Mustang starters nearly perfect in win over EBF Rockets

MONROE — The starters on Prairie City-Monroe’s football team became spectators in the second half for the fifth straight game Friday night.

They stood along a wet and muddy sideline while the reserves finished off a 41-8 win over Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont.

After the postgame handshake, several members of the team decided to have a little fun, sliding across the muddy surface on the home sidelines.

It was another one of those nights in Class 2A District 6 play for the seventh-ranked Mustangs.

The offense scored on every possession in the first half and the defense surrendered only two first downs.

“It’s always fun playing in this kind of weather,” said junior Isaac Telfer, who had a touchdown catch on offense and an interception on defense.

“We practiced in this stuff all week. The mudslide at the end was fun. It’s homecoming so why not?”

The only thing that didn’t go right was a botched snap on the final TD of the first half, but the Mustangs kicked on the continuous clock in the second half until the Rockets scored their only points in the final minutes.

It was the 13th straight district win for PCM (6-1) dating back to the end of the 2015 season. The Mustangs are now 5-0 this year in District 6 games.

“It’s always a bit nerve wracking when its homecoming and the guys are involved in a lot of other things, but I thought the guys came out and were ready to play,” PCM coach Greg Bonnett said. “They executed well and were very dominant tonight.”

Junior Wes Cummings had 149 rushing yards and one TD run on 16 carries. Junior quarterback Reed Worth threw for 166 yards and three scores and added 40 rushing yards and another TD.

“Right now, it seems like everything is working for us,” Worth said. “We can throw the ball, we can run the ball and the o-line is controlling the line of scrimmage. That makes everyone else’s job easier.

“We have so many guys who can make plays.”

The Mustangs outgained the Rockets (3-5 overall, 2-3 in district play) 348-141. Most of the EBF yardage was gained in the second half against PCM’s second- and third-string defense.

The Rockets didn’t get a first down until late in the second quarter against PCM’s starters. One of those first downs came on a penalty, and that drive ended with a lost fumble. The Mustangs forced three first-half turnovers and led 41-0 at the break.

“There were some really good play calls by our coaches,” said Telfer, who had three catches for 36 yards on offense. ‘We blocked well in the rain package, too. (Worth) was throwing good balls, and everyone was making plays all night.”

Worth started the scoring with a 32-yard touchdown run early in the first quarter. The touchdown run capped a four-play, 55-yard drive.

Worth hooked up with junior Brayton Van Dyke on a 35-yard TD on the Mustangs’ next possession. Cummings started the drive with a 23-yard run on first and 15. He added a 9-yard run later in the possession before the TD pass completed a five-play, 60-yard drive.

The third TD of the quarter was a 15-yard pass from Worth to junior Isaac Telfer. Telfer, who also starts at linebacker, gave the ball back to Mustangs when he picked off Trey Moore. Cummings once again began the drive with a big run on first down.

The second-quarter scoring started when junior Cole Dustin scored his first-ever touchdown on a 10-yard run.

Dustin was inserted as a fullback in PCM’s “rain’ package.

“With our offense playing in the mud and the rain, it doesn’t always bode well,” Bonnett said. “We have an RPO offense where we handle the ball and look for different reads and stuff. We were able to go to our old two-back sets and run the pro-style offense that we also have if we need it.

“It’s an under center formation where we make sure we are taking care of the ball. It’s a ground and pound offense, but we have some pass plays off that look, too. It’s a ball control offense.”

Worth’s final TD pass was an 18-yard strike to junior Preston Van Wyk. Before that TD pass, Worth dumped the ball to senior Noah Anderson for a 20-yard gain on third down and 13.

Cummings made it 41-0 at halftime with a 6-yard TD run. The junior tailback broke off a 13-yard run before Worth connected with Van Wyk for 39 yards. Cummings scored two plays later.

Van Wyk had 63 receiving yards on three catches and Telfer added 36 yards on three catches. Worth and freshman Sage Burns combined for 12 completions to eight different receivers.

Burns was 3-for-5 through the air in the second half.

Junior Jarron Trausch had four tackles to lead the defense. Senior Jacob Ponder and Worth both recovered fumbles.

“The d-line is really good, and that allows the linebackers to do their jobs,” Telfer said. ‘The chemistry on this defense is great. We work well together.”

PCM’s starters, similar to last season when the Mustangs went 7-0 and dominated the district, have not played a full game since the Week 1 two-point loss to 1A No. 3 Pella Christian.

The Mustangs are outscoring district foes 273-48 in the first five games.

“It is what it is,” said Telfer about the lack of playing time for the starters. “We just try to go as hard as we can in practice to prepare for the playoffs.”

PCM can wrap up its second straight district title with a win over 17 or more points against Davis County this week.

The battle of the Mustangs kicks off at 7:30 p.m. in Bloomfield.

EBF 0-0-0-8--8

PCM 21-20-0-0--41

PCM -- Reed Worth 32 run (Brady Fagen kick)

PCM -- Brayton Van Dyke 35 pass from Worth (Fagen kick)

PCM -- Isaac Telfer 15 pass from Worth (Fagen kick)

PCM -- Cole Dustin 10 run (Fagen kick)

PCM -- Preston Van Wyk 18 pass from Worth (Fagen kick)

PCM -- Wes Cummings 6 run (PAT failed)

EBF -- Trey Moore 1 run (Moore run)