2007-08 Football Archives

November 23, 2007-Mustangs Doom Dumas

November 16, 2007-Mustangs Oust Osceola

November 2, 2007-Mustangs Pound Panthers

October 26, 2007-Mustangs Down De Queen

October 19, 2007-Mustangs Exterminate Hornets

October 12, 2007-Mustangs Ground Eagles

October 5, 2007-Mustangs End Scrapper Streak!

September 28, 2007-Mustangs Race Past Cobras

September 21, 2007-Mena No Match for Mustangs

September 14, 2007-Mustangs Fall to Warriors

September 12, 2007-Mustangs Focus On Warriors

September 7, 2007-Mustangs Settle for Tie with Bruins

September 5, 2007-Mustangs Look to Contain Bruin Attack

August 27, 2007-CAC Kicks Cardinals for Hooten's Victory

August 24, 2007-Adams commits to USC

August 15, 2007-Mustangs Look Forward to Challenging Campaign

Mustang Football

Mustangs Look Forward to Challenging Campaign

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

After earning their fifth consecutive trip to the state playoffs, the Mustangs return talent and experience as they look to build on last season's state quarterfinal run.

While the Mustangs lost 16 seniors off a 9-4 team that finished second in 7-4A, CAC returns 15 starters including senior quarterback Drew Stringfellow and senior athlete Joe Adams to lead the offense. Stringfellow, who has started since his sophomore year, threw for 2,774 yards and 25 touchdowns last year while Adams rushed for 822 yards, collected 632 receiving yards, and gathered 590 return yards while scoring a combined 24 touchdowns.

Defensively, the Mustangs return seven starters including the entire secondary led by safety Ryan Farr. Farr led the team with seven interceptions and 16 knockdowns last season, and linebackers Jasper Lee and Tyler Dick recorded over 70 tackles each. Lee also recorded seven sacks, had 13 tackles for loss and forced a team-high five fumbles in his sophomore campaign.

The Mustangs have an all-time high 63 student-athletes out for football this year, and they are going to need contributions from everyone as the 7-4A conference produced three of eight state quarterfinalists last season, including the two-time state champion Nashville Scrappers.

Head coach Tim Perry sports a 58-17 record in his six seasons on Mustang Mountain and is the school's winningest football coach in terms of both number of wins and winning percentage. He has led CAC to two conference championships the last four years -- the Mustangs were conference runners-up the other two -- and led CAC to the playoffs the last five years in a row with the school's first state championship and a state runner-up finish.

Adams Commits to USC

Friday, August, 24, 2007

Joe Adams ended the suspense Friday when he announced on FOX television at 9:33 p.m. that he would attend the University of Southern California on a football scholarship. Adams chose USC over Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, LSU and Michigan, although he still plans to take his official visits to all but Arkansas, which he plans to visit unofficially. Student-athletes are permitted five paid visits to schools under NCAA rules. While verbal commitments are non-binding, Adams will sign during the NCAA's football signing period in February.

CAC Kicks Cardinals for Hooten's Victory

Monday, August 27, 2007

Down 14-7 at the half, the #3-ranked Mustangs used the fourth quarter to mount their comeback attempt and sealed it with Bryan Ferguson's field goal with 4:00 left in the game to take a 17-14 season-opening victory over the #5-ranked Dollarway Cardinals in Golden Lion Stadium at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

The Mustangs got on the board first after the CAC defense recovered a forced fumble as quarterback Drew Stringfellow hit Ryan Farr with a beautiful pass in the end zone from 31 yards out.

The Cardinals responded with a drive capped by a one-yard plunge, but missed the extra point as CAC held a 7-6 lead. Then after a CAC completed pass was fumbled and recovered by the Cardinals, Dollarway struck on the next play on a long pass over the top of the defense and made the two-point conversion to take a 14-7 lead into halftime.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Mustangs put together a 72-yard drive in ten plays that ended with a Stringfellow sneak from one yard out. Bryan Ferguson added his second extra-point of the game to tie the score at 14-14.

The CAC defense then came through to force a fumble which was recovered by Greg Doyle, and the Mustangs put together a drive that stalled at the eight yard-line. But on fourth down with 4:00 to go, Ferguson completed his perfect night with a 25-yard field goal to put the Mustangs ahead 17-14.

With no timeouts remaining, the Cardinals put together a drive that was interrupted by Joe Adams' interception in the end zone with just over a minute to play. Adams returned it 69 yards, and the Mustangs ran out the clock to end the game.

Drew Stringfellow led the Mustangs with 289 yards passing with one passing touchdown and one rushing score.

CAC now has some time off before playing at Pulaski Academy Friday, September 7, at 7:00 p.m. The Mustangs lost at Mustang Mountain last season 36-34 to their former-conference rivals who advanced to the 5A state title game.

