Mustangs face key test in Burgard

Albion, Barker/Roy-Hart also have home games

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Charles Beach (66) and his Mustang teammates will host Burgard Friday night in a key B North Division game. Albion will also host Eden, Barker/Roy-Hart entertains Newfane and Holley visits Alexander on Friday night.

It’s only week four but Medina is already facing a must win test as the Mustangs host Burgard at 7:30 p.m. Friday in a key Homecoming B North Division game.

Burgard is currently tied for the B North lead at 2-0 (3-0 overall) with Buffalo city rival Bennett which already owns a win over Medina.

The Mustangs, which are battling to not only stay in the division title race but also to stay in the hunt for a sectional playoff berth, are at 1-1 (2-1 overall) and deadlocked with two other one loss teams, Lew-Port (2-1) and Albion (2-1), both of whom still loom on the upcoming schedule. With that many teams bunched together none of the three can afford to take that second division loss this early.

“This is basiclly a playoff game for us,” said Mustangs Coach Eric Valley. “It’s a must win for us to be able to keep control of our own destiny. ”

Both teams are coming into the game off wins last weekend, the Mustangs 36-30 over Lake Shore and the Bulldogs 22-7 over Lew-Port.

“Burgard is a very talented, very fast team much like Bennett so we have to defend the whole field,” said Valley. “And offensively we’ve got to execute better and mix more of the run and pass.”

Senior quarterback Jason Hellwig, who has completed 41 of 60 passes for 665 yards and 7 touchdowns leads the Mustangs attack. He has spread the passes around as Ty Hrovat, Brett Pecoraro and Dylan Lewis each have 11 receptions. Lewis has two TD receptions while Brandon Schoolcraft, who has five catches, leads the team with three scoring catches.

Burgard won last year’s inaugural meeting between the two teams 51-12.

Also on Friday, Albion will host Eden in an interdivisional game at 7 p.m. and Barker/Roy-Hart will entertain Newfane in a meeting of 0-3 B North Divison teams also at 7 p.m.

Albion, which is looking to make it three wins in a row, came up big both offensively and defensively last weekend in posting a 42-6 win at Newfane.

Des Blackmon and Manny Thompson both had long pass interception returns for touchdowns, covering 85 and 40 yards respectively, to highlight the Albion defensive effort. On offense, quarterback Kyle Smith ran for two touchdowns while Thompson and Tom Mattison each tallied once. Dylan Moore also added six straight extra point kicks.

The other B North contest will have Bennett at Lew-Port on Friday evening at 7.

In Genesee Region League action, Holley (0-3, 0-3) will visit Alexander (1-1, 1-2) at 7 p.m. Friday.

B North Standings: Bennett 2-0, 3-0; Burgard 2-0, 3-0; Albion 2-1, 2-1; Lew-Port 2-1, 2-1; Medina 1-1, 2-1; Barker/Roy-Hart 0-3, 0-3; Newfane 0-3, 0-3

G-R Standings: Attica 3-0, 3-0; Oakfield-Alabama 2-0 2-1; Elba/Byron-Bergen 2-1, 2-1; Alexander 1-1, 1-2; Notre Dame 1-2, 1-2; Holley 0-3, 0-3; Pembroke 0-3, 0-3