MIDDLEBURG – The Midd-West Mustangs closed their season out on a high note Friday evening in a rain-soaked victory at their home venue.
In a matchup between Districts 3 and 4, Midd-West (1-9) earned a victory over the visiting Halifax Wildcats (1-7). The win ends the 2021 football season on a high note for first-year head coach Lance Adams and the rest of the Midd-West football program.
“I’m so happy for our seniors,” said Adams following his team’s 49-12 victory. “They stayed the course through this whole thing. It’s been a tough season record-wise, but we’ve really grown as a team and grown as a program as well as these guys growing as individuals.”
The Mustangs left it all on the field, scoring early and often in the win. Senior quarterback Christian Regester had an impressive game, scoring three times in three separate ways. Regester recorded a rushing touchdown, a passing touchdown and an interception return for a touchdown in the game.
“It feels great to have a game like this,” said Regester of his final game. “We played well as a whole which set me up for opportunities to have a big game.”
Regester scored the opening touchdown of the game with his legs. Following a three-and-out from the Halifax offense to open the game, Regester and the Mustangs scored on a four-play, 38-yard drive that ended with Regester’s 13-yard scramble into the endzone.
Following a second Halifax three-and-out, the Mustangs put another touchdown on the board. Once again it took the team just four plays to score. Fellow senior Ethan Schlief scored a touchdown in his final game, rumbling in from 18 yards away to put the Mustangs up 14-0 early in the opening quarter.
Midd-West continued its quick-strike attack on the team’s third possession. Following a third consecutive Halifax three-and-out, the Mustangs took a shot at the endzone. Regester dropped back and found an open James Troup in the endzone for a 27-yard score. The completion would be Regester’s lone completion of the night in the sloppy conditions, though he did only attempt three passes in the entire game.
Down 21-0 early, Halifax finally began to settle in. The team put together a few decent – though ultimately unsuccessful – drives on offense and forced a punt and a Midd-West turnover on the defensive side of the ball.
With time ticking away in the opening half, Regester recorded his third touchdown of the night. Halifax’s sophomore quarterback Carter Enders dropped back and rolled to his left before launching a pass down the left sideline. Regester stepped in front of the Halifax receiver to earn an interception that he would take back to the endzone for a 60-yard pick-6.
“He’s a leader,” said Adams when talking about Regester following the game. “I’ve had the pleasure of coaching him at his position for four years. He’s a special kid to me and I was glad to see him have a big night.”
Halifax earned its first score of the game in its opening drive of the second half. After the defense forced its second turnover of the game, the Halifax offense went on an eight-play drive that culminated in a score. Enders and junior running back Ashton Carter split the load on the drive with Enders eventually being the player that found the endzone for the Wildcats. Enders scored on a one-yard rush to put the visitors on the board.
The Mustangs responded swiftly to the Halifax score. On the ensuing drive, the Mustangs got chunk plays on the ground from Regester (29-yard run) and Schlief (30-yard run) before Austin Dorman capped the drive off with a one-yard touchdown run.
Dorman would tack on a second rushing score later in the game, scoring on a 20-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Halifax added one more touchdown in the game, scoring on the first play of the fourth quarter. On another eight-play drive, Carter found the endzone on a three-yard run for the Wildcat score.
Carter led the Wildcats in rushing on the night, racking up 78 yards on 20 carries. Schlief led all rushers in the game with a 149-yard performance on 13 attempts for the home Mustangs.
Midd-West found the endzone once again later in the game as another senior struck pay dirt. Everest Wilson took his lone carry of the game in for a nine-yard score with 3:22 remaining in the game.
Freshman defensive lineman Parker Boop sealed the 49-12 victory for Midd-West with a sack on the Halifax quarterback on the game’s final play.
“Our running backs played really well, our offensive line was great, and the defense was really good,” said Regester of his team’s overall performance. “We played really well as a whole.”
This game ends the season for both Midd-West and Halifax as neither team qualifies for the postseason.
Midd-West 49, Halifax 12
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Halifax 0 0 6 6 – 12
Midd-West 21 7 7 14 – 49
First Quarter
MW—Christian Regester 13-yard run (PAT No Good), 7:29.
MW—Ethan Schlief 18-yard run (Corey Weiand reception from Regester), 3:43.
MW—James Troup 27-yard reception from Regester (Ryland Portzline PAT Good), 1:55
Second Quarter
MW—Regester 60-yard interception return (Portzline PAT Good), 4:50.
Third Quarter
H—Carter Enders 1-yard run (PAT No Good), 6:37.
MW—Austin Dorman 1-yard run (Portzline PAT Good), 4:10
Fourth Quarter
H—Ashton Carter 3-yard run (PAT No Good), 11:53.
MW—Dorman 20-yard run (Portzline PAT Good), 6:40
MW—Everest Wilson 9-yard run (Portzline PAT Good), 3:22
TEAM STATISTICS H MW
First downs 9 11
Total yards 102 266
Rushes-yards 46-95 32-239
Yards passing 7 27
Passing (comp.-att.-int.) 1-5-1 1-3-0
Fumbles-lost 3-1 2-2
Penalties-yards 3-11 8-60
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Halifax: Carter 20-78 TD, Enders 14-16 TD, Isaac Miller 4-13, Eric Stoneroad 5-10, TEAM 3-(-22). Midd-West: Schlief 13-149 TD, Dorman 8-61 2 TD, Regester 7-42 TD, Wilson 1-9 TD, TEAM 3-(-22).
PASSING—Halifax: Enders 1-4 7 yards INT, Carter 0-1. Midd-West: Regester 1-3 27 yards TD.
RECEIVING—Halifax: Miller 1-7. Midd-West: Troup 1-27 TD.