Mustangs Look to Contain Bruin Attack

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

Although the outcome will not count toward a conference championship, Friday's game carries more history and tradition than most as the Mustangs (1-0) travel across the Arkansas River to play former-conference foe Pulaski Academy. In addition to the rivalry, the Bruins (1-0) are ranked #3 in the state in class 5A while the Mustangs are ranked #3 in the state in class 4A.

After facing Dollarway's run-oriented offense with three running backs in a wishbone set, the Mustangs now face the Bruins' pass-happy attack with only one running back and four wide receivers. The night-and-day difference is not lost on CAC head coach Tim Perry. "It will be a challenge for the defense, not only in the contrasting styles but in trying to contain such a powerful offense," Perry said. “It’s not the easiest thing to adjust to defending.”

Against the Cardinals, Perry's emotions were bittersweet. "We were very happy to get the win, but disappointed in our consistency," Perry said. "We did not respond well to fatigue, but we had a chance to lose confidence and didn't; we made enough good plays to win and our mistakes are very correctable."

The Bruins, however, will bring a different set of challenges with every starting skill player having the ability to make a big play. "Their running back and all four receivers are playmakers who can run after the catch," Perry said. "And they have a lot of different formations and move their personnel around very well. It will be a challenge for our defense to try to quickly identify (the formation)."

Spencer Keith leads P.A.'s passing attack and threw four touchdowns and rushed for one in a season-opening win over Forrest City. "He is explosive and can run," Perry said of the junior quarterback. "His timing was very advanced for this early in the season."

The Bruins also boast two big receivers in Cruz Williams (6-4) and Neil Barlow (6-5) and an elusive running back in D.J. Daniel. "Williams has already committed to the University of Arkansas, and can go deep or across the middle," Perry said. "He's a big target and is hard to bring down. Daniel is very quick, runs hard and catches very well out of the backfield."

Defensively, the Bruins line up in the same formation every snap. "You never know what the defense is going to do until the ball is snapped," Perry said. "Our offensive blocking schemes will be a challenge." Tyler Lawrence is a three-year starter at defensive tackle and Andrew Newell leads the linebacking corps. "Lawrence is an outstanding defensive player who is hard to block," Perry said. "He blocked a punt against Forrest City by just busting through the line. Newell is a returning starter who is very physical."

Game time is set for Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Pulaski Academy.

Mustangs Settle for Tie with Bruins

Friday, September 7, 2007

Friday's game featured two of the state's most explosive offenses and two teams both ranked #3 in their respective divisions. The better team, however, will not be determined this season as the Mustangs and Bruins battled to a 26-26 tie at Rector Field in Little Rock.

With 829 yards of total offense, the game certainly lived up to expectations. CAC quarterback Drew Stringfellow was 12 of 26 passing for 188 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing score as well. But the game's most versatile athlete was the Mustangs' Joe Adams who saw time at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, defensive back and kick returner, although the Bruins did not give him the chance to return the entire night.

After Pulaski Academy started the game by recovering their own onside kick, the Mustang defense played a strong first quarter and the offense struck early in building a 13-0 lead entering the second quarter. Stringfellow punched the ball in from a yard out for the first score and Adams made it 13-0 when he rushed to the left side, ran into several Bruins, bounced off the pack and outran everyone around the right side for the score.

But with 3:20 remaining in the half, the Bruins had struck twice and taken a 14-13 lead, but the Mustangs answered on the next possession as Stringfellow threw deep to Ryan Farr who came down with the ball on the run after it was tipped by a Bruin defender to give the Mustangs a 19-13 lead at the half after a failed two-point conversion.

Pulaski Academy came back in the second half to score twice in taking a 26-19 lead, but CAC tied the game with ten minutes remaining as Stringfellow found a streaking Adams in the end zone after Adams converted a fourth-and-three to keep the drive alive. Both teams had opportunities the rest of the way with the Bruins ending the game in their own territory after stopping the Mustangs on a fourth-and-long situation.

CAC (1-0-1) now turns their attention to the Little Rock Christian Warriors (2-0), a 33-0 winner over Augusta Friday night. Game time is 7:00 p.m. at Mustang Mountain in CAC's first home game of the season.

Mustangs Focus on Warriors

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

After last season's 35-21 upset loss at Little Rock Christian Academy, the Mustang football team will not likely take the Warriors for granted this year, especially with LRCA entering Friday's contest with a 2-0 record.

"This will be our third quality opponent in a row, and our challenge will be to keep our focus by allowing no turnovers and limiting their big plays," said Mustang head coach Tim Perry.

