Mandarin- As both teams recover from Hurricane Irma, the Mandarin Mustangs and DeLand Bulldogs fought to see who would come out with the victory. The players on both teams came into the game healthy and excited to play on a Tuesday night. Yet only one team could be crowned victor. In order for this to happen, one team would have to showcase the mental toughness to establish themselves as winners, and Mandarin may have just discovered their mentality.
Terrell Jennings #23 starting RB for Mandarin, started the game off great with 2 touchdowns in the 1st quarter. Both of the extra points were good making the score 14-0. The Mustangs were excited at this point in the game, as everyone was observed celebrating on the sideline. Early in the second quarter the Bulldogs fell short with making a touchdown so they attempted a field goal and it was good. At the end of the first half of the game the score was 14-3.
DeLand Vs Mandarin 2nd Quarter The Score is now 14-0 Mandarin is leading. pic.twitter.com/qz1KrpyuDS
— Justicejanee (@Justicejanee2) September 19, 2017
The start of the third quarter saw both teams unable to make anything happen on the field or the score board. The Mustangs and Bulldogs engaged in a defensive shoving match, as both teams looked for an advantage. That advantage would come at the end of the third quarter, when John Rego #33 intercepted the ball on the Bulldogs 10 yard line making it a first and goal for the mustangs. As they tried to score, the referee calls the pass incomplete with 3:14 left on the clock. Yet that couldn’t stop the Mustangs from eventually getting into the end zone. Touchdown by Demario Douglas #1 and the extra point was good making the score 21-3.
Trying very hard to make a touchdown, the Bulldogs attempted to answer the offensive power of the Mustangs. They completed a big pass play at the 45 yard giving them a first down. Then, a personal foul was called on #6 JJ Cruz of the Mustangs for pushing the bulldog runner out of bounds late. Right after this,disaster struck for Deland as the Bulldogs would fumble, and Tyler Degarioa #22 for Mandarin would recover. In the fourth quarter Mandarin controlled the ball and the clock to secure their second win of the season.
The Mustangs took the victory with a great fight put up by DeLand. The Bulldogs just couldn’t seem to get pass the great defense of Mandarin. The Stangs look to continue their winning ways again Raines this week, while Deland faces Pine Ridge in hopes of fairing better on offense and defense. Mandarin sits at .500 on the season with a 2-2 record. They know that the game against Raines won’t matter as it goes towards district play, but it goes a long way in terms of reestablishing the Mandarin mentality.Tough,hard nosed football.
