BLOOMFIELD — A huge defensive stand that led to a missed field goal with less than a minute to play gave Davis County a 28-26 Class 2A Substate win over North Cedar (Stanwood) Wednesday night in Bloomfield. The win sets up a rematch with Iowa City Regina Monday night in Bloomfield in the first round of the Class 2A state playoffs.

The win also gave the Mustangs two firsts. The game in Bloomfield was the first time Davis County had hosted a playoff game, but more importantly, it was the first postseason win for the Mustangs.

The start to the game was reminiscent of the Mustangs’ last game. The visitors took the opening kickoff and marched 60 yards in 10 plays to go up 7-0, much the same as Sigourney-Keota did to the Mustangs last Friday. The drive ate up nearly half of the opening quarter. The North Cedar double-tight, double-wing formation with lots of backfield misdirection led to a four-yard run by quarterback Tyler Braughton.

“Their offense was a little bit like S-K’s, but we emphasized our lack of success against S-K. We had to get back to the way we’d been playing defense,” said Mustang coach Dave Lukens.

This game the Mustangs had answers. The Mustangs answered with a 12-play, 68-yard drive of their own. Coleton Mathews scored from one yard out to bring the Mustangs to within one at 7-6.

North Cedar upped the lead to 13-6 on their next possession. A fourth and two pick up set up a 41-yard touchdown run by Jacob Edelman.

An illegal forward pass killed the Mustangs’ second drive.

The Knights of North Cedar, a one-dimensional offensive team, tried unsuccessfully to go to the pass and a big Mustang sack ended the third possession for the visitors. After a Davis County three-and-out, a high snap over the Knights punter’s head led to a Mustang safety. The punter fielded the ball at his own 15 and ran the ball out the back of the endzone.

After returning the free kick to the Knights’ 39 yard line, Davis County would go up 16-13 on a six yard run by Austin Utt. Tucker Henderson would have two of his five first-half receptions in the drive. Mathews hit Henderson for the two-point conversion with just 1:40 to go in the half.

“As a receiver, I try and make catches short or long. It’s just a question of stepping up and taking what they give us,” said Henderson.

Any thoughts of a Mustang lead at the half evaporated 13 seconds later, as Edelman went 77 yards with the kick off. The visitors had another chance to up the lead before half as they recovered the onside kick-off. Brandon Veatch ended North Cedar’s last first have drive with the first of his two interceptions.

“I just played the route and stepped in front,” said Veatch.

The Mustangs failed to score and the half ended with North Cedar up 19-16.

The Mustangs started the second half with good field position but an interception on their first offensive play, turned the ball back over to the Knights. The interception return set the Knights up at the Davis County 37 yard line. Four plays later a 17-yard run by Donny Wachendorf put the visitors up by 10 at 26-16 with less than two minutes gone in the third.

Lukens talked about how his team would finish the game.