Not many 7th graders have the willpower to get up early for football practice at 7:15 on the first day of school. The same goes for 8th graders staying after school till 5 for practice. That’s the dedication that our football team has. This simple reason explains why they all had very successful seasons.

The 7th grade blue team finished with four wins and four losses with three wins and one loss against conference opponents. The games that count in the final standing are conference games, so they finished second place in district! After starting out with two straight non-conference losses against Hopewell and Hernandez, the boys picked up their first win of the season with a 14-12 thriller against Ridgeview. That was the beginning of a three game win streak, where they destroyed Chisholm Trail and Grisham 30-0 and 36-0. Their only conference loss was a 20-12 loss to the district champions Walsh. “This team had a lot of enthusiasm,” Coach Rice says “They were quick to learn the finer points of the game and applied them relentlessly.”
The 7th grade red team finished with one win and seven losses with zero wins and four losses against the conference. The boys worked hard all year and did have some key moments when they almost spoiled Cedar Valley’s district run. With 20 seconds left in the game, it was tied at zero but the Cedar Valley quarterback heaved a long pass that was caught for the game winning score. It was the toughest test that the Jaguars had all year. The Mustangs were able to end the season strong as they destroyed C.D. Fulkes 30-2. Devin Green had an outstanding game for the Mustangs running for three touchdowns as the Lizards couldn’t stop him. Coach Rice sums up their season perfectly: “Their record may not reflect it, but each boy worked very hard throughout the season to improve his skill level. They overcame a few obstacles along the way.”

The 8th grade blue team had an outstanding season finishing with 6 wins and two losses, winning the district championship! They started off the season with a 28-18 loss to Hopewell before going on a tear, ripping off six straight victories winning all their games in the conference. The defense kept the Mustangs in all their games as three times, they shutout their opponents. Only twice throughout the year they gave up more than 20 points.
The 8th grade red team had a solid season finishing with four wins and four losses with two wins and two losses in the conference. After losing to Hopewell in their first game 22-0, they picked up their first win of the season with 16-14 win against Hernandez. After that was an exciting 42-40 shootout with Ridgeview that ended with the Mustangs picking up their first conference game of the season. Their other conference win was a 16-14 victory over Cedar Valley. “These fellows persevered during the season. At times, a few had to play their second position more than their first during games. They displayed a strong teamwork ethic.” Coach Rice was very proud of this squad.

All of our Canyon Vista teams had very successful seasons. The dedication they showed was easy to find in the way they played and they all got better. Our seventh graders will have great seasons next year, and our eighth graders will thrive at Westwood and make us proud.