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Jones steps in, Mitchell continues winning pace

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By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 24, 2009

LAND O’ LAKES - Freddie Jones has spent most of the season as Mitchell's starting fullback – blocking for Ricky Trinidad.

But Friday against Sunlake, he got his chance to be the Mustangs' featured back. And he made the most of it. Replacing Trinidad to start the second half, the sophomore rushed for 89 yards and two touchdowns as Mitchell remained undefeated and tied for first place in Class 3A-District 7 with a 16-3 win against the Seahawks.

"It felt really good running behind that offensive line," said Jones, who got 86 of his 89 yards and both touchdowns in the second half. "Ricky got a little banged up but he'll be OK. When he comes back, I'll move back to fullback."

Trinidad, the county's leading rusher with 1,153 yards going into Friday's game, was held to 36 yards in the first half as neither team could move the ball in the scoreless first half.

But Trinidad suffered back spasms and did not play in the second half.

"We'll just have to see how he is," said Mitchell coach Brian Wachtel after the game. "He's icing it now."

Sunlake scored on a 20-yard field goal by Jordan Landry to start the second half. The score was set up by a 58-yard run by Rashaud Daniels on the first play from scrimmage following the second-half kickoff.

But a short ensuing kickoff was returned 50 yards by John Damiani to the Sunlake 15. Four plays later, Jones ran over from the 3. Cody Folsom's extra point attempt was blocked and the Mustangs led 6-3.

"That little sequence really changed the momentum," said Sunlake coach Bill Browning. "And we never regained the momentum."

Sunlake went 3-and-out on its next possession and Mitchell scored what appeared to be a 48 yard touchdown on a pass from Matt Michaels to Dylan Buono. But a holding penalty and an unsportsmanlike penalty against the Mustangs moved the ball from the Sunlake 48 to the Mitchell 29 and two plays later, the Mustangs had to punt.

But Sunlake couldn't move the ball against a tough Mitchell defense and didn't get the ball past the Mustangs 38 the rest of the game.

Mitchell (8-0, 5-0 3A-7) increased its lead to 13-3 when Jones scampered 43 yards for a touchdown after Sunlake was called for an encroachment penalty on fourth-and-1 at the Sunlake 48. Following the kickoff, Sunlake quarterback Jacob Jackson fumbled on the first play and Mitchell's Cory smith recovered with 8:12 remaining in the game.

The Mustangs drove to the Sunlake 22 and on fourth-and-6, Folsom kicked a 39-yard field goal with 5:16 remaining.

Wachtel had nothing but praise for the Seahawks (3-4, 3-2 3A-7).

"(Sunlake) is a very good football team," Wachtel said. "They came out and gave us everything they had. They are making drastic improvements. They are drastically improved from last year."

Wachtel, in his first year as the Mustangs head coach, was an assistant on Mitchell's staff when they beat Sunlake 24-6 in the last game of the season – the start of Mitchell's 9-game winning streak.

Next up for the Mustangs is Pasco in a battle of unbeatens next Friday at Mustangs Stadium. The schedule-makers weren't kind to Mitchell as they finish the season with Sunlake, Pasco and Land O' Lakes.

"I feel like we're blessed with our schedule," Wachtel said. "I think it really worked out to our favor and we get to play at home our last two games."

Sunlake, on the other hand, has to go to Land O' Lakes next week and finish district play at Pasco on Nov. 6.

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