After a highly successful regular season, the Mustangs (7-2) face off against the Mehlville Panthers (3-6) in the team’s first playoff game of the season. The Mustangs finished the season with their best record in recent memory.

The Mustangs, led by Quarterback Jason Powers and Wide Receiver Turner Cook, have recorder wins against Ritenour (21-20), at Jackson (27-20), as well as an unprecedented five shutouts against Northwest (42-0), Mehlville (52-0), Lindbergh (42-0), Parkway South (42-0), and Francis Howell Central (38-0).

Matt Klein, head coach of the Varsity Mustangs, acknowledged his team’s record, but said that the team will still have to compete as hard as ever to achieve a winning result on Friday night.

“It doesn’t change anything.” Klein said. “Everyone in the entire state enters the playoffs with the exact same chance. It doesn’t matter what your record is or what you’ve done. It puts you in a good position to be successful as the host but at the end of the day you have to go in and prepare and win or go home.”

Although it will be a playoff game, Klein said that the team has not been practicing any differently than they have in the past.

“We go through our same mode of preparation.” Klein said. “We’ve had a real intense week of practice getting ready for them so we’re excited about Friday.”

Steven Delia, junior, said that the fans have been a great help to the Mustangs’ fortunes this season.

“When we make a big play, the crowd sets the tempo for us. It helps us keep that motivation going.” Delia said.

Delia said that the fans have provided the team with intensity that is necessary to win football games.
“We want high intensity. Intensity helps us alot in every game we play.” Delia said.