This week on Monday two years ago,  was a special one for Mustang football history. They were one of two teams in the state still playing, as they prepared for their state championship game on Friday, Nov. 16 in the UNI-dome.  2020 had been a very similar year when compared to 2018: the Mustangs went undefeated in the regular season and had a large senior class both times. They also both had players that do and will play in college. There are some differences though: the 2020 Mustangs had a much bigger roster. Ever since 2018, PCM football’s roster has grown consistently. Many more fans have a connection to PCM football now. In 2018, nobody expected a state title. In 2020, that’s what everyone had expected. Two years ago this week, on Nov. 16, 2018, the Mustangs played the Rock Valley Rockets in the state championship game. They won the game, 28-7. It was one of the closest games PCM had all year.

PCM had some momentum and capitalized on it during the game. The scoring for the Mustangs began on their first offensive play. Senior Reed Worth passed for a 55 yard touchdown to senior Preston VanWyke. The play came following an interception from Olin Meinders, also a senior.  After one, the score was 7-0, PCM. They scored again in the second on a 12 yard touchdown pass from Worth to Brayton VanDyke, making the score 13-0, PCM, at halftime.

Rock Valley came out for the third quarter, stopping the Mustang’s offense, and scoring on a 28 yard touchdown pass from quarterback JT Van’t Hul to Cody Post. Post led Rock Valley in receiving that game with three receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown. It was a two play, 28 yard drive. PCM answered shortly with a 7 yard touchdown run by senior Wes Cummings. It was on that drive that Cummings became PCM’s leading rusher in school history. The score was 21-7, PCM, after three quarters.

The Mustangs scored their final touchdown of their season in the fourth, capping their 13-0 season with the 28-7 win over Rock Valley. It was PCM’s first football state title in school history.Their offense was what they were known for: in their closest game, they won by 20 points. Now in 2020, PCM’s defense has improved substantially. This week, the Mustangs could have potentially gone to the state championship game again. Their semifinal game against Waukon had a final score of 38-21, Waukon. All of last week leading up to the Waukon game, the PCM community has been buzzing about the Mustangs UNI-dome game and no one knew what to expect, though they were all undoubtedly hoping history repeats itself.