The Montford Mustangs routed the Swift Creek Wolves 26-6 behind two-touchdown games from AJ Henry and DJ Read. Montford, the only undefeated middle school in Leon County, came to Chiles High School looking to continue their win streak against a strong 2-1 Swift Creek.
Montford won the toss and deferred, giving Swift Creek the opening possession. The Wolves punted on their first set of downs. Then the Mustangs came out passing, quarterback Jase Dault throwing to receiver Simon Pettion for a first down. A pass interference call gave Montford another first down two plays later. After the Wolves’ defense halted an attempted Mustangs run, Dault went back to the air. The pocket held, and he fired a pass over the middle to receiver Owen Pulfer for 20 yards, the game’s first big play. Running back DJ Read ran for a first down to the Wolves four yard line. He pushed into the end zone on third and goal behind blockers Adrian Ortiz and Jackson Davis. Swift Creek stopped the Mustang conversion, starting a pattern that would continue throughout the game.
In the second quarter, the Wolves played gritty football to grind out first downs, including a fourth down conversion through multiple tacklers. After a failed pitch for a loss of five, Swift Creek’s running back broke through the Montford defense and ran down the sideline more than 40 yards for the score to tie the game at 6.
Montford immediately struck back. On the Mustangs’ next drive, they had steady runs from Dominic Scott, and a keeper from the QB on fourth down set up a 1st down at the 3 yard line. After a Swift Creek defensive lineman made a tackle in the Montford backfield, Montford faced 4th and goal at the 5. Dault found receiver AJ Henry for Henry’s first score of the game. Yet again, Swift Creek did not allow the conversion.
With less than two minutes left in the half the Wolves drove into Mustang territory on a run around the outside and a QB keeper. A first down pass over the middle and a pass interference brought Swift Creek to the Montford 10. The Wolves used a timeout to stop the clock at 27 seconds with the opportunity to tie the game before the half. On third down, the Wolves’ quarterback made a high arcing throw off his backfoot, lofted toward the back of the end zone. It bounced off cornerback AJ Henry’s hands, then off a Wolves’ receiver’s pads, then up in the air. Henry intercepted the football, then tucked it and ran down the sideline. Surrounded by a protective ring of maroon jerseyed blockers, Henry ran well over 100 yards for the pick six. Montford converted their only conversion of the day, making the score 20-6.
In the second half, the defenses reigned, and the game only saw one score. Despite Swift Creek nearing the end zone after successful passing, they could not convert. The Mustangs scored off steady runs from key ball runners Dominic Scott, Landon Del Prado, leading to DJ Read’s second score of the game. This touchdown iced the game to give Montford a 26-6 win.
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