Glasgow Trampled by Mustangs

The Scotties' bite proved toothless Friday night as the team was shut out by its closest rival, 48-0. 

The night hung low over Scottie Field, endless as the hard, rolling prairie. The red-clad masses packed the bleachers, their shouts crashing wave-on-wave upon their boys' ears. 

Malta stormed into the game having outscored its previous four opponents 240-28, the most recent victory being a 72-6 stomping of Harlem. Glasgow, too, had romped over foes Poplar, Harlem, and Wolf Point in its last three games, and entered knowing a win would seal first-round homefield advantage in the playoffs.

"We were excited for a good game," said head coach Greg Liebelt. "We anticipated it would be competitive, and had been working towards this all season: the chance for a big win, the chance for a conference title."

The first quarter played out as if the turf were a chessboard. Malta received the opening kickoff. The two teams traded punts, Cache Younkin's pinning the Mustangs to their own nine yard-line. After a one-yard loss on first down, Malta's Hurricane Patricia doppelgänger, senior RB Allen Williamson, broke free and streaked 92 yards down the visitors' sideline to paydirt. 7-0.

"He's a phenomenal running back," Liebelt said prior to the game. "Big; fast; lots of agility."

The Scotties' next drive, buoyed by first down conversions on a fake punt and third-down reception by Trent Herbert, took them into Malta territory, but an overthrow on 3rd & 17 was intercepted by senior Tyson Carney just in front of the goal line. "We knew we'd have to play at a high level and limit our mistakes to have a chance at winning," said Liebelt. "No turnovers, no big plays."

Malta began quarter two in possession; Glasgow's stingy defense, spelled by sophomore Alex Franzen's blocked pass on a long third down, stifled the Mustang's progress and forced a punt. Malta answered by forcing a three-and-out of its own, also swatting their opponents' 3rd-down aerial effort off course. Malta then drove to the Scottie 12 before errant throws and an unrelenting run defense forced a turnover on downs.

Herbert entered at QB, but the junior's presence under center failed to push Glasgow's attack through the Mustang's menacing front. Benji Phillips exited with a dislocated shoulder, joining Malta's starting QB Jase Galt, who limped off under aid of his teammates after tearing multiple knee ligaments, on the trainer's table. 

"It's unfortunate to see," said Liebelt. "He's a three-year starter. They'll need to find a way in the playoffs without him. As far as Benji goes, it was really tough to lose him; he's such a big part of our game plan." 

Phillips would return midway through the second half, though only on offense. Liebelt says the team anticipates his being available for the playoffs due to his return. "He's still sore," said the coach, "but that's to be expected from a full dislocation. We've got our fingers crossed."

A block in the back negated a Williamson 61-yard touchdown run. After a punt, Glasgow assumed possession with a chance to knot the score prior to the halftime whistle. A Herbert pick-six, however, the first of two on the night, doubled the Malta advantage. Quarter two ended with the score 14-0.

"Our turnovers killed us," said Liebelt. "We had five, I think, in total. At halftime we felt good; defensively we'd played them pretty strong. [But] it's really demoralizing to give the ball up so often. It's a struggle to score in tight games like that as it is, and even tougher to recover.

"We struggled with our passing game," he continued. "It's the same inexperience we've dealt with all season. Our QBs haven't had it. You say 'don't force it in there,' practice getting rid of the ball, and all you can do is hope he will see the coverage is unfavorable and not throw it there."

Franzen blocked another third down pass, this time from backup QB Trace Simonson, but just as in the first half, defensive prowess was helpless to prevent the home team's offensive miscues. Simonson intercepted Herbert on the ensuing Glasgow possession and returned it for the score. 21-0. 

Not even field position could avail the Scotties of their woes. Kasey Seyfert recovered a muffed punt, setting his team with possession deep in Mustang territory, only for the blue and white to crush the life from yet another drive, this time by forcing a turnover on downs. 

From that point, Malta lazed into clock-killer mode. A drive built exclusively of bulldozing gut-runs broke down the tired, frustrated Scotties resistance; with four minutes left in the third, Malta pressed across the goal line for a fourth time. 

Three more touchdowns, and the lopsided final score was etched in the fiery rivalry's annals, never to be changed. Malta will host Deer Lodge in the playoffs' opening round, while Glasgow will travel to 3B winners Baker for a second time to face a team which, in the first meeting, pulled its starters at the half and walked away 40-0 victors.The Scotties will be without starting LB and K Cache Younkin, who left the Malta clash after suffering a concussion. Luke Breigenzer will assume punting duties, while the coaching staff is as yet undecided on who will serve as the placekicker. Says Liebelt: "We'll find someone."

In terms of the game itself, the coach finds little reason to fret. "We're better defensively than we were the first time around," he said, "and we showed that versus Malta. Our play of late is a testament to how much the guys have improved. Without Cache we're fairly thin, so we'll have to adjust. Regardless of who we play, I know we'll give full effort. All we can do is make it as competitive as we can and limit our mistakes against a powerful, physical team."