POCATELLO - Chris Byrd scored two touchdowns and passed for a third on a halfback option pass leading the Mustangs over the Pocatello Fighting Kangaroos 34-6 in the RMFL opener for both teams.
Byrd ran 18 yards for the first score on the first drive of the first quarter and then caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jared Neumeier in the second quarter. He threw 38 yards to Sean Powell on a halfback option early in the fourth quarter. Mike Jensen scored on a tackle-breaking 25-yard run and Neumeier picked up the other score on a two-yard plunge just before half to make the halftime score 20-0.
The Kangaroos only score came defensively when Jeremy Whitehead picked off an errant Neumeier toss and returned it 63 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter.
IDAHO FALLS - The Mustangs dropped their first RMFL game of the year 12 - 6 to the Rocky Mountain Bulls Saturday as a tremendous Bull defensive front held the Mustang offense in check throughout the game, the only touchdown coming off a halfback option pass from reserve tailback, Mike Jensen to Sean Powell.
The Mustangs down, early 6 - 0 and buried deep in their own end of the field late in the second quarter, turned to a little "razzle-dazzle" to shake up the Bull defense. Mike Jensen took a pitch to the right, sold the run, stopped and fired a perfect strike down the right sideline to a wide-open Sean Powell for a 91-yard score.
The Mustangs turned the ball over 3 times, including 2 Jared Neumeier interceptions and gave up 4 sacks in struggling against an active, big and talented Bulls front 7.
IDAHO FALLS - Kendall Leonard intercepted a pass late in the fourth quarter and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown and delivering the second victory of the season for the Idaho Falls Mustangs 20 - 14.
After both offenses struggled to a 0 - 0 first half tie, things opened up considerably in the second half. A 35-yard pass from Jared Neumeier to Sean Powell, set up the first Mustang score, a 1-yard plunge by Neumeier behind 380-lb right guard Doug Brasier. The attempted extra point, however, was blocked by the Dragons and returned 84 yards for a two-point defensive score, putting the Dragons up 8 - 6. Reciever, Powell, then took a reverse and ran 69 yards for a touchdown. A Neumeier to Dave Stewart 2-point conversion made the score 14 - 8 Mustangs. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Dragons completed a 35-yard touchdown pass and failed the conversion attempt keeping the scored tied at 14 - 14. After the Mustangs failed to move the ball and punted it to the Dragons, the Dragons marched for 2 first downs prior to the game-clinching interception for touchdown by Kendall Leonard.
POCATELLO - Brett Thornton hit Alex Phillips with a 40-yard fourth quarter touchdown pass breaking a 6 - 6 tie as the Idaho Falls Mustangs fell to the defensive minded Rocky Mountain Bulls 12 - 6 for the second time this season Saturday.
After a scoreless first half, Bulls halfback Clint Whitworth scored on a 5-yard scamper putting the Bulls up 6 - 6. On the ensuing drive, the Mustangs drove down to the Bulls 3-yard line and Mustang quarterback Jared Neumeier connected with tight end, Dave Stewart on a 3-yard scoring pass tieing the score at 6 - 6 until the Phillips touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.
POCATELLO - The Idaho Falls Mustangs pulled off an improbable 14 - 12 victory over the Pocatello-Blackfoot Dragons Saturday behind a strong rushing performance by Brandon Walters and Chad Oster.
The Mustangs fell behind 12 - 0 at halftime as the Dragon offense found a few holes in the vaunted Mustang defense, while the Mustang offense struggled to get into scoring range. However, late in the the second half, the Mustangs learned a secret regarding the Dragons...'these Dragons can be ran on....easily'.
Brandon Walters rushed for over 100 yards including a 48-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter and Chad Oster ran for more than 50 as the Mustangs racked up significant yardage in the second half. Only more than 90 penalty yards kept them from scoring more often. A 5-yard touchdown pass from Jared Neumeier to Dave Stewart capped the scoring and accounted for the 14 - 12 difference as an inspired Mustang defense clamped down and shut down the Dragon offense in the second half.
IDAHO FALLS - The Pocatello Fighting Kangaroos forfeited the football game due to questionable weather conditions and player availability. The Mustangs finished the regular season 4 - 2.
IDAHO FALLS - The Idaho Falls Mustangs set an RMFL record scoring 56 points in a 56 - 0 anhilation of the Pocatello-Blackfoot Dragons Saturday in the inagural RMFL playoff game.
The Idaho Falls Mustang offense taking a lesson from their previous meeting with the Dragons, ran the ball and then ran the ball some more for over 300 rushing yards and over 400 total yards and wide receiver, Sean Powell, had a career day scoring 4 touchdowns in a total and complete annihilation of a team that played the Mustangs to within a touchdown in each of their first two meetings.
Quarterback Jared Neumeier scored the first touchdown on a 1-yard dive, but after that it was all Mustang rushers. Brandon Walters rushed for one score, Mike Jensen one score, Kendall Leonard touchdown return off an interception, finally in the fourth quarter, when the Mustangs had substituted out, back up quarterback Sean Powell scored his third and fourth touchdowns. The fourth off a miss-handled snap from the Dragon 2-yard line, the third off a halfback option pass from halfback Chris Byrd. All in all, it was total domination starting with a stand out offensive front of Teagon Smith, Shane Elliot, Ryan Leonard, and Doug and Dave Brasier.
The Mustangs play the Rocky Mountain Bulls for the first ever RMFL championship Saturday, November 1st.
POCATELLO - The Rocky Mountain Bulls defense made a final statement en route to the Bulls defeating the Idaho Falls Mustangs Saturday 16 - 0 and capturing the 1997 Rocky Mountain Football League title.
The Bulls changed up from the 44 and 43 defenses they had run all season to primarily a 53 or 52 defense and stuffed the prolific Mustang rushing attack; shutting down the Mustang offense effectively for the third time this season, this time with an exclamation point. The simplistic tight end oriented offense could not respond to the defensive tactics of the bulls as quarterback Jared Neumeier threw 3 interceptions including a game clinching 72-yard interception return for a touchdown by Bulls safety, John Peoples. The only other Bulls score came on a blocked Ryan Leonard punt that the Bulls recovered in the end zone. The Mustang defense rose big again, but lacking offensive support, felt the sting of frustration dropping to the Bulls for the third time this season.
The offensive frustration reached such a level than midway through the third quarter, the Mustangs finally mounted a drive as Neumeier completed a string of 4 straight passes bringing the Mustangs down to within the Bulls 25-yard line. An errant throw to Shane Warren was intercepted by the Bulls ending a chance by the Mustangs to get back into the game. Quarterback and offensive captain, Neumeier, then removed himself from the game in favor of back up, Sean Powell. Said Neumeier, "well, if I wasn't going to be throwing well, we would be better off with Sean in there, at least he might be able to do something with his legs". Later in the fourth quarter, Neumeier inserted Mike Jensen at quarterback, who has the strongest arm on the team. On the last play of the game, Jensen broke the pocket and raced down to the Bulls 15 yard line, making as close to the end zone as the Mustangs had been all day.
Congratulation to the Mustangs for a hard-fought season. Many lessons were learned about what to expect in the league, however, most importantly, some football did get played.
-Mustangs Press