands and took it 25 yards to the house.
Dallas completed the two-point conversion pass to Miller to push the WO-S lead to 16-0 with 8:11 in the first.
Deshon Moreaux brought the ensuing kickoff back 50 yards to the Mustang 40 but the Mustang defense held firm and WO-S followed with a big play on offense.
Dallas dropped back and heaved a perfect pass down the left sideline, hitting receiver Thomas Wallace in stride for a 69-yard bomb, upping the lead to 22-0 with 3:16 in the first. Wallace had three receptions for 97 yards in the half.
The Mustangs marched 66 yards in nine plays to find the end zone again. The big play of the series came on a 34-yard Dallas pass to Miller that got to the Hawk 28. Miller had two catches for 46 yards in the half. Dallas found Keion Hancock on a 12-yard pass to the H-J 13 and Brown scored a few plays later on a two-yard blast, making it 28-0 with 9:29 in the half. Hancock collected three first-half catches
58 yards.
After Hawk quarterback Logan Thompson coughed up the ball at the Mustang 37 with 7:56 in the half, the Mustang zipped 63 yards in just six plays.
Dallas passed for all 63 yards including a 26-yard touchdown pass to Blake Robinson, who worked his way down the left side to get into the end zone to pus it to 34-0 with 5:41 in the half.
The Mustangs closed the half with a seven-play, 58-yard scoring drive. Dallas connected Keion Hancock o a 30-yard play to the H-J 25. Dallas and Wallace teamed up again, an 18-yard pitch-and-catch to the Hawk 2 and Jeremiah Shaw capped it with a two-yard touchdown dart to make it 41-0 at intermission.
Moreaux led the Hawks attack in the first half, netting 32 yards on nine carries.
The Mustangs scored on the first series of the third quarter, going 50 yards in 10 plays. Dallas hooked up with receiver Jay’len Mathews on a one-yard touchdown pass to make it 48-0 with 6:29 in the third.