Mules vs. Kermit (9-25-2015)

Mules vs. Kermit (9-25-2015)

The long trip to Kermit did not seem to slow the Mules down when they hit Walton Field to play the Yellow Jackets. The Mules had the game in control after just one period, leading 19-0.

“I was glad to see us play a complete game tonight,” said Mule coach David Wood. “It seems like we have tended to bog down on offense or defense after the half. But tonight we continued to play well on both sides of the ball.”

The Mules received the opening kick and returned the ball to the Mule 18. The Mules marched to the Kermit 43 in four plays. Danny Campos tossed a wide-receiver screen to Tre Villa.

Bryce Mauricio and Dagen Dunham opened the gate with blocks for Villa and he galloped 43 yards to pay dirt. Dunham centered the ball to Tony Vasquez behind a wall of Mule blockers in the Swinging Gate. Vasquez headed to the outside and was cut off. He reversed his field to score the two-point conversion. The Mules led 8-0 with 10:39 left in the opening quarter.

Jose Mendoza sacked the Jacket quarterback to stall the Jacket drive and the Mules took over on downs at the Kermit 28.

Evan Paez had gains of eight and 19 yards on back-to-back plays. The Mule drive stalled on the Kermit 10-yard line. Campos spotted the tee on the left hash mark and Mauricio kicked the ball just inside the left upright for a 27-yard field goal to put the Mules up 11-0 with 5:43 still in the first period.

Vasquez kicked off, raced down field and made the tackle at the Jacket 35. Two plays later, Aaryn Ross leaped high in the air to snag Jacket pass at the Kermit 44. He broke the tackle of the intended receiver and raced down the Mule sideline for a defensive touchdown.

Campos added the two-point conversion and the Mules led 19-0 with just under five minutes remaining in the first frame.

The Jackets caught a break when the Mules fumbled a punt return to give the Jackets’ drive a second chance. The Mule defense had a different plan. Dunham batted down a pass on second down and Vasquez broke up a pass in the end zone. The Jackets missed a 27-yard field goal attempt and the Mules took the ball at the Mule 15.

Campos used a hard count to draw the Jackets offside on third down. The Mules recognized a free-play opportunity and Campos toss a fade to Tony Castillo at the Mule 46. Castillo dragged a defender to the Kermit 34 for a 49-yard gain. The Mules declined the penalty.

Mendoza bounced his run outside for 12 yards on the first play of the second period. Campos ran behind Mendoza’s lead block for 10 more yards. Campos then tossed the ball high in the end zone to Ross for 12-yard TD. The Mules extended the lead to 25-0 with 10:43 left in the half.

The Mule defense gave up some ground before stopping the Jackets at the Mule 18. A screen pass to Mauricio was good for 12 yards. Campos next rolled right before letting the ball fly. Mauricio had out ran the defense and was camping at the Kermit 44.

The ball sailed 32 yards to Mauricio and he easily beat the defense to the end zone by seven yards. The Mules led 31-0 with 7:38 still on the clock in the first half.

The Jackets only score came on a 12-yard run by Kobie Lujan. Diego Ayala tacked on the point after to trim the Mule lead to 31-7 with just over two minutes left in the half.

The Mules scored one final time before the half on a 41-yard pass and run from Campos to Vasquez. The 66-yard drive took five plays. Mauricio booted the point after to give the Mules a 38-7 Mule lead at the half.

The Mule defense stopped the first Jacket drive of the second half. The Mules marched 40 yards on six plays to score on a three-yard pass from Campos to Dunham. The Mules led 44-7 with 5:58 remaining in the third period.

The Campos to Mauricio connection resulted in a 77-yard touchdown on the second play of a two-play drive. Mauricio tacked on the point after for a 51-7 Mule lead with 1:39 left in the third quarter.

The clock ran during the final period but the Mules scored on a four-play 51-yard drive. Campos hit Villa with a screen pass and he scampered 51 yards for a TD. Mauricio booted the final point of the game.

The Mules rolled up 575 total yards of offense with 143 being on the ground and 432 through the air. Campos carried seven times for 48 yards and was 16 of 22 passes for 432 yards, seven touchdowns, added a two-point conversion and had no interceptions.

Paez rushed three times for 41 yards and had one reception for nine yards. Lopez ran five times for 28 yards. Mauricio had three receptions for 159 yards and two TDs. Villa made five catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Ross had two receptions for 27 yards and a score. He scored a second TD on an interception. 

Vasquez made one catch for 41 yards and a TD. Dunham had one catch for three yards and a TD. Castillo made two receptions for 63 yards and Matt Flores had a catch for four yards.

The Mule defense held Kermit to 265 yards with 179 being on the ground and 86 passing. Donavan Gutierrez led the Mules with 19 tackles and two quarterback hurries. Dunham had 11 tackles, three quarterback hurries and blocked one pass. Flores made nine tackles and broke up two passes.

Paez had eight tackles, one quarterback hurry and three special teams tackles. Mendoza made eight tackles with one being for a loss. Cameron Hardwick had seven tackles, one tackle for a loss, one sack and two quarterback hurries.

Javy Perez recorded seven tackles and Dominik Hasley made six stops with one being for a loss.

The Mules will take off a week before hosting the River Road Wildcats to start district play.