MIDDLETOWN HEX ON FORT BRAGG CONTINUES: MUSTANGS BEAT RIVAL FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT YEAR, THANKS TO RELENTLESS DEFENSE

The seniors on the Middletown football team have accomplished a feat that Redwood Empire football fans never thought possible.

After defeating Fort Bragg and legendary coach Jack Moyer on Friday night, the Mustangs' seniors will graduate without ever losing to the Timberwolves.

Actually, the Middletown dominance is even longer than four years. Fort Bragg has lost six straight years to its Lake County rivals. In the past three seasons, the T'wolves have lost a total of six games; three of those have been to the Mustangs.

On Friday, Middletown handed Fort Bragg its first defeat of the year, 38-14. Both teams now have 6-1 records.

The morning after the game, coach Bill Foltmer was in an upbeat state of mind.

"Anytime you beat a Jack Moyer team in Fort Bragg you've done well," he said. "Our defense was the key. As a unit they played extremely well and put a lot of pressure on the opposing quarterback."

The stats show just how tough a night T'wolves quarterback Brandon Freitas had. He was sacked six times and lost 28 yards as he tried to scramble.

When he had time, Freitas was accurate. He completed 15 of 24 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns.

Jermoney Hoefer and Jake Davis had two sacks apiece; Luke Parker and Nick Delia had one each.

The Middletown defense was relentless, recovering four fumbles and intercepting a pass.

"The offense also played well," Foltmer said. "The line consistently made the blocks to get our running backs in the clear."

David Pike led the ground game, racking up 139 yards on 10 carries. The 5-foot-10 senior had a 45-yard touchdown jaunt in the third quarter to give Middletown a 24-0 lead. He also scored late in the third on a six-yard run. Middletown gained 248 yards on the ground. With the running game working so well, quarterback Kyle Brown threw only eight times. One of his three completions was to Jake Davis and resulted in an 83-yard TD.

ROUGH NIGHT FOR LOWER LAKE

Late Friday night, while Kelseyville coach Rob Ishihara was reliving his team's 60-18 victory over Lower Lake, rival coach Stan Weiper was walking the halls of Sutter Lakeside Hospital.

Weiper went from room to room checking on his four players being treated after three were brought in with concussions and the other had a dislocated ankle.

The three players showing symptoms of concussion -- E.J. Germany, Antonio Hines and Justin Sims -- were released Saturday morning. Weiper said they will not be allowed to resume practice until their physcians clear them.

X-rays confirmed Aaron James dislocated his ankle and will need surgery.