CAC is coming off a rare 26-26 tie with arch-rival Pulaski Academy and are 1-0-1 on the season while LRCA defeated Augusta 33-0 for their second win in a row. The Warriors scored all of their points in the first half before their reserves played nearly all of the second half.

Against Pulaski Academy, Perry said he was disappointed they lost a 13-0 lead in the first half but proud of the improvement shown since the Mustangs' first game against Dollarway. "We certainly had some miscues that cost us, but I was proud of the way we responded in the second half to come back," Perry said. "We overcame our mistakes to at least get the tie."

LRCA has 18 starters back from last season, and that fact is not lost on Perry. "Little Rock Christian returns a lot of experience and they have played a tough schedule in the 5A-West (conference)," Perry said. "We anticipate and are preparing for a tough game."

Among the returnees are 10 of 11 starters on offense including quarterback Griffin Kuhn, sophomore running back Michael Dyer and wide receivers Tyler Weddle, Taylor Johnson and Tanner Bass. Kuhn threw three touchdowns last week to Weddle, including an 81-yard strike, and Dyer rushed for 130 yards and two touchdowns.

"Their junior quarterback started every game for them last year and makes good decisions and is a good runner," Perry said. "He has good arm strength and is a tough young man who can stay in the pocket and take a hit. And their receivers are all returning starters who run good routes and can catch the ball in a crowd. They beat us over the top a couple of times last year."

Dyer, who started at running back last season as a freshman, presents a challenge with his speed and quickness. "Their sophomore running back has great lateral movement, is quick and is hard to tackle," Perry said. "We have to pursue the ball and wrap up and minimize his opportunities to go 1-on-1 (with a defender)."

The most improvement, however, may be seen in their defense where the Warriors can use either a three- or four-man front to pressure the quarterback to allow for more pass coverage. "Their linebackers and secondary run to the ball well," Perry said. "They have good team speed and play with a lot of emotion."

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at Mustang Mountain, and there is a Corky's barbecue dinner being held in the CAC cafeteria from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. for fans who would like to arrive early to ensure a parking spot and seat for the game.

Mustangs Fall to Warriors

Friday, September 14, 2007

Behind super sophomore running back Michael Dyer, the Little Rock Christian Warriors (3-0) defeated the Mustangs 26-15 Friday at Mustang Mountain. The Warriors dominated the time of possession, keeping the ball nearly twice as long as the Mustangs for the game.

CAC (1-1-1) had no answer for Dyer, who broke numerous tackles throughout the game on his way to 262 yards and scored touchdowns on runs of 69 and 73 yards, the latter of which virtually iced the game for Little Rock Christian in the fourth quarter.

The Mustangs got on the board first as Bryan Ferguson hit a 27-yard field goal in the first quarter to give CAC a 3-0 lead. But the Warriors scored two touchdowns -- one by Dyer and one on a pass from Griffin Kuhn to Tyler Weddle -- and converted the two-point conversions for a 16-3 lead at the half.

In the second half, the Mustangs were driving down the field when a pass from quarterback Drew Stringfellow bounced off the hands of Ryan Farr and was intercepted by Weddle. The CAC defense then held to force the Warriors to settle for a field goal which gave them a 19-3 lead.

The Mustangs then went back to work as Stringfellow found Tyler Dick on a pass that went for 70 yards, and Tommy Kennedy came up with a Joe Adams pass two plays later. CAC failed on the subsequent two-point conversion and trailed 19-9 with 10:30 to play in the fourth quarter.

But Little Rock Christian returned the kickoff to the 27 where on first down Dyer bounced and bruised his way to the open field before outrunning everyone to the end zone giving the Warriors a 26-9 lead with 10:09 to play.

The Mustangs managed one more score with under a minute remaining as Stringfellow hit Ryan Farr who pitched to Joe Adams for a 36-yard touchdown to narrow the lead to 26-15.

Stringfellow finished a solid game going 23-40 passing for 328 yards and a touchdown while suffering numerous dropped and tipped passes from Mustang receivers, including two of three interceptions. Adams, a USC-signee, finished with seven yards rushing and was credited with one reception for 36 yards and a touchdown while completing one pass for a 12 yard-score. The Warriors outgained the Mustangs on the ground 299-47 for the game.

CAC now turns its attention to 7-4A conference play as they host the Mena Bearcats Friday. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Mustang Mountain.

Mena No Match for Mustangs

Friday, September 21, 2007

The CAC Mustangs (2-1-1) used quick scores and solid defense to take a 42-0 halftime lead on the way to a 49-7 conference victory over the Mena Bearcats (1-3).

CAC used defense to get on the board first as Joe Adams intercepted a pass and returned it 77 yards for the touchdown. On the ensuing punt, the defense held three plays and forced Mena to punt, and on the first play from scrimmage quarterback Drew Stringfellow broke free for a 34-yard to put the Mustangs up 14-0 with 3:30 left in the first quarter.

