Last night the Mustangs football team overcame the Pomona Panthers 20-23 despite being down 12-0 after the first quarter.

     Late in the second quarter Reilly Hauptman came up with a 50 yard run to score first for the Mustangs.

     “In the first half we didn’t have any breaks or any field position,” said coach Loyd. “But during halftime I told them we’re only down by five, let’s just get control of it.”

     Later in the 4^th quarter, Jakob Buys coverted on a 64 yard run to give the Mustangs the lead. Shortly after the Mustangs special teams came up with a blocked punt on the 15 yard line. Jeff Grenfell made a one yard touchdown run, and his brother Chad kicked the extra point to make the score 20-12.

     However, the Panthers did not give up easily. They responded with a 25 yard pass reception, and a two point conversion to tie the game up, late in the fourth quarter. But, with 6.9 seconds left in the game, Chad Grenfell saved the day with a 23 yard field goal to make the final score 23-20.

     “It’s a good excitement, we won league today and that’s big for our school. [It’s] our first year in 5A, so were taking it to them.” Jeff Grenfell said after the game. “This may even feel better than the A-West win because it meant something more.”

     After spending 69 days in the depths of a collapsed mine, all 33 miners were successfully rescued on October 13th, having been trapped since August 5th, when the mine first collapsed. 

     After August 5th, 17 days past before it was realized that the miners were still alive, due to the 7 inch hole discovered through which food, water, letters from family and friends, hydration gels, soccer videos, and even bibles were passed. 

     For the other 52 days, rescuers spent their time building the shaft intended to rescue each miner.  The shaft was barely wider than a person’s shoulder width, held one person at a time, and the journey to the surface was about 15 minutes.  One by one, the miners each were  brought back to the real world and were reunited with their families and friends.  They were made to wear special sunglasses to prevent damage the sudden brightness might cause their eyes after spending so long in a dark tunnel.  As they fell to the ground, a few prayed, and one professional soccer player was tossed a ball and he juggled it for a while; his first pleasure of being given back his life.  Others hugged their loved ones for a long time, crying in gratitude.  The Chilean President Sebastian Pinera was at the mouth of the  hole, waiting to hug each man as he surfaced.

     The rest of the world has seen this remarkable save as inspiration, and Chilean Pinera voiced his agreement. 

     “We have lived a magical night, a night we will remember throughout our lives, a night in which life defeated death,” Pinera said.

     In the first game, the girls beat A-West 25-17. Soon after, 25-13, and the final game 25-21.

     Coming into the game the Mustangs were ranked second, and on a six game winning streak.

     Jordan Banich leads the team with 158 kills and an average of four per game.

     The Mustangs have only one game left against Brighton, who is ranked number 4 in the state. Hopefully they can bring out the same energy.

     “It’s been a tough stretch,” Todd Helton said. “Just a tough go.”  

     But do not be discouraged, there is always next season, and in the meantime watch the Avalanche.