Article & Photographs by Samiya Church
The West Orange-Stark Mustangs faced Hamshire-Fannett in an exciting football game filled with impressive passes, blocked punts, and big plays. Both teams fought hard throughout the game, but the Mustangs continued pushing forward and finished strong to take home a 42–28 victory.
In the first quarter, the Mustangs recovered their own punt early on. On Hamshire-Fannett’s drive, they were called for a false start. Despite the penalty, Hamshire-Fannett scored a touchdown. The Mustangs relied heavily on their running game during the first quarter. Later, West Orange-Stark attempted a punt, but Hamshire-Fannett blocked it and scored another touchdown.
Beginning the second quarter, Longhorns scored yet another touchdown. The Mustangs responded when number 4, Khelvy Jefferson, scored a touchdown with 6:48 remaining in the quarter, bringing energy back to the West Orange-Stark sideline. Number 14, Bradon Gipson, also scored a touchdown later in the quarter, helping the Mustangs continue their fight against Hamshire-Fannett. Even as the Mustangs worked to overcome their opponent’s lead, they stayed determined and continued looking for opportunities to turn the game around, leading it to 14-28 in the halftime.
The third quarter brought even more excitement as the Mustangs fought to close the gap. At 10:13, West Orange-Stark scored a touchdown, making the score 20–28 after a failed PAT. The Mustangs also scored a safety after Hamshire-Fannett's quarterback was tackled in their own end zone. At 2:18, number 19, Jyreon Davis, caught a pass, adding another important moment to the action on the field. On the third-quarter comeback, number 62 Channing Larkin noted, “We’re not just a running team. We can do anything; we can put it in the air, we can keep it on the ground, we can do all that.”
With the Mustangs still fighting to get back into the game, Khelvy stepped up and scored another crucial touchdown with just 43 seconds remaining in the third quarter, tying the score at 28–28. After scoring, Khelvy took a moment to pray, showing his faith and gratitude during an important moment in the game. His actions represented the determination and belief the Mustangs carried onto the field. Even when the Mustangs were down, they kept believing, kept fighting, and kept their faith. We knew we still had a chance to come back. The touchdown brought new energy to the team and gave the Mustangs the momentum they needed heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, West Orange-Stark continued to take control of the scoreboard. With 4:29 remaining, Khelvy ran the ball into the end zone for another touchdown. Number 30, Brian Hernandez, successfully made the extra point, putting the Mustangs ahead 35–28. The team continued to push forward, refusing to let up. With just 1:20 left in the game, Khelvy scored another touchdown, and Brian made the extra point to extend the lead.
When the final whistle blew, the West Orange-Stark Mustangs took home a 42–28 victory over Hamshire-Fannett. The Mustangs demonstrated determination, teamwork, and persistence throughout the game. Khelvy Jefferson’s key touchdowns helped lead the comeback; Brian Hernandez's successful extra points added to the team’s final score. In the second half, Braydon Gipson scored a touchdown, lifting the team's spirits and showing they could win. From overcoming a difficult start to taking control in the fourth quarter, West Orange-Stark showed that the game was not over until the final whistle. “We came out a little too slow, a little too sluggish. We picked it up at halftime, made the adjustments we needed to make, and we got back in the game,” added number 28 Travon Williams.
The Mustangs finished strong and gave their fans a victory to celebrate. Number 52, Octavian Trahan, reflected after the game, “The team, we just came together as one at the end of the day. Yeah, we were down, but we do what we do. Give 112% every single day.”