Muir Qb Jeff Davis
By Saile Ramirez
(Pasadena)-The Muir Mustangs road past the Burroughs Indians on the legs of quarterback Jeffrey Davis, 28-21, Friday night.
Tied at 21, the hosting ‘Stangs had the ball with six minutes left in the fourth quarter on the Burroughs side of the field and an opportunity to end the deadlock.
In a drive where Davis only threw one pass it was only fitting that the Muir go-ahead touchdown would come on the ground. Third and ten, ball on the 12, quarterback Davis was in ghost formation, he dropped backed, sucking in the defense and perfectly executed a draw up the middle of the field, bouncing off defenders and landing in the end zone.
“He just battle his way into the end zone,” said Muir Coach Ken Howard of Davis. “We’re proud of him.”
Since the start of the game the Mustangs established their speed and athletic threat. Running back Tairen Owens scored on the first play of the game when he broke a 45-yard touchdown run.
The visiting Indians didn’t get on the board until their second drive late in the first. They scored by wearing down the Muir defense with a high paced no huddle offense and by pounding the rock on almost every play behind the three headed monster of QB Lucas Yanez and running backs Zander Anding and Tadeo Zuniga. Anding scored from 8-yards out to tie the game.
The next two drives for both teams ended with punts as they both began to find answers to each other’s game plans.
Just as their first score, the ‘Stangs only needed one play to regain the lead. The score came when Davis hit receiver Kevon Seymour on a quick screen and broke loose for 60-yards.
Burroughs looked to continue to use the high tempo look and smash mouth ground game to match Muir’s score. Yanez led his team just outside the Mustang red zone when on fourth and seven he forced a pass into the defense and was intercepted by Daiteyon McFadden. The interception was shortly lived as the ‘Stang offense gave it right back.
After another stalled Indian drive, Muir found itself with possession and 40-yards away from yet another score. Davis, again hit Seymour on a middle screen who weaved his way past the defense into the end zone. The score gave his team a 21-7 lead going into half.
“We seem to start slow and finish really strong,” said Burroughs Coach Keith Knoop.
The Indians indeed finished strong by first starting the third quarter strong. They held the ball for a total of nine minutes and ran 25-plays to finally get into the end zone and cut the deficit to just one touchdown when Yanez hit Anding from six-yards out. Several Muir penalties helped the drive continue as Burroughs over came third and fourth down situations.
The Indian offense was not the only one finishing strong as the defense was able to coral the athletic ‘Stangs and forced them to punt to end the third quarter.
Burroughs Zuniga carried the ball 17 times for 102 yards and ran in from one-yard out for his only touchdown and the team’s game tying score with six minutes left in the game.
After Muir’s go-ahead score, the Indians had two last chance opportunities falter as Yanez was intercepted on each possession.
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