by Gunnar Davis

Coming off a 42-6 win over Clarke and six consecutive wins, the number-six ranked PCM Mustang football team knew they had a daunting task ahead of them when they traveled to Albia to take on the number-onee ranked Blue Demons on Oct. 16. Both teams were 4-0 in District Seven play, and a win from either team would secure a home playoff game. The Mustangs battled but ultimately fell, 42-6.
Going into the game, the Blue Demons had the leader in rushing yards in Class 2A on their side in 6-foot-2-inch, 250-pound senior Northern Iowa wrestling commit Carter Isley. Isley led the class with 1,263 yards and gained 177 more in the win over PCM.
The Mustangs did a decent job on defense in the first quarter, only allowing seven points to the powerful Albia offense. It was a different story in the second quarter, though, and the Blue Demons scored 21 more points. Once off a pick-six by Albia senior Bryce Leshen and another on an Isley score just inside the one minute mark until half. The Mustangs headed into the locker room down 28-0.
The defense held the Blue Demons a little better in the second half, only allowing two touchdowns, but in the end, the running clock and a stagnant offense hurt the Mustangs. PCM’s only score came off a senior Logan Gilman three-yard pass to junior Luke Greiner near the end of the game.
“The defense really came to play.” Gilman said. “They stepped up, made a few plays for us. We struggled to move the ball, but we showed some promise on the last drive.”
Gilman completed 17 of his 32 attempts for 179 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Greiner led the receivers with 10 catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. Junior Noah Clark had three catches for 34 yards.
Senior Davis Herndon led the defense with five solo tackles and nine assisted, and senior Reid Jenkins also had five solo tackles. Junior Sheldon Speers had an interception.
The Mustangs look to get things back on track on Senior Night, this Friday, Oct. 23, against North Polk for the District Seven two-seed. Whoever wins this game will have a home playoff advantage for their first playoff game.
“We just got to come to play against North Polk,” Gilman said. “We have to make sure we’re focused, everybody’s doing there part and play with heart.”