Mustangs cruise past Wolves

The Malta Mustangs are now 3-1, currently on a two game win streak and just posted their largest margin of victory this season defeating Wolf Point 49-0, but the team will face its toughest test this Friday in Fairfield at 7 p.m.

Last season, the Fairfield Eagles fell to Loyola Sacred Heart in the semi-final round of the 2016 Class B Football Championship Series and one year prior the Eagles were crowned as the 2015 State Champs.

This season, the Eagles are undefeated and have not given up a single point in the last two weeks. Fairfield blew out Cut Bank 45-5 last Friday, September 22 and Glasgow 46-0 on Friday, September 15.

Malta Head Coach Jim Benn has taken notes on the team Northern B powerhouse.

"Fairfield is very, very fast," Coach Benn said. "Obviously they are coming off of a state track championship. They are very disciplined and they read things very well. Their defense flies to the ball and offensively they are spread out but they do a very effective job of running the football with their speed guys."

Fairfield's Ryder Myer scored three rushing touchdowns and threw a 43 yard touchdown to Keeley Bake.

"They make you play a very honest defense and if you roll up too much to stop the run, they will throw the ball over the top," Coach Benn said. "They have a very nice balanced coaching staff that has been together for a long time and it's obviously a great challenge for us this week."

In Malta's 49-0 win over Wolf Point in Wolf Point last Friday, Malta was led by solid ball movement on offense in which the team scored six touchdowns through the air and one more on the ground.

"We did what we needed to do," Coach Been said. "Our kids performed well. We kind of focused on our passing game this week. That was our plan and the kids did a nice job with it."

Trace Simonson completed 9-of-11 of his throws for five touchdowns, tying Jase Galt's record set on Friday, September 12, 2014 against Roundup at Mustang Field. He had 141 total passing yards.

"Trace did a nice job distributing the ball," Coach Benn said. "He was very efficient with his passing. Our line did a nice job with pass protection."

Coach Benn also noted that Simonson completed passes to six different receivers.

"We got to look at some things that we needed too and we were very pleased that way," Coach Been said of Malta's offense. "To have over 300 yards (total offense) in a game that you only really played half is pretty nice."

Malta defense was also dominant, providing Malta with their first shutout this season, thanks in part to a three interception performance from freshman Kooper Oxarart and solid play from the front seven.

"Our defensive line did a nice job of shutting down their run game," Coach Benn said. "Our linebackers were flowing really well to the ball, which is one thing we emphasized last week given what we will be facing this coming week."

Coach Benn then praised the team's secondary.

"The defensive backfield did a nice job when they did pass the ball," Benn said. "Anytime you get a freshman with three interceptions that's always kind of a cool thing."

Oxarart also threw his first touchdown of his young varsity career last Friday, and completed all three of his throws for a total of 27 yards.

Konner Kuehn had two touchdowns and 42 yards after catching three passes. Tanner Smith had one touchdown and 39 yards after catching three passes.

Kevin Henry had 25 reception yards, Cormac Benn had 22 yards, Trey Simanton had 20 yards, Kolter Schipman had 15 yards and Jeremiah Benson had five yards. Each had one catch.

Simonson had one touchdown and 60 yards on the ground after five carries (12 YPC). Benn had 40 yards on six carries (6.67 YPC), Andres Lopez had 27 yards on seven carries (6.75 YPC) and Simanton had 24 yards on seven carries (3.43 YPC). The team had a total of 163 rushing yards on 25 carries (6.52YPC).

The Mustangs are now 3-1 and with half of the regular season over, Coach Benn shared the mindset of the team.

"We are healthy and the attitude is great," Coach Benn said. "We have little things to work on and we are obviously playing one of the premier teams in the state (on Friday). We just need to focus for this week and prepare for a good team."

Malta 49, Wolf Point 0

1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total

Malta 20 23 6 0 49

WP 0 0 0 0 0

1st

Trace Simonson 3 yard run (pass failed)

Konner Kuehn 30 yard pass from Trace Simonson (Trey Simanton kick)

Konner Kuehn 31 yard pass from Trace Simonson (Trey Simanton kick)

2nd

Trey Simanton 30 yard pass from Trace Simonson (Simanton pass to Kuehn)

Kevin Henry 25 yard pass from Trace Simonson (Simonson pass to Kolter Schipman)

Tanner Smith 7 yard pass from Trace Simonson (Trey Simanton kick)

3rd

Cormac Benn 22 yard pass from Kooper Oxarart (run failed)

Highlights

Trace Simonson 9 of 11 passing for 141 yards and 5 TDs 0 INTs