Mustangs Fend Off a Late Comeback by Brighton

The Bulldogs elected to receive to start the game but were unable to outmaneuver the Mustang defense and were forced to punt.  After a short punt, Mullen started its first drive with a short field on the Brighton 42-yard line.  Twelve plays later Mullen delivered the first blow of the game with a 10-yard touchdown pass from freshman Koa Dietrich to junior  tight end Brennan Weaver on a crossing route giving the Mustangs a 7-0 lead.    

On Brighton’s next possession, the Bulldogs were able to get behind the Mullen secondary and complete a precisely run post-route, but Senior Jordan Leslie was able to run the receiver down, force a fumble, and make the recovery.  Threat averted.  However, starting at the Bulldog 22, the Mustangs were only able to amass three first downs before the drive stalled forcing a punt with only seconds left in the 1st-quarter.

Early into the second quarter, it took Brighton 7-plays to push the ball down field, and on a 1-yard dive were able to cross the goalline for the score.  Their only successful two-point attempt for the night was good, and the Bulldogs took a 7-8 lead.  But, it was short lived because on the ensuing kickoff, senior Sonny Donati received the ball around the 20-yard line and proceeded to outrun everybody to paydirt for the Mustang score.  Junior Ari Kaufman’s PAT was good, and Mullen regained the lead 14-8.  On Brighton’s next possession, the Mullen defense, led by senior linebacker AJ Guida, forced a three-and-out, but the Bulldogs were able to pin Mullen in at the Mustang 8-yard line on the ensuing punt.  No prob.  The Mustangs proceeded to march the 92-yards in 10-plays and widen their lead when Dietrich found senior Jordan Leslie in the endzone for a 23-yard touchdown pass.  Again, Ari Kaufman’s PAT was good and Mullen extended its lead to 21-8. Brighton responded to the uphill challenge with a 52-yard kickoff return back to the Mullen 43-yard line.  From there, it took the Bulldogs 10-plays to drive the remaining 43-yards scoring on a 1-yard plunge.  The 2-point try was unsuccessful, and Mullen’s lead was cut to 21-14.  With little time left, Brighton squibbed the kickoff, and Mullen fell on the ball at their own 45.  Dietrich scrambled on the first play from scrimmage for 18-yards and then found senior Blaze McCarty for 27-yards on the next play which put the Mustangs first and goal at the 10.  After a quick kill of the clock, Dietrich found sophomore Mason Bonner for the 10-yard touchdown.  Kaufman’s point after was good, and the Mustangs went into the half up 28-14.    

Mullen’s opening drive of the second-half stalled, and the Mustangs were forced to punt.  Brighton was able to drive the ball out to midfield before the Mullen defense stiffened.  The Bulldogs had a fourth and one at the 50-yard line, and instead of punting, they tried to get the 1-yard.  Not on that night and not on that play.  The Mullen defense stuffed the Bulldogs for no gain and took over on downs.  The Mullen offense then methodically drove the ball down to 1st and goal where Dietrich snuck it in for the score.  The PAT was no good, and Mullen’s lead was extended to 34-14.  Mullen would add another score late in the third when Dietrich hooked up with Leslie for a 22-yard TD.  The successful PAT put the Mustangs out in front 41-14 as the quarter came to a close.

That would be all the scoring for Mullen, but not the Bulldogs.  The 4th-quarter belonged to the Dogs.  To start the quarter, Brighton put together a 5-play drive scoring from 12-yards out to shorten the lead 41-20.  Later in the 4th, Mullen turned the ball over on an interception and Brighton drove 65-yards for the score cutting the lead to 41-26.  On Mullen’s next possession, Brighton recovered a fumble on the Mullen 39, and took 5-plays to get it into the endzone.  The point after was, again, no good, and Mullen’s lead was down to nine, 41-32.  After another on-side kick, Mullen assumed the victory formation and ran out the clock on three consecutive kneel-downs to end the game.    

Mullen’s victory improved their record to 4-3 overall and 2-0 in conference play.  On a very short week, the Mustangs play Legacy on Thursday afternoon at 4:00 PM at Adams 12 5-Star Stadium in Thornton.