One Nation, Under God
One Nation, Under God
Mustangs Aiming to Defend Northern B Title
The 2022 Malta Mustangs Football Team. Front Row Left to Right: Kyle Darrington, Kaden Bishop, Camryn Mears, Hunter Ellis, Draven Lageson, Eli Hanson, Tanner Ball, Tye Jones, Reese Brown, Spencer Gibbs, Colton Honey, and Clay Hallenberg. Second Row: Stockton Oxarart, Treyton Wilke, Hunter Stolem, Taylin Johannesen, Colton Mears, Bow SaintLouis, Sebastian Best, Blaine Downing, Mason Simanton, Charlie Brettin, and Kohner Schipman. Third Row: Manager Caitlyn Wilson, Trooper Stiles, Rylee Brusse, Austin Hanley, Trydell Ramirez, Duke Williamson, Sonny Gray, Corbin Crnkovich, Dawson Hammond, Straud Sims, and Manager Madyson Bain. Back Row: Assistant Coach Ryan Wilson, Assistant Coach Aaron DeVries, Head Coach Nick Oxarart, and Assistant Coach Jeff Van Heel. Photo by Lynne's Line Photography
Senior Defensive Lineman Reese Brown brings down a Huntly Project running back in their opening loss to the Red Devils. Photo by Pierre Bibbs
The 100th season of Malta High School Football has officially started, and though the Mustangs suffered a 21-0 loss to Huntley Project last Friday, August 26, the team has retained a lot of young talent.
The team did graduate ten seniors from last year's campaign, which ended in the first round of the playoffs after a heartbreaking 34-22 loss to Whitehall.
Those graduated seniors include Dylan Brown, Eion Estill, Shawn Gilkerson, Darrow Messerly, Cash Salsbery, Jacob Smith, Connor Tuss, Dwight Werk, Ashton Weston, and Rex Williamson.
"We lost a lot of leadership and experience from that group of seniors. A few of them were three-year starters," said Mustang Coach Nick Oxarart.
The team does welcome back a few seniors that were named to the 2021 District 2B All-Conference list including Camryn Mears who was selected as a first-team linebacker and second-team kicker. Tye Jones was named as a first-team selection at defensive end and on the second-team at offensive line. Spencer Gibbs was named as a second-team wide receiver.
When asked if there were any leaders on this year's team so far, Mears was mentioned.
"Camryn Mears has been a great leader on the team last spring, last summer, and early this season so far," Coach Oxarart said. "He is a player that leads by example and it's tough to find anyone that can outwork him."
The team did welcome back several underclassmen who according to Coach Oxarart, are pushing the upperclassman including Blaine Downing, Stockton Oxarart, Treyton Wilke, Kyle Darrington, Clay Hallenberg, Taylin Johannesen, Bow SaintLouis, and Colton Mears.
At quarterback, Stockton Oxarart was able to find four receivers for completions in the loss. He found Kyle Darrington for one completion of 36 yards, Kaden Bishop for another completion of 18 yards, Spencer Gibbs for one completion of 10 yards, and Treyton Wilke for a completion of six yards. Stats were compiled by Danny Raymond of KMMR Malta.
Malta had 75 yards rushing.
Coach Oxarart was asked if there were any games that the team is looking forward to this season.
"We always look forward to playing our conference rivals but the game that the kids look forward to the most is the next one," Coach Oxarart said. "We try to take it one week at a time and focus on getting better each practice."
Last season, Malta was able to win the Northern B regular season championship, this year may pose a challenge to the Mustangs.
"The Northern B looks to be very competitive across the board," Coach Oxarart said. "I think on any given night anybody could beat anybody. We look to defend our Northern B championship from last season but each team will present many problems and each team will be tough to beat on any given night."
The team will travel to Roundup to take on the Roundup Panthers on Friday, September 2, at 7 P.M.
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