It didn’t take Jared Homer and the Mustang Broncos long to develop an idea of how things might shake out this spring.
While most teams prepared for their first regular season matches, the Broncos were battling it out with three of the best teams in the state.
The Jenks Clash of Champions during the first weekend of March not only forced Mustang’s players to lock in extra early this year, but the tournament also gave Homer and his staff a glimpse at the squad’s potential.
How they played against the defending state champion Trojans, state runner-up Broken Arrow, and 5A power Bishop Kelley opened some eyes and jumpstarted a 7-1 start.
“We learned a lot about our guys right off the bat,” said Homer, who is coaching his 13th season at MHS. “Overall, the trip was great.”
Mustang opened the event with a 2-0 loss to Broken Arrow but rebounded well, defeating Jenks 2-0 before a 1-0 win over the Comets the following morning. Homer described the difference in how his team played after the Broken Arrow loss as “night and day.”
“It’s one thing to lose, but we really didn’t play well. So, it was nice to see the guys respond the next two games and battle back. It showed what they’re capable of not only on the field, but from a mental aspect as well.”
The Broncos have rolled ever since, including a 2-1 victory over Union on Tuesday night to cap non-district play.
A tap-in goal by midfielder Wyatt Karber (So.) off a perfect assist from forward Brandon Brown (Jr.) broke a 1-1 tie with 27:03 remaining and ultimately sealed the win.
Aiden Jordan (Jr.) moves past a pair of Union defenders during Mustang’s 2-1 win over the Redhawks on Tuesday, March, 26, 2024 at the Mustang Soccer Complex. Jordan and the Broncos have won seven straight matches since a 2-0 loss to Broken Arrow in the season opener. (Photo by Trey Hunter)
Brown and a Union defender both slid simultaneously after a pass just right of the goal, however, Brown was first to his feet and was able to gift-wrap Karber’s easy chance.
Senior Jake Rother scored the team’s first goal with 7:46 remaining in the first half, placing a ball just above the Union keeper off an assist from Karber. The Redhawks put their lone tally on the board just minutes earlier.
The victory marked the seventh straight since the team’s season-opening loss to Broken Arrow. Now, the Broncos have seasoned themselves with matchups against the Tigers, Trojans, Comets, and Redhawks as well as a scrimmage against Owasso.
“We’ve played all five of the powerhouse schools from the east side, which is great because the guys were able to see we’re there,” Homer said. “We have the tools to play with anybody, but sometimes you have to see it to believe it.”
Homer says the Broncos are an “older” group considering the team has 19 seniors. Leadership has become a valuable byproduct with having so many upperclassmen.
“A lot of these guys have been through the wringer, and they know what to expect day in and day out,” Homer said. “They understand the grind that comes with the wins and losses and it’s nice to have that aspect with an experienced team.”
Rother, Ethan Connelly, Jackson Clymer, Brody Marschall, Jacob Ringo, Ashton Mullins, Leo Nguyen, Ian Padilla, Dylan Leissner, Mang Kip, Dillon Clymer, Noah Thomas, Kyler Mitchell, and Grant Bradley are the team’s seniors as well as Taylor King, Anthony Pasillas, Riley Easley, and Chris Faught.
Talented sophomore Aiden Hale is the team’s leading goal scorer with five, including both goals against Jenks. He also has three assists.
Three players have three goals, including workhorse midfielder Aiden Jordan (Jr.), who also has one assist. He scored twice in Mustang’s 4-3 shootout win over Stillwater on March 5.
Dillon Clymer, who punched in the team’s lone goal against Bishop Kelley, has three scores as well as Padilla.
Padilla, a forward, leads the team with four assists while Rother and Brown each have three.
Mustang followed its win over the Pioneers with a second straight shootout victory over Yukon. The Millers are led by former Bronco assistant Blake Rodgers. Padilla scored the team’s only goal off an assist by Rother with 20:35 left in the first half.
Aiden Hale (So.) dashes down field with the ball as a Bishop Kelley defender looks on during a match earlier this season. The Broncos defeated the Comets 1-0 in the Jenks Clash of Champions, kickstarting a 7-1 start to the season. (Photo by Katie Willrath / Willrath Imaging)
Five players scored in an 8-1 win over Class 4A Woodward on March 12, including two apiece from Hale, Dillon Clymer, and Kip. Padilla and Brown finished with two assists each.
Padilla scored twice in a 3-0 win over Southmoore on March 14. He also assisted on a goal by Nguyen while Rother and Hale assisted his scores.
DISTRICT PLAY
The Broncos begin district play on Friday night against Norman (4-2). With just seven games remaining until the postseason, the team is already showing signs of being locked in.
Ashton Mullins (Sr.) lines up a kick during Mustang’s 2-1 win over Union on Tuesday, March 24, 2024, at the Mustang Soccer Complex. Mullins and the Broncos are 7-1 entering district play this week. (Photo by Trey Hunter)
“We just have to be confident and believe we’re the best team on the field,” Jordan – a team captain – said after the squad’s victory over Union. “And go out there from start to finish and play a full 80 minutes.
“It’s about finishing chances. Goals win games so we have to keep doing those things to get chances and capitalize when we do.”
Mustang travels to Edmond North (4/5), Lawton (4/9), Capitol Hill (4/16), and Bishop McGuinness (4/19) for its district road games. The Broncos host the Tigers (Friday), Edmond Santa Fe (4/5), and Putnam City West (4/12).
