Dylan Ledahl is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Trevor G. Browne High School for AZPreps365.com

On a beautiful Thursday night at Bill Mitton Stadium in Phoenix, the Trevor G. Browne Bruins took on the North Mustangs in a 5A Metro battle.

Though the game started off with both defenses showing up and not allowing the opposing team’s offenses to get hot, the Mustangs running game proved to be too much for the Bruins defense in the second half. The Mustangs, who entered on a two-game win streak, came away with a 20-16 win.

This game had everything you could think of. It had passing touchdowns, rushing touchdowns, special teams touchdowns and more. It was the Mustangs defense/special teams that put the first points of the game on the board.

In the second quarter, the Mustangs blocked a punt and returned it for a 14-yard scoop-n-score. The Mustangs missed the extra point, leading 6-0.

After the defensive/special teams touchdown by the Mustangs, the Bruins offense started to click. Senior quarterback Nico Alvarez started to connect with his wideouts and use his legs to make some plays towards the end of the first half. After getting three first downs, the Bruins settled for three. Junior wide receiver/kicker Miguel Fierro put the first points on the board for the Bruins.

This was Fierro’s first of three field goals on the night. The Mustangs turned it over on downs near the 50-yard line with a little over a minute to go in the first half. Fierro would go on to make his second field goal of the game. Fierro’s last field goal was to take a 16-13 lead early in the fourth quarter, which was their only lead of the game.

At halftime, the Bruins and Mustangs were tied at six. This was Bruins head coach Francisco Rangel's expectation.

“Guys, who is surprised that we are in this position? Because I’m not,” Rangel said at halftime.

Throughout the second half, the Bruins defense was not the same as the first half. The Mustangs’ strength this season has been throwing through the air, led by junior quarterback Tommy Cruz. The Bruins’ strength is their secondary, led by senior defensive back RJ Strickland.

The Mustangs transitioned to running the ball, and it worked. Sophomore running back Mason Wiedoff ran through the Bruins defensive line and there was no stopping him and the rest of the Mustangs rushing attack.

“Throughout the game, some of the d-linemen were getting tossed out of their gap instead of just owning their gap,” said Bruins defensive line coach James Bagley. “Other than that, we have got to stop the run. We work on stopping the run all week, religiously.”

They would go on to score two touchdowns on the ground, one touchdown was to take the lead 13-6 halfway through the third quarter. The other was to retake the lead 20-16 late in the fourth, which was all the Mustangs needed to get the victory.

Trevor G. Browne (1-7, 0-3) next takes on South Mountain (2-5, 1-1) on Thursday, October 26, in Phoenix and North (4-4, 3-0) takes on Central (6-1, 2-0) on Friday, October 27, in Phoenix. The Bruins will then host Betty H. Fairfax Friday, November 3, for its final regular season game and Senior Night.

“We want to win for these seniors,” Rangel said. “This is my first senior class. When I got here, it was COVID, so this is my first crew. Unfortunately for them, we are young in a lot of key spots. They deserve so much better than the season they are getting.”