In the second period, Stringfellow found John Riley Wilson on a 51-yard gain before going back to him on the next play for a 25-yard touchdown. Tommy Kennedy caught a 9-yard pass with 4:47 left, and the Mustangs capitalized on another Bearcat turnover as Ben Hargrave intercepted a pass and Bryce Biggerstaff caught a 29-yard strike on the next play to put CAC up 35-0 with 3:50 remaining. Then, the defense again forced a Mena punt, and on the first play from scrimmage Adams caught a Stringfellow pass and raced 75 yards for the score to put the Mustangs ahead 42-0 at halftime.

In the third period, the Mustang defense again forced a punt after three plays, and again the Mustangs scored on the first play from scrimmage. With the second-team offense on the field the entire second half, sophomore Justin Harcourt took the handoff and raced 33 yards to give the Mustangs a 49-0 lead with 8:56 left in the third period and the mercy-rule invoked.

The Bearcats scored in the fourth quarter on a 10-play drive that finished with a 23-yard Matt Edwards pass to Logan McCourtney for Mena's lone score of the game.

The Mustangs then refused to score again as sophomore quarterback Michael Posey took a knee four straight plays to turn the ball over on downs after CAC had driven to the Mena 13-yard line.

The Mustangs scoring drives took 4:28, 0:08, 3:08, 2:39, 0:09, 0:15, and 0:30. Stringfellow was 8-10 passing for 239 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers. CAC used six different rushers to accumulate 131 yards, and Adams scored his two touchdowns on a 77-yard interception return and a 75-yard reception. The Mustang defense forced five turnovers with three interceptions and two fumbles recovered.

The Mustangs move to 1-0 in 7-4A conference play and travel to Fountain Lake (1-3, 0-1) Friday to take on a Cobra team that lost a 47-14 decision to Nashville.

Mustangs Race Past Cobras

Friday, September 28, 2007

The Mustangs (3-1-1, 2-0) struck quick and often for a 61-35 conference victory over the Fountain Lake Cobras (1-4, 0-2). CAC scored touchdowns on nine of ten possessions in the game and never punted.

Senior quarterback Drew Stringfellow was 9-10 passing for 242 yards and five touchdowns, while senior Joe Adams led the Mustangs in rushing (3 rushes for 108 yards and 3 TDs) and receiving (2 receptions for 99 yards and 1 TD). Adams was also 2-2 passing for 15 yards and returned a kickoff for 13 yards.

After the Cobra's opening kickoff went only 13 yards, Stringfellow found Adams on the first play from scrimmage for a 53-yard score to put CAC on the board first, 7-0. After the defense forced a punt on the ensuing possession, Adams rushed for a 70-yard score on a third-and-seven to put the Mustangs up 14-0.

Fountain Lake would then put together a drive and score from five yards out on the first play of the second quarter, but missed the extra point to trail 14-6. Then on the first play from scrimmage, Stringfellow found Ryan Farr for a 63-yard strike to put CAC up 20-6 after a failed point-after attempt. The defense then forced another punt, but the Mustangs mishandled it and the Cobras recovered the fumble.

CAC got it back a few moments later when Tommy Kennedy intercepted a Cobra pass at the one-yard line and returned it 41 yards. Five plays later Adams ran the ball in from 32 yards out to put the Mustangs ahead 26-6 after a failed two-point conversion. Fountain Lake put together another scoring drive capped by a 10-yard run with 0:08 left before the half to narrow the lead to 26-14.

In the third quarter, the CAC defense stopped the Cobras on fourth-and-six to take possession on downs, and the offense scored five plays later as Adams ran it in from six yards out after catching a pass for 41 yards two plays earlier. Stringfellow hit Farr for the two-point conversion and the Mustangs led 34-14.

The CAC defense then forced the Cobras to go three-and-out, and the Mustangs scored again three plays later as Stringfellow found Kennedy for a 15-yard strike as CAC took a 41-14 lead with 5:06 remaining in the third quarter. Fountain Lake then went on a 7-play, 64-yard drive to score on a 12-yard run to pull within 41-20 after a failed two-point conversion attempt with 1:57 left in the quarter. But the Mustangs struck right back as Stringfellow found Josh Throneberry for a 30-yard score to put CAC ahead 47-20 with 57 seconds left.

In the fourth quarter, the Cobras scored twice on the Mustangs' second-team defense on passes from 33 yards and 49 yards. The Mustangs responded each time as Stringfellow hit Farr for a 7-yard score and then ran another score in from 23 yards to complete the scoring.

The Mustangs move to 2-0 in 7-4A conference play and travel to Nashville (5-0, 2-0) Friday to take on a Scrapper team that has the state's longest winning streak while winning back-to-back state championships.

