By Scott Nickerson
Elmore/Autauga News
Twice in the 2nd half the Mustangs had the ball inside the Shades Valley 10-yard line, and both times they failed to score any points. The second time hurt the most.
With less than a minute left and trailing 20-13, the Mustangs had the ball 9-yards away from the end zone, but passes on 3rd and 4th down fell incomplete. Shades Valley took possession and was able to run out the remaining seconds of the game, pulling out the season opening win by a touchdown.
Those weren’t the only opportunities Stanhope Elmore failed to convert. The Mustangs lost a fumble on their first possession of the season. The next time they had the ball, the Mustangs were at the Shades Valley 14-yard line, when quarterback Jacob Bryant was sacked for a loss on 3rd down, and threw an incomplete pass on 4th down. The Mounties offense got rolling and took the ball down the field, scoring on the last play of the 1st quarter. The extra point was no good, but Shades Valley took a 6-0 lead into the 2nd quarter.
Stanhope Elmore answered immediately, with Bryant hitting wide receiver Jackson Thomas, a Troy commit, for a 49-yard touchdown. The Mustangs made the extra point and went up 7-6.
Near the end of the 1st half, the Mounties hit two big pass plays, the first going for 27 yards, and the next a 20-yard screen pass. A 2-yard touchdown rush put the Mounties up 12-7 heading into halftime.
The Mustangs started the 2nd half hot, with running back Davion Thomas gaining 30-yards on the first play. A few plays later, Colton Walls made an 11-yard reception on 4th down to move the sticks and continue the drive. The Mustangs moved inside the Shades Valley 5-yard line, but decided on a field goal attempt on 4th down. The attempt was wide right and the Mustangs got no points out of it.
On their next possession, the Mustangs again moved the ball to the Shades Valley 35-yard line, but again, they were unable to convert the good field position into points.
The Mustangs finally broke through early in the 4th quarter, with Bryant finding Thomas for a touchdown on a beautiful 20-yard fade on the left side. The Mustangs missed the 2-point conversion, but led 13-12 with 11 minutes left in the game.
After both teams traded punts, Shades Valley’s offense came alive, connecting on a 20-yard pass down the sideline on 3rd and 10, and then scoring a 29-yard touchdown on a screen pass on 4th and 2. The Mounties converted the 2-point conversion for the 20-13 lead.
On the final possession that ended at the 9-yard line, Walls came up with a big catch on 3rd down to again move the sticks, and receiver Tevin Landrum had a 10-yard reception on 4th and 3. The Mustangs had all the momentum, and seemed poised to make the game-tying touchdown before the last two passes fell incomplete inside the 10-yard line.
The Mustangs’ offense moved the ball well throughout the night. Bryant completed 27 of 39 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Jackson Thomas had 9 receptions for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Davion Thomas had 20 rushes for 142 yards.
The Mustangs travel to Eufaula next week in what will be the season opener for the Tigers. The Mustangs will return to Millbrook in two weeks to take on Russell County for Homecoming in a Class 6A Region 2 matchup.
