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OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Sophomore quarterback Jeff Farrah threw for three touchdowns and the Stevenson defense held visiting Misericordia to 204 total yards, as the Mustangs remained undefeated with a 28-13 Middle Atlantic Conference win over the Cougars on Saturday afternoon before a crowd of 2,041 at Mustang Stadium.
Stevenson improved to 4-0 overall, and remained atop the Middle Atlantic Conference with a 3-0 mark. It was the Mustangs' seventh straight triumph, dating back to the 2014 season. Stevenson will try for the best start in its five-year history on Oct. 3, when it hosts conference rival King's (Pa.) at Mustang Stadium. Misericordia, which remained winless at 0-4, 0-3, will seek its first win of the season against visiting Albright on Oct. 3.
Farrah completed 25 of 37 passes for 250 yards and three scores. His favorite targets were a pair of sophomore wide receivers. Devin Salisbury enjoyed a career day, with nine catches for 97 yards and two touchdowns, while Preston Addo hauled in a career-high six catches for 71 yards. Junior wideout Neil Harps added four catches for 50 yards.
The Mustangs also employed an effective ground game. Freshman Kiandre Burrell and junior Paki Brown each gained 72 yards for the Mustangs, who took a 21-0 halftime lead and were never seriously threatened.
The Stevenson defense, which entered the game with a nation-leading 18 sacks, added to their total with one sack of Misericordia quarterback Jeff Puckett. The Mustangs also ran their season interception total to ten on a fourth-quarter pick by junior defensive back Austin Tennessee. Stevenson's veteran linebacking corps of junior Cory Pietrzyk and seniors Brady Kempa and Razonte Dunn combined to make 21.5 tackles.
Burrell's one-yard scoring run at the 4:26 mark of the first quarter capped a ten-play, 57-yard drive and gave Stevenson the lead for good. Farrah and Salisbury connected on an 11-yard scoring pass with 47 seconds remaining in the opening stanza. Salisbury scored his second touchdown on a 15-yard pass from Farrah midway through the second quarter, and Stevenson was on its way to a 4-0 start for the second consecutive season.
Misericordia got on the board with 6:24 left in the third quarter on a 15-yard touchdown run by freshman wide receiver Sam Gillison. Stevenson answered with Burrell's second touchdown, on a five-yard pass from Farrah, which increased the Mustangs' lead to 28-7 at the 11:57 mark of the fourth quarter. The Cougars closed the scoring on Puckett's 13-yard strike to senior tight end Thomas Stelzer with 4:31 remaining.
Puckett was Misericordia's top rusher, gaining 66 yards on 18 carries. Running back Ryan Kurtz was held to just 47 yards on 15 carries. The Mustang defense forced Puckett to throw mostly short passes, and the Cougar signal-caller completed 11 of 25 for just 68 yards.