Mustangs End Scrapper Streak!

Friday, October 5, 2007

The Mustangs (4-1-1, 3-0) overcame four turnovers to upset the favored Nashville Scrappers (5-1, 2-1) in 7-4A conference action at Nashville. CAC broke Nashville's state-leading 33-game winning streak during which the Scrappers had won two state championships.

"I am so very proud of our young men tonight," CAC head coach Tim Perry said. "We overcame (four) turnovers to defeat a program that has set the standard for other programs in the state."

The Mustangs broke a 21-21 tie when senior quarterback Drew Stringfellow scampered his way through the defense from 13 yards out to put the Mustangs ahead 28-21 with 1:14 left in the third quarter.

CAC's defense did the job in the fourth period as they stopped the Scrappers on fourth down to take possession. The Mustangs then faced a third-and-seven on the Scrappers' 36-yard line when Stringfellow found John Riley Wilson open on the five-yard line for the first down. Bryan Ferguson hit a 26-yard field goal four plays later to give the Mustangs a 31-21 lead.

The Scrappers then began moving the ball before the CAC defense held firm to force a fourth down and 14 yards to go. The Mustang defensive line then forced the Scrapper quarterback out of the pocket, and Ryan Farr read and intercepted the pass before outracing the defense 42 yards for a touchdown, and the Mustangs went ahead 38-21 with 55.4 seconds remaining. Nashville then returned the ensuing kickoff 99 yards for the final margin. The Scrappers' final onside kick was a line-drive that Farr caught in the air to end Nashville's run as the state's longest win streak.

After kicking off to start the game, the Mustangs' Joe Adams intercepted a pass on Nashville's first play from scrimmage and returned it to the five-yard line. Adams scored less than a minute later on a four-yard run to give the Mustangs a 7-0 lead with just 53 seconds gone in the game.

CAC scored again on their next possession when Stringfellow hit Farr in the end zone on a 31-yard strike for a 14-0 lead with 8:01 left in the first quarter. Nashville would come back to score on a one-yard run with 4:50 left in the first quarter, then again on a four-yard run with 8:38 remaining in the second period to even the score at 14-14. It then appeared as if the Scrappers would take a halftime lead, but with 1.1 seconds left Nashville's field goal attempt hit the right upright and bounced back preserving the halftime tie.

In the third quarter, the Mustangs scored first as Adams darted into the end zone from five-yards out, but Nashville tied the score at 21-21 with 3:56 left in the third quarter on a four-yard run. The Mustangs then took a lead they would not relinquish on Stringfellow's jaunt less than three minutes later.

Both teams averaged 5.0 yards per play as the Scrappers finished with 316 yards on 63 plays to the Mustangs' 282 yards on 56 plays. Joe Adams finished with 51 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries while Jasper Lee picked up 48 yards on nine rushes. Quarterback Drew Stringfellow rushed for 39 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries and threw for 145 yards and another score on 12-22 passing. Ryan Farr led the receiving corp with 64 yards and a touchdown on five catches, and Tyler Dick led four other receivers with four catches good for 21 yards.

CAC now shares the 7-4A conference lead with the De Queen Leopards at 3-0. The Mustangs now host Arkansas Baptist Friday at Mustang Mountain for Homecoming with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. and festivities at 7:00 p.m.

Mustangs Ground Eagles

Friday, October 12, 2007

The Mustangs (5-1-1, 4-0) used 52 first-half points to earn a Homecoming victory over the Arkansas Baptist Eagles (1-6, 0-4) in 7-4A conference action at Mustang Mountain.

The Mustangs' Tommy Kennedy returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown to give CAC a 7-0 lead only 12 seconds into the contest, and Joe Adams ran in a score less than four minutes later to put the Mustangs up 14-0 with 8:01 left in the first quarter.

After the Eagles drove 75 yards in 13 plays to narrow the lead to 14-6, the Mustangs responded by marching 80 yards in five plays, capped by Stringfellow's 20-yard pass to Ryan Farr with 2:44 left in the first quarter. The CAC defense forced an Eagle punt after three plays, and Joe Adams ran 79 yards for his second touchdown on the first play from scrimmage to put the Mustangs up 28-6 with 1:06 left in the opening period.

After the ensuing kickoff, Kennedy intercepted a pass on the Eagles' first play from scrimmage, and the Mustangs put together a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a Stringfellow rush from eleven yards out to give CAC a 35-6 lead. Then after Kennedy intercepted his second pass on the night, the Mustangs scored again on Stringfellow's 11-yard pass to Farr to make it 42-6 with 5:52 remaining in the second quarter.

