With an overall record of 3-6, the Mustang football team has found recent success in NCAA Division III. Its most recent win, 15-6 at Mt. Ida College Saturday, marked its second straight victory after a 1-6 start. Still, the transition to DIII has been slow.

Many on the team, like third-year veteran Luke Visingard, think the squad has made great improvements. Visingard gave a lot of insight about the team. He said he loves to play for the Mustangs; that the thrill, excitement, and competitive edge of the game is what keeps him coming back.

Still, he also expressed concern about the relative age of the team. "Many teams we play have juniors and seniors," said Visingard. "We don't. We have a lot of younger players." Out of a total roster of 97 players, 66 are freshmen.

Visingard, a junior on the team, has been a starter since 2004, his first year here. He plays defensive end, and said he knows the meaning of hard work. "I started out young. My dad put a ball in my hands, put me on the field, and I got plowed over," Visingard recalled. "I worked at it though, and I got better."

A fan of the Dallas Cowboys, Visingard said he knows what it takes to get better, and he also knows the feeling of defeat. "It seems that when a big play comes along, we are all happy about it, then we get nervous and it gets screwed up."

Visingard expressed his feelings about this year's squad. He said team unity is high and that the team will likely become stronger with time. "We hang out a lot with each other," he said. "Team unity is a big thing for us. As the year goes on we will get closer. As more players come back I know that we will become a better team."

Visingard said having a lot of freshmen on the team doesn't go unnoticed. With freshmen representing more than half the starters, the team may just have some growing up to do.
The Mustangs lost a hard-fought game to 9th-ranked national power Salisbury University during  Mustang Weekend on Oct. 13. Morrisville trailed the Sea Gulls 14-13 at the half before bowing to their superior strength, 56-20.

On Oct. they rallied to defeat SUNY Brockport, 20-19. Their second-straight win came at Mt. Ida College last Saturday.

There have been signs of improvement on both sides of the ball. "We are a young team," said Visingard, "but we have come a long way since the start of the season."

The Mustangs’ final game is at home Saturday against Wesley College. Game time is 1 p.m.