The Muskegon Mustangs are in their fourth year as a football team, and they’re headed to a league championship game for the fourth straight season.
Muskegon held on for a 14-12 win over the visiting Flint Fury on Saturday in a Great Lakes Football League semifinal game.
Jamarcas Martin makes the catch for the Mustangs. Photo/Joe Lane
The Mustangs will now advance to the Sept. 10 GLFL championship game in Detroit, where they will face the Detroit Ravens, the same team they defeated in last year’s title contest.
The defensive secondary made the difference for the Mustangs against Flint.
Ryan Williams stepped up with a key interception for the Mustangs with 50 seconds left to play to end a Fury drive that threatened Muskegon’s lead. Muskegon’s Keymarious McMillian and Holsey James also stung Flint with interceptions in the fourth quarter, both in Mustang territory.
“We have a really solid defense and in the latter part of the game, our backfield was key,” said Mustangs quarterback Aaron James, who threw a pair of touchdown passes in the playoff win. “Teams like to drive on us, but the closer they get to the end zone, the tougher our defense plays.”
Maurice Sherrill shakes off s Flint tackle. Photo/Joe Lane
Aaron James did his damage early in the game to give Muskegon a crucial edge. On the first play from scrimmage, JaMarcas Martin snagged a 40-yard touchdown pass from James to give the Mustangs a 7-0 lead.
Flint responded in the second quarter when its defense intercepted a James pass and returned it 80 yards for a touchdown. But the Fury could not convert on the two-point conversion attempt.
The Mustangs scored again just before halftime when Aaron James connected with Ronald Johnson on a 37-yard scoring pass. Muskegon led 14-6 at halftime.
The Fury scored on a 22-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, but Muskegon again stopped a two-point conversion attempt and preserved its slim lead.
