The Isabella Mustangs defeated the Holy Spirit Saints 40-13 on homecoming, as they distanced themselves in the second half.

After fumble on its first two offensive possessions of the game, Isabella (5-0) led 14-0 at halftime following touchdown runs of 71 and 4 yards by Jaqarise Stacy and Jarred Campbell respectively.

The second half got off to a much smoother start and resulted in a 59-yard touchdown by Campbell on the ground to answer a Holy Spirit score.

When the Mustangs offense took care of the football, they often scored in a hurry with their scoring drives averaging less than a handful of plays.

Campbell ran for a third touchdown, this time from 39 yards out to give Isabella a 27-7 lead at the end of the third quarter.

The game was put out of reach with a string of drives in the fourth quarter that included 1-yard touchdown runs from Austin Brasher and Cornelius Stacy.

The scores were setup by the defense making plays.

First, Jordan Campbell forced a punt with a sack on third down and then Anthony Fjeldstad intercepted a pass and returned it 36 yards to the Holy Spirit 5-yard line.

The victory gives the Mustangs momentum prior to starting a gauntlet of games over the next three weeks against region opponents Loachapoka, Maplesville and Notasulga.

“The next three weeks we’ve got to play the “SEC West” and we’re just going to take it one game at a time,” Isabella head coach Tate Leonard said. “We’re not looking ahead. The next game is the most important one.”