The Mustang defense then forced another Eagle punt which Adams returned 69 yards for a 49-6 CAC lead with 5:00 left before halftime. But Arkansas Baptist would score on their second play from scrimmage on a 79-yard pass to cut the lead to 49-14 before Bryan Ferguson connected on a 36-yard field goal to make it 52-14 at the half.

With the mercy rule in effect at the beginning of the second half, neither team scored as the Mustangs' second unit took the opportunity to gain experience.

The Mustangs rolled up 441 yards of offense as Drew Stringfellow was 9-13 passing for 157 yards and two touchdowns. Joe Adams scored on both times he rushed the ball and scored again on a punt return, and the Mustangs used eight different receivers to catch 12 passes led by Ryan Farr's two receptions for touchdowns.

The Mustangs now turn their attention to the Oak Grove Hornets, a 20-6 winner over Mena, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Oak Grove. With Nashville's 24-10 defeat of De Queen, the Mustangs are now in sole possession of first place in the 7-4A conference.

Mustangs Exterminate Hornets

Friday, October 19, 2007

The Mustangs (6-1-1, 5-0) used a stingy defense to overcome a mild offensive performance to take a 42-19 win at Oak Grove (4-4, 2-3) in 7-4A conference action.

The Mustangs used four passing and two rushing touchdowns from Drew Stringfellow and a strong defense that gave up only a field goal in the first half and a fourth-quarter touchdown for their fifth win in a row. Stringfellow ended the night with 320 passing yards to overcome several miscues by the offense that could have meant another two touchdowns after the Hornets recovered a bad snap in the end zone and a CAC touchdown was nullified due to a penalty.

The Mustangs were in control from the start as they jumped out to a 14-0 lead as Stringfellow found Joe Adams on a four-yard pass and hit Tommy Kennedy for a nine-yard strike. The Hornets then would take advantage of two Mustang miscues during a seven-second span in the second quarter to cut the lead to 14-10. After kicking a field goal for their first points of the game, Oak Grove's kickoff was misplayed by the Mustangs as CAC started their drive on the three-yard line. Lined up in a shotgun formation, Stringfellow could not handle the snap and the Hornets pounced on the ball in the end zone for the score.

The Mustangs would come back to score with 56 seconds remaining in the half as Stringfellow hit Ryan Farr for a 35-yard touchdown to put CAC ahead 21-10. The Hornets then tried to preserve the clock and ended up punting with less than 30 seconds remaining. But CAC again misplayed the ball to end up inside the five-yard line and on the next play, Stringfellow was called for intentional grounding despite his arm being hit as he went to throw, which resulted in a safety and allowed the Hornets to cut the lead to 21-12 with ten seconds left in the half.

The Mustangs then put the game away in the third quarter as Stringfellow scored on a one-yard plunge less than four minutes into the half, the CAC defense stopped the Hornets on a fourth-and-two at the Mustang 32-yard line, and CAC scored again as Stringfellow found Kennedy on a 48-yard pass to put the Mustangs ahead 35-12.

In the final period, Oak Grove put together their best drive of the game to score their only offensive touchdown with 9:29 remaining, but the Mustangs answered with a drive of their own which Stringfellow capped with a three-yard run around the right side to complete the scoring.

The Mustangs now turn their attention to the De Queen Leopards, a 35-31 loser to Fountain Lake, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at Mustang Mountain. CAC leads the 7-4A by a game with two conference games remaining.

Mustangs Down De Queen

Friday, October 26, 2007

The Mustangs (7-1-1, 6-0) broke open a scoreless game with two touchdowns in the last two minutes of the first half on the way to a 31-12 victory over the De Queen Leopards (4-5, 3-3) in 7-4A conference action at Mustang Mountain. With the win, CAC has now clinched the conference's top seed for the playoffs which carries a first-round bye before a second-round home playoff game November 16.

Senior quarterback Drew Stringfellow threw two touchdowns to Joe Adams, one to John Riley Wilson and another to Ryan Farr as the Mustangs led 14-0 at the half, and 28-6 at the end of the third quarter.

With the score tied 0-0 with two minutes left in the second quarter, it appeared the half would end in a stalemate. But after the Leopards' fourth punt of the half, Stringfellow found Farr on a 17-yard pass before throwing a bomb to Adams on the next play for a 31-yard score. After the kickoff, De Queen's drive to tie ended with an interception by CAC's Jake Edwards and the Mustangs used 31 seconds to drive 64 yards in four plays, capped by Stringfellow's 17-yard strike to John Riley Wilson with only three seconds remaining.

