MUSTANGS CORRALLED; SHOCKERS START 3-0 FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR  

March 31, 2007 Lacey, WA 

South Sound stumbled and bumbled through two flat quarters on Saturday, but regained their fire in the second half to pull away from the Valley Mustangs 20-0 at South Sound Stadium.

Entering the game missing seven key players due to injuries and personal obligations, South Sound looked to its depth of athletes to step up and shine in their opportunity to run with the first teamers.  Defensively, they stood tall as MLB James Roundtree (US Army -Fort Lewis) stepped in to replace 1st team All-American Nate Enciso who was in California and CB Jamaal Hampton started in place of 3rd team All-American Ryan Kalalau who is out with a broken thumb.  Hampton found himself being helped off the field after landing awkwardly on his ankle in the second period.  18-year old Dan Chu (Foss High) stepped in and put forth a nice debut while helping the defense shut out a second opponent in 2007.  Also missing was strong safety Marc Larson (Univ. Puget Sound - torn ACL), LB Kai Hanchett (school) and all-conference defensive tackle David Dorsey, while not starting the game due to an injury was tackle Justin Shumate.  Their replacements, Ken Ponder, Eric Webster, Marty Darland and Jeff Markoff led the charge in holding the Mustangs to under 100 yards rushing and hurrying the quarterbacks into completing only 2 pass attempts on the day. 

Offensively the Shockers were missing three starters in WR Billy Boyer (torn ACL), TE Brian Mickens (broken rib), and center David Gomez (knee).  TE David Combs was also held out with a hamstring injury.  Even without these key players out, South Sound was able to churn out 274 yards of offense.

Former Linfield College wideout Bryan Hooper led off the scoring with a leaping grab of a John Stewart pass in the endzone, the PAT was wide left for a 6-0 lead.  Turnovers ended two other first half possessions as the Shockers struggled to find the running game.  Opening the second half Justin Shumate forced a fumble and the offense drove to the Mustang 10 before stalling and having a field goal attempt blocked.  On the Mustangs ensuing possession Eric Goodman (Univ of Puget Sound) picked off a pass and raced 42-yards for the score.  Pat Hutnik shaved the uprights but the PAT was good for a 13-0 lead.  The defense forced a punt that was returned by Micah Tanaka (Univ. of Puget Sound) all the way to the Mustang 16, but a penalty brought it back to the Shocker 20.  South Sound mounted a 12-play drive that killed the remainder of the 3rd quarter before fullback Chris Ward (US Marine Corps) bulled his way in from the 1.  Hutnik split the uprights and the Shockers led 20-0 early in the 4th quarter.

The Mustangs would net only 6 yards in the fourth quarter until their final possession when a 39-yard bomb was brought down by both Tanaka and a Mustang receiver.  The Mustangs had the ball on the Shockers 29, but on the very next play Mark Meadows (Peru State) picked off his second pass of the day to end the final threat to the shut out.

Eric Goodman and Brad Dennis led the depleted defense to it's seventh shut out victory in the past thirteen games.

GAME TRACKER