The DGS Mustangs proved to be the superior horse on Friday, Aug. 30 in their 33-15 victory over the Metea Valley Mustangs at the first football game of the season. After a series of aggressive plays and a multitude of flags thrown on the field, DGS won their first opening game since 2011.
Varsity head football coach Mark Molinari shared why this game impacted the team, especially the seniors.
“Every year we always call our seniors the Guardians, they’re the protectors. We haven’t won our first game since 2011, and so that was their goal,” Molinari said.
The victory was made even sweeter as it closed out Senior Night, where senior cheerleaders, dancers, color guard and marching band members, trainers and football players are recognized.
Senior captain Coen Goenschwager is wide receiver and safety for the team. He described how the team was feeling leading up to the game.
“The game mindset was just being prepared. We’re better than them. We know we’re better, and we’ve got to do what we’ve been doing all summer, and that’s been working,” Goenschwager said.
The game started out slow for the Mustangs after their opening kick landed out of bounds, a false start penalty was assigned to both teams and a personal foul was given to DGS. The first quarter ended with a score of 0-0.
The second quarter proved to be more interesting, as senior running back Kayden Smith scored the first touchdown of the season at the 10:45 mark. The extra point was good, establishing a score of 7-0.
“Honestly, I didn’t think I was going to score. Then it was like, just reach out, give everything. And I was like, alright I’m here,” Smith said.
Metea Valley took a timeout, only to have DGS score shortly afterwards. Junior Daniel Mensah plays running back and linebacker and scored his first of three touchdowns with 5:34 seconds left in the first half, giving the Mustangs a cushion in the score.
Metea Valley answered with a touchdown at the 2:18 mark, momentarily tightening the score. Senior wide receiver and defensive back Keon Maggitt then made the play of the night by scoring a touchdown off the kick return, running the entire field to make it to the end-zone. The Mustangs extra point attempt was no good, and nobody else gained points in the second quarter, leaving the score 20-7.
In the second half junior running back and safety Joey Vieyra battled through defenders during two consecutive plays to get a first down. This allowed Mensah to score his second touchdown. In the last five minutes of the third quarter, Metea Valley scored another touchdown and had a successful two point conversion.
Mensah commented on what scoring three touchdowns in his opening game meant for him as a player.
“It just sets a tone for us to win the next week,” Mensah said.
Just three seconds into the fourth quarter, Mensah scored his third touchdown of the night, making the score 33-15. No more points were scored for either team after that.
“There was a lot of pressure: we have a beautiful community, stands are packed, a brand new field, we got a video board and they even painted the goal post. So it was big for everybody. When the football team wins, the school loves that,” Molinari said.
DGS will take on DGN in the annual crosstown game next Friday, Sept. 6.
