Mules vs. Kermit (9-26-2014)

Mules vs. Kermit (9-26-2014)

The Mules dominated the Kermit Yellow Jackets much to the delight of the Muleshoe Homecoming crowd. The week’s festivities were culminated with the 41-13 win by the Mules.

“It was not pretty but it is what our team need,” said Mule coach David Wood. “We came out and played a solid game on both offense and defense. It was a great Homecoming game and everyone got in the game tonight.”

“We wanted to be able to establish the running game tonight and we got it done. We are continuing to find out more and more about our team as well as that more kids can play the game.”

“We really needed this win and it will be good for us mentally and a lot of other ways. It really came at a good time for us.”

The Mules won the coin toss and chose to defer to the second half. Felipe Guerrero teed up the ball and kicked off onsides toward the Mule sideline. The ball hit the turf at the Kermit 48 and took a high bounce over the front line of Yellow Jackets.

The ball again hit the turf at the Kermit 40 and took a second high bounce. By the time the ball came down four Mules were rushing to it. Francisco Elizalde just beat Chamel Regalado to the ball. Elizalde snatched the ball out of the air at the Kermit 36.

Danny Campos kept the ball and went up the middle for 18 yards on the first play of the game. Campos fired a strike to Regalado running a seven-yard hitch pattern. Josh Lopez scored on his first carry of the night.

He ran thru a wide hole in the middle of the line and was untouched until he bounced off the safety at the five-yard line. Lopez scooted then scoot to the end zone. Guerrero tacked on the point after to give the Mules a 7-0 lead 55 seconds into the game.

The Yellow Jackets were better prepared for the onside kick and covered the ball on the Kermit 46. The quarterback, Jantzen Michel, kept the ball and ran behind two running backs for three yards on first down.

Michel rolled left and Regalado applied pressure causing Michel to throw the ball up earlier than he would have preferred. Jason Florez jumped the route and made the interception at the Mule 47-yard line and returned to the Kermit 31 before he was brought down. 

The Mule blew a hole in the middle of the line for Lopez and he raced for 14 yards. Lopez pounded the middle again for eight yards to the Kermit nine.

Tony Castillo lined up as the outside receiver of three receivers to the right. Castillo broke straight up the field before breaking toward the goal post. Campos delivered Castillo the ball a yard deep in the end zone for the Mules second touchdown.

Guerrero’s kick gave the Mules a 14-0 lead with 9:31 left in the first period.

The Mule defense held the Yellow Jackets and forced a punt. The Mules were moving but Campos came under pressure. His arm appeared to get hit as he threw the ball.

Noey Porras intercepted Campos’s pass in the flat and returned 40 yards for a defensive Kermit touchdown. A low snap changed the timing for the point after try. Kermit trailed the Mules 14-6 with 8:07 still left in the first period.

The Mules turned the ball over on downs and then held the Yellow Jackets and forced a punt. The Kermit went out of bounds at the Kermit 47.

Lopez got the Mules started with an 11-yard run up the middle. The Mules lost three yards on first down but Lopez broke outside for eight yards to right the Mules. The Mules sent three receivers wide to the right side of the field.

Castillo was the outside receiver and broke straight down the field for five yards and broke toward the goal post. Campos delivered Castillo the ball at the Kermit 19. Castillo took a hit at the Yellow Jacket 16 and the Kermit player hung on for three yards.

Castillo was able to shake loose and out run the defense to the end zone. Guerrero added the point after to extend the Mule lead to 21-6 with 2:25 remaining in the opening period.

Campos and Castillo teamed up a third time in the second period. Castillo was the lone receiver on the right side at the Kermit four-yard line. Castillo faked a slant over the middle and broke to the outside.

Campos launched the ball over the out stretched hands of a leaping Yellow Jacket line backer and dropped the ball to Castillo. Castillo had a step on the defender and jumped high in the air to secure the ball for a touchdown.

The scoring drive had had taken 10 plays and gone 80 yards. Guerrero added the point after and the Mules led 28-6 with 3:46 left in the first half.

The Yellow Jackets answered before the half ended with Michel throwing a 24-yard scoring strike to Jay Workman. The kick was good and cut the Mule lead to 28-13. The five-play drive covered 68 yards and provided the Yellow Jackets with most of their offensive yard on the night.

The second half passed quickly with the Mules scoring with 9:12 left in the third quarter. Lopez ran in from four-yards out to cap a nine-play 70-yard drive.

The Mules were back in the end zone in the fourth period with 8:01 remaining in the game. The Mules had gone 56 yards in just two plays.

The Mules were in double twins with Tre Villa as the outside receiver and Regalado the inside receiver at the Kermit 30. When the ball was snapped Villa dropped back off the line of scrimmage like he was preparing for a screen pass.

Regalado appeared to be preparing to block for Villa but broke downfield and ran past his defender. He was seven yards behind his defender when Campos tossed him the ball at the Kermit 13. Regalado out ran the safety to the corner for the final points of the game.

The Mules rolled up 553 yards of offense. They rushed for 420 yards and passed for 133. Josh Lopez rushed 24 times for 237 yards and two touchdowns. He caught two passes for 15 yards.

Campos completed nine of 24 passes for 133 yards and four touchdowns. Cristian Paez rushed 10 times for 89 yards, Campos carried eight times for 42 yards, Saul Sanchez rushed three times for 32 yards and Tre Villa carried once for 20 yards.

Castillo made three receptions for 44 yards and three touchdowns. Regalado made two catches for 37 yards and one score. Villa had one reception for 16 yards, Tony Vasquez caught one for 12 yards and Saul Sanchez had one catch for seven yards.

The Mule defense limited the Yellow Jackets to a total of 81 yards. They passed for 55 yards and rushed for 26.

Ryder White led the Mule defense with 11 tackles, one being for a loss, one quarterback hurry, broke up two passes and made a big hit. Regalado had eight tackles with two for losses, two sacks, four quarterback hurries and two special team tackles.

Kevin Mendoza made eight tackles, Issac Acosta had five tackles with one being for a loss and one special team tackles. Cristian Paez made five tackles with one being on special teams and Roman Franco had five tackles and broke up one pass. Francisco Elizalde made three tackles, recovered a fumble and made three special teams tackles.

The Mules have an open date prior to starting district in River Road against the 2-3 Wildcats October 10.