10/28/09 - Carroll County
5th Quarter Team of the Week:
Huntingdon Mustangs
By:
Jonathan Huskey
8:07
p.m.
One
could have forgiven the Huntingdon
Mustangs if they had simply sought
to repeat their performance of 2008.
A 6-6
record that advanced them all the
way to the second round of the state
playoffs.
But this
year, head coach Eric Swenson and
his squad were seeking more.
"We've
improved quite a bit from last
year," Swenson said. "We've already
locked up a playoff bid and we've
given ourselves a chance to be
district champions."
The
Mustangs travel to McKenzie to take
on the Rebels on Friday, and, while
both schools will be in the
postseason no matter what, the
winner will claim the District 13-A
crown and home field advantage
throughout the playoffs.
Much of
this year's success can be
attributed to growing pains felt
last year, when underclassmen made
up a majority of the roster.
"We
intentionally started a lot of
sophomores last year, and a lot of
juniors," Swenson said. "We took our
knocks for it, but I think our
program will be healthier for it in
the long run."
One key
to the Mustangs' success is senior
running back Kennon Holder, who
leads rural West Tennessee in
rushing with 1,568 yards and 25
touchdowns through week nine.
"We have
a pretty good offensive line,"
Holder said. "They're smart, they
move around. All I have to do is be
a smart runner and find the hole."