Neither side had a great night when it came to the kicking game, so it wasn’t so much which unit played better so much as which one made the biggest and most timely play.

Thanks in large part to a blocked punt recovered for touchdown that avenged an earlier blocked punt recovered for a touchdown, Middle Creek reversed that regular-season outcome – a 16-12 loss where a 90-yard interception return was the winning score – with a 28-20 victory against visiting Tri-Nine Conference opponent Panther Creek.

Panther Creek made the night’s first big special teams play near the end of the first half.

Middle Creek was poised to enter halftime with a one-possession lead, but Panther Creek’s Parker Perkins blocked a Mustangs punt, which was recovered by Greg Garneau in the end zone to put the Catamounts ahead 14-13 with just 19 seconds left in the first half.

Panther Creek (8-4) received the kickoff to start the second half, but after its first drive stalled it was the Mustangs who returned the special teams favor.

Middle Creek senior linebacker Jimmy Boyd was there this time, blocking Dan Beilinson’s punt and recovering it in the end zone for a touchdown. Middle Creek went for two and converted it on a David Salmon pass to Devone Johnson to take a 21-14 lead that the Mustangs never gave up.

It was a bright spot for the Mustangs’ special teams, which also missed an earlier point-after attempt.

Middle Creek (9-3), which had trouble with its long snaps in punt formation all night, saw a fourth-quarter snap hit the long-snapper in the leg and go just behind the line of scrimmage. Middle Creek recovered, and Panther Creek used the short field to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by David Mayaka.

But again, special teams loomed large, as Panther Creek kicker Garrett Lang missed the extra point. The gaffe kept Middle Creek ahead 21-20.

The Mustangs took the next drive in for a score, ending on a 16-yard touchdown run by quarterback David Salmon. In the first half, Middle Creek running back Naylaan Lopez scored on touchdown runs of 36 and six yards out to put the Mustangs up 13-0.

Middle Creek will host arch-rival Fuquay-Varina next week in a rematch of the game that decided the Tri-Nine race. The Mustangs defeated Fuquay 48-47 in double overtime in the opening week of conference play.