By Brinley McNeill
Friday nights under the lights are unforgettable for every Mustang player, coach, and fan. Silver Lake stormed the field with energy and left no doubt about who owned the game, shutting out Ansley-Litchfield with a commanding 34–0 victory.
From the very first play, the Mustangs controlled the pace. Senior quarterback Beau Bonifas led the way through the air, completing 10 of 19 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns. His favorite target of the night was junior Brody Knehans, who hauled in four receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown, including several momentum-swinging plays that fired up the Mustang sideline. Senior Lanham Skrdlant added another receiving touchdown, finishing with 28 yards on two catches.
On the ground, senior Jaxon tenBensel powered the rushing attack, carrying the ball 12 times for 61 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore Braedyn Snell chipped in 46 rushing yards on just five carries, helping Silver Lake rack up 111 rushing yards total to go along with the passing production. By halftime, the Mustangs had already built a 20–0 lead and never looked back.
Defensively, Silver Lake was relentless. The Mustangs piled up 43 total tackles, with seniors Landon Duester (8 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks) and Skrdlant (8 tackles) leading the charge. Knehans and junior Lane Magarin also got to the quarterback, combining for 1.5 sacks. The secondary came up big as well, with interceptions from tenBensel and Duester shutting down any hopes of an Ansley-Litchfield comeback.
Special teams gave Silver Lake an extra spark. tenBensel broke loose on a 37-yard kick return and added a seven-yard punt return, while Bonifas booted five kickoffs for 102 yards.
When the final whistle blew, the stats told the story: 318 total offensive yards, five touchdowns, and a defense that allowed nothing. The scoreboard matched the Mustangs’ effort—34–0. With this shutout performance, Silver Lake carries momentum into the rest of the season.