With a 14-0 lead entering the second half, the Mustangs took the kickoff and drove 62 yards in five plays as Stringfellow found Adams for a 30-yard touchdown for a 21-0 lead with 8:55 left in the third quarter. The CAC defense again did the job by forcing a fumble on the Leopards' third play from scrimmage, and Stringfellow found Farr on the next play for a 25-yard pass that gave the Mustangs a comfortable 28-0 lead with 7:09 remaining in the third quarter.

But De Queen would come back with their first score of the night on a 60-yard run to cut the lead to 28-6 after failing to convert the extra point attempt. After a Mustang fumble on the ensuing possession, the CAC defense stopped a De Queen drive on fourth down and the Mustangs put together a 10-play drive that resulted in a 27-yard field goal by Bryan Ferguson to give CAC a 31-6 lead with 9:04 left in the fourth quarter.

De Queen would then end the scoring with an 80-yard pass for a touchdown less than a minute later, and both teams traded possessions for the remainder of the game.

Stringfellow ended with 326 yards and four touchdowns on 21-30 passing with nine receptions and 149 yards and a score going to Farr. Adams ended with 35 yards on four rushes and scored two touchdowns on two receptions for 61 yards. Wilson finished with one touchdown on three catches for 35 yards, and Edwards led the defense with two interceptions.

The Mustangs now travel to Ashdown, a 24-6 winner over Mena Friday, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. With a victory, CAC clinches the 7-4A conference championship outright.

Mustangs Pound Panthers

Friday, November 2, 2007

The Mustangs (8-1-1, 7-0) finished conference play undefeated with a 45-28 victory over the Ashdown Panthers (4-5, 3-3) in 7-4A conference action at Ashdown. With the win, CAC has won the 7-4A conference title outright and clinched the conference's top seed for the playoffs which carries a first-round bye.

Senior quarterback Drew Stringfellow threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns, and senior Joe Adams caught four passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns and added 104 yards rushing and a score on five carries as the Mustangs led 28-0 at the half.

After Ashdown began the game by recovering an onside kick, Ryan Farr intercepted a pass on the first play from scrimmage to return the ball to the CAC offense. Joe Adams then did the rest on second down, taking off for a 52-yard run to give the Mustangs a lead they would never relinquish less than a minute into the contest.

Ashdown's second possession ended after two plays as the Mustangs recovered a fumble, and CAC drove 56 yards in seven plays to lead 14-0 when Stringfellow hit Tyler Dick for a 25-yard touchdown with 8:13 left in the first quarter.

Ashdown then chewed up nearly eight minutes of clock with a 15-play drive to the CAC one-yard line, but the Mustang defense forced a two-yard loss on third down back to the three-yard line and the Panthers fourth-down attempt failed as CAC took over on downs.

After each team punted, Stringfellow found senior Ryan Farr on a 15-yard toss to put the Mustangs up 21-0 with 6:40 remaining in the half. Adams snagged an interception to end the next Ashdown drive, and CAC scored again with 1:05 left on Stringfellow's seven-yard pass to Farr for a 28-0 halftime lead.

Ashdown finally got on the board with their first drive of the third quarter, but the Mustangs came back to score on their first play from scrimmage as Stringfellow's pass to Adams went for a 63-yard touchdown for a 35-7 lead. Ashdown then scored again on a 16-yard pass, and CAC answered with a 21-yard field goal from Bryan Ferguson for a 38-14 lead with 2:32 left in the third period.

Ashdown's ensuing drive ended with an Ian Bryan interception, but after a Mustang punt the Panthers scored again on a 15-yard run to narrow the margin to 38-21. Adams added another touchdown on a 30-yard pass from Stringfellow with 7:08 left in the fourth quarter to put the Mustangs ahead 45-21, but Ashdown added a final score with 3:02 left after a 15-play, 68-yard drive ended with a one-yard punch into the end zone for the final count.

The Mustangs will next play November 16 at Mustang Mountain against the winner of Friday's first-round matchup between Hamburg and Osceola. With a victory, CAC could see a possible matchup with the 2-4A conference champion Newport Greyhounds.

Mustangs Oust Osceola

Friday, November 16, 2007

Behind 21 unanswered fourth-quarter points, the Mustangs (9-1-1) ousted the Osceola Seminoles (8-4) from the playoffs with a 42-21 decision on Mustang Mountain to advance to the state quarterfinals for the fifth consecutive year.

Quarterback Drew Stringfellow rushed for three touchdowns and threw for 178 yards and three more scores, and Joseph Adams rushed four times for 37 yards and caught eight passes for 117 yards and three touchdowns and collected an interception. The Mustang defense surrendered 317 total yards of offense but held the Seminoles on two fourth-down attempts and allowed only three of 12 third-down conversions for the game.

