CRESTVIEW — It didn’t take long for the Shoal River Middle School football team to set the tone in Thursday’s Okaloosa County Middle School semifinal game at Jack Foster Stadium.
To be exact the Mustangs needed 14 seconds – the amount of time it took Tyree Johnson to cover 80 yards with the opening kickoff. Jay Stanton added the 2-point conversion and the Mustangs were off and running on their way to a 46-6 win over Bruner.
Shoal RIver-Bruner football photos>>>
“This team right here makes me look good,” Mustang Coach Ryan Gillis said. “I’ve never had an ego about coaching. I’m a pretty good coach right now because I coach really good football players.
“I tell you what, they came out and probably had their best week of practice of the year. There are several of these kids that were on the team last year and remember what it’s like getting the championship, but not quite winning one. This has been our goal all year and we are looking forward to next week.”
Five different Mustangs scored touchdowns as Shoal River (8-0) did all of its scoring the first half.
Less than 70 seconds after Johnson’s score, Jr. McGlaughlin scored the first of his two touchdowns.
The Mustang defense forced a three-and-out on Bruner’s first possession of the night and blocked a punt to give Shoal River a first down at the Spartan 39-yard line.
McGlaughlin picked up seven yards on first down and on second down, raced 32 yards for the score. Stanton’s second 2-point conversion made it 16-0 in the first 82 seconds of the game.
Terelle Holliday took his turn scoring with a 38-yard run that came with 1:56 left in the first quarter. Holliday’s score capped the longest Mustang drive of the night as Shoal River went 69 yards on eight plays.
In the second quarter the Mustangs picked up right where they left off at the end of the first quarter.
Gage Ellis scored on a 35-yard run and Austin Chapman added the 2-point conversion with just 48 seconds off the clock in the second quarter.
Less than 10 minutes into the game Shoal River was up 30-0.
It was 38-0 after McGaughlin scored on a 4-yard run and Ellis added the conversion. The touchdown, which came with 6:18 left in the half, was set up by a Cooper Barckel-Patterson recovery of a Bruner fumble deep in Spartan territory.
Bobby Sanders scored the last Mustang touchdown of the game with 3:41 left in the half. And Johnson, who started the Shoal River scoring, finished it with the 2-point conversion.
Stanton had a key run in the drive picking up 15 yards on fourth down to move the ball inside the Spartan 10.
The second half was played with the running clock.
Bruner’s lone score of the night came on a 65-yard run by quarterback Jordan Bartley on the first Spartan possession of the second half.
The Mustangs will host cross-town rival Davidson in the championship game Thursday. The Panthers advanced to the title game with a win over Ruckel.
Shoal River athletic director Mitch Buckelew said the game will be played at Shoal River.
Thursday’s championship game will be the third meeting between the Mustangs and Panthers this year and Gillis knows Shoal River will have its hands full.
“It’s never easy to beat Davidson,” he said. “Coach (Chris) Small, I’ve said all year long is the Coach of the Year. Him and his guys have done a heck of a job.
“I look forward to a great atmosphere next week. Trying to beat somebody three times is not a lot of fun, but we will line it up and try to come up with a great plan.”
Email News Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Mustangs race into championship game (PHOTOS)