Friday night was a big night in Robbins for the North Moore Mustangs. It was the first time since 1994 a Mustangs’ football team would take the field 4-0, and it was a packed stadium for senior night and conference opener. The Mustangs took on Bartlett Yancey Buccaneers who was 4-0 and 1-0 in the conference.
This was the first game for Bartlett Yancey after tragically losing one of their teammates last weekend. Lineman Josh Rone was shot and killed on Sept. 18.
The Mustangs started off with a good drive before turning over the ball on a fumble. The Mustang’s defense was too much to handle. Bartlett Yancey’s offense couldn’t capitalize on the forced turnover. After a Buccaneers’ punt, it was all Mustang offense the rest of the game.
After a half-time score of Mustangs 13 Buccaneers 0, the Buccaneers were looking to score on a good drive when Mustangs’ Olajawaun Person made a one-handed interception. Changing the momentum of the game in favor of the Mustangs, the Buccaneers couldn’t stop the Mustangs from putting another 13 points in the third quarter.
It wouldn’t be until late in the fourth when the Buccaneers got a long run and scored. After the two-point conversion, the score was 26-8. The Mustangs received the kickoff with under three minutes to go. After 30 yards in personal foul penalties, the Mustangs took a knee until punting the ball with just over a minute to go. The Mustang’s defense was able to hold the Buccaneers without scoring again.
“We heard some chirping about our defense,” Coach Andrew Carrouth said to Sandhills Sentinel. “We heard how BY is, and they are a good football team. We heard how we struggle to tackle. We wanted to come out and make a statement about who we are as a defense. Our guys took that to heart and wanted to prove somebody wrong.”
Carrouth talked about having the best record since 1994. “I love them. They bought into our mentality RPO. We talked before the game; sometimes it’s ugly, and sometimes it’s not the prettiest thing in the world. We have to lock arms, stay together, stay tight and play our brand of football. We did that tonight.”
Next Friday, the Mustangs will celebrate homecoming playing conference rivals Jordan-Matthews who has an 0-5 overall and 0-1 conference record.
“Homecoming is a great opportunity,” Carrouth said. “To see all the alumni come back. We do homecoming right over here. It’s going to be great to get everyone back in the stands with a great opponent. I couldn’t be more excited about it.”
The North Moore Mustangs move to 5-0 overall and 1-0 conference, standing in second place in the conference.
Friday night’s homecoming kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.
~Article, photo, and video by Sandhills Sentinel Reporter Curtis Self.