After each team failed to move the ball their first two possessions, Osceola faced fourth-and-14 from their own 30-yard line when a bad snap resulted in an 11-yard punt which Adams picked up and returned 12 yards. Two plays later, Stringfellow found Adams on a 29-yard pass to put the Mustangs up 7-0 with 5:25 left in the first quarter.

Osceola then put together a 13-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a four-yard run to tie the game at 7-7. CAC scored again two possessions later when Stringfellow again found Adams in the end zone, this time from 26 yards out, to give the Mustangs a 14-7 lead with 6:49 remaining in the second quarter which would end the scoring for the half.

The second half then began with the Seminoles driving 80 yards on eight plays, capped by a 10-yard run, that tied the score at 14-14. The Mustangs would answer on the ensuing possession as Stringfellow rushed in from the one-yard line to give CAC a 21-13 lead with 3:41 remaining in the third quarter. But Osceola would score with 1:45 remaining on a 73-yard pass, and the game entered the fourth quarter tied at 21-21.

The Mustangs then took control of the game as Stringfellow scored the go-ahead touchdown on a two-yard scramble. Then as it looked as if Osceola would tie the game again by marching down to the CAC 18-yard line, Ryan Farr intercepted a pass at the five-yard line and returned it 60 yards to the Seminole 35. Stringfellow then scored on a 20-yard run to the put the Mustangs ahead 35-21 with 5:01 remaining. Farr would come up with his second interception of the game two plays later to return possession to CAC, and Stringfellow found Adams open again on a 17-yard score with 3:06 remaining in the game for the final margin.

The Mustangs will host Dumas Friday at Mustang Mountain after the Bobcats upset previously undefeated Newport, 51-48, with the kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Mustangs Doom Dumas

Friday, November 23, 2007

Behind four first-half touchdowns by junior running back Jasper Lee, the Mustangs (10-1-1) defeated the Dumas Bobcats (10-2-1) 42-20 to advance to the state semifinals. The Mustangs will host the Dollarway Cardinals Friday on Mustang Mountain with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

After kicking off, the Mustangs forced a Dumas punt after three plays which shanked out of bounds to the Bobcat 23-yard line. Jasper Lee rushed into the end zone two plays later from eight yards out to give CAC a 6-0 lead after the extra point attempt sailed wide left.

Dumas' next two possessions lasted a total of nine plays before the Mustangs took advantage on the first play of scrimmage with Lee rumbling his way for a 13-yard score, and Drew Stringfellow's pass to Ryan Farr for the two-point conversion gave CAC a 14-0 lead with 3:08 left in the opening period.

The Mustang defense then forced an incomplete pass on fourth-and-seven on the first play of the second quarter, and Lee again found the end zone from 14 yards out to cap an eight-play, 49-yard drive that put CAC on top 21-0.

Dumas then put together a drive that gave them a first-and-goal on the five-yard line, but Lamarco Pope recovered a fumble on the one-yard line to preserve the shutout. The Mustangs would then score their final points of the half as Lee ran for a nine-yard touchdown with just 49 seconds left to give CAC a 28-0 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, the Dumas defense forced a CAC punt after three plays but were stopped short on fourth-and-three to give the ball back to the Mustangs. But CAC fumbled the ball on their first play, and Dumas scored seven plays later on a two-yard run. The Mustangs blocked the extra-point attempt but was forced to punt on their next possession. The Bobcats took advantage of a mishandled snap and returned it for a score to pull within 28-12 after the two-point coversion failed.

CAC then settled down on the ensuing possession and scored again when Joe Adams exploded through the middle and outran everyone for a 44-yard touchdown to put CAC up 35-12, and Blake Ratliff intercepted a pass on the one-yard line to end the following Dumas drive.

But CAC was not finished as they put together a drive that went 99 yards in 14 plays that ended with Ryan Farr catching a 17-yard pass in the end zone from Adams and the Mustangs led 42-12 with 11:13 remaining in the fourth quarter.

After trading possessions, Dumas scored once more on a five-yard run to finish the scoring with 4:33 left in the game.

Lee finished with 115 yards rushing while Adams rushed for 151 yards and a score and threw for another touchdown in the second half. Farr led the receivers with 10 receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown and a two-point conversion. Stringfellow finished 14-22 passing for 168 yards.

The Mustang defense played well as they forced a key fumble at the one-yard line on the Bobcats only serious drive of the first half and ended another drive with an interception at the one-yard line in the second half. Dumas finished the game 0-for-3 in fourth-down conversions and the CAC secondary shut down the passing game as the Bobcats finished only 4-of-18 passing.

The Mustangs will face a familiar foe in Pine Bluff Dollarway as the two teams met in the opening game of the season in which CAC took a 17-14 victory. Dollarway (9-4) earned a semifinal trip to Mustang Mountain with a 32-22 victory over Pocahontas for their eighth win in a row.