That pretty much encapsulates a roller-coaster few days for Milton District’s senior football team, which came awfully close to folding early last week.

Starting the season with a scant 22 players, the Division 3 Mustangs hit perhaps the most dire point in recent memory with a couple of particularly poor turnouts for practice prior to Thursday’s home-field clash with the Iroquois Ridge Wolfpack.

“On the Tuesday I told the guys I might just have to call the convenor and forfeit the year,” said head coach Keith Pearce. “At that point a number of players stepped up and we were able to go ahead with the game.”

With intestinal fortitude making up for a complete lack of depth — with even quarterback Eric Cowan going both ways and no one hurting for field time — MD delivered an emotionally-charged 48-0 dismantling to their Oakville rivals.

To say the blowout provided a much-needed boost to a team in crisis mode would be a major understatement.

Said Pearce, “I’m just so happy for the kids. They really needed this bit of success.”

Even without top receiver John Russell — who hyper-extended his knee on a huge catch during a season- opening loss to Lester B. Pearson and will likely be out until the playoffs — the Mustangs had absolutely no problem moving the chains all afternoon.

Highlighted by Cowen’s three touchdown passes to Cameron Freelen, MD built up a 35-0 hammerlock by half-time and added insult to injury in the final quarter, when Steve Robillard scooped up a blocked field goal attempt and ran it back all the way to the house.

Jase Lavigne contributed two majors to the lopsided affair, while Andrew Cerny also reached the end-zone. Kicker Cameron Cottrell made good on all but the last convert, and that was due to a bad snap.

Defensively, the Mustangs afforded their guests very few first downs and squashed their momentum at just about every turn.

Meanwhile, Milton District’s Division 2 juniors used a productive start to down Oakville’s White Oaks Wildcats 14-0 in season-opening play Thursday.

Both touchdowns came in the opening quarter of a rainy conclusion to a double bill at MD.

Touchdowns were scored by Alex Searle and Ben Miller, who also came up with an interception to help keep the Wildcats’ offensive efforts at bay. White Oaks made it past midfield just three times, due to some topnotch containment.

Standing out in this department with some big tackles was Andre Charbonneau, while Darren Prong scored a two-point convert on the first major.

MD has another back-to-back home stand this afternoon. The juniors start things off with Georgetown at 2 p. m. and the seniors follow at 4 p. m. against White Oaks.