MUSTANGS IMPROVE TO 4-0 WITH A 38-12 WIN OVER NICHOLAS COUNTY
Tyler Holtz Throws For School Record Tying Five Touchdowns. Nate Geiman and Nick Cozzi the beneficiaries of two each, and Keegan Gulley hauled in the fifth.
As has become our norm, our Mustangs struck early, with Tyler Holtz finding Nick Cozzi open in the end zone with less than three minutes expired in the game, putting our team on top 8-0 when Cam Mandel strolled into the end zone for the two-point conversion. Nine minutes later Holtz would hit Nate Geiman for our second touchdown as we expanded our lead to 15-0 when Max Runge split the uprights. Runge nailed all three of his PAT efforts, and hit a 23 yard Field-Goal.
Nicholas County answered in the second period when Colby Gray scored, making it 15-6 when the 2-piont conversion attempt failed. The half would end with the home team on top at 18-6 when Max Runge connected on a 23 yard Field Goal just prior to the end of the second period.
The Blue Jackets had deferred to the second half, and marched 57 yards, while picking up three first downs and scored on a 4 yard touchdown plunge by Colby Gray, his second on the night, to start the second half. Again, the 2-Point conversion attempt was thwarted, but the Jackets had closed the gap to 18-12, and had momentum in a blue Nicholas County uniform. It was the first time this season that I became a bit uneasy about the outcome.
However, not to worry. Just prior to the end of the third quarter Tyler Holtz marched his team 75 yards, answering the challenge when he threw his third touchdown pass of the night, a 7 yard strike to Keegan Gulley, making the score 25-12 when Runge converted the PAT. Unbeknownst to them, the Blue Jackets were finished scoring on the night, while Holtz would throw two more touchdown strikes, one to Nick Cozzi for the second time on the night, and the second to Nate Geiman, also his second in the contest. Tack on Max Runge’s PATs, and the final score would read 38-12, and the Mustangs were 4-0 heading to Lloyd next Friday night.
Senior Nate Geiman was named the Offensive Player of the Game, and Nick Cozzi, who was a leading candidate on both sides of the ball, has been designated the Defensive Player of the Game.
