Mules vs. Childress (9-22-2017)

Mules vs. Childress (9-22-2017)

The Childress Bobcats arrived in Benny Douglas Stadium with just one thing on their minds. The Mules could do little to change their minds in the game’s 48-minute duration. The Bobcats left town with a 46-7 win.

Childress kicked off to the Mules, and Brady Martinez returned up the right hash marks behind a block by Romeo Reyes to the Mule 24. Michael Lozano took a pitch wide left for six yards. The Mules were pushed back on the next two plays, and Lozano booted a low punt that took a Mule bounce and roll to the Childress 43.

A high snap by the Childress center allowed Corbin Hardwick to reach the Bobcat quarterback first. Jacob Kettner, Carlos Meza, and Moises Vasquez got there as a group to finish the tackle for a two-yard loss.

Yoel Reyes stepped in front of a Bobcat pass at the Mule 42 and returned to the Childress 42. Romeo Reyes stepped back from the line of scrimmage to receive a screen pass from Luke Del Toro. Martinez chopped down the cornerback to allow R. Reyes to dash down the Mule sideline for five yards.

The Mules could move no further, and Childress took over on downs at the Bobcat 41. Four plays later the Bobcats scored on a two-yard run. The two-point conversion failed, and the Bobcats led the Mules 6-0.

Childress kicked off to the Mule 10, and Matthew Alarcon bobbed and weaved his way to the Mule 30. It was a three-and-out for the Mules and Lozano punted the ball to the Childress 49.

The Bobcats returned the ball to the Mule 30 where Del Toro ran the return man out of bounds.

Three plays later the Bobcats scored on an eight-yard pass. The point-after kick was good to give Childress a 13-0 lead.

Childress was back in the Mules’ end zone after a tipped pass was intercepted by the Bobcats. The Bobcat quarterback kept for a two-yard to score Childress third touchdown.

The Mules trailed 30-0 with time running out in the first half.

Yoel Reyes took a screen pass four yards on first down to the Mule 43. Del Toro found R. Reyes open for another four-yard gain. A screen pass from Del Toro to R. Reyes with Martinez chopping down defenders went 20 yards for a first down at the Childress 33.

Del Toro dropped straight back, looked off the defenders and threw a strike to R. Reyes in the end zone. Martinez kicked the point after to cut the Childress lead to 30-7 with three seconds remaining in the half.

The Mules rushed for 14 yards and passed for 71 for a total offense of 85 yards. Ryan Rodriguez rushed for 24 yards on seven tries, and Romeo Reyes caught six passes for 55 yards and one touchdown.

Michael Lozano led the Mule defense with 23 tackles and one interception. Corbin Hardwick made 13 tackles, and Romeo Reyes recorded 11 tackles and made one interception.

Julian Astorga had ten tackles. Ean Hasley made nine tackles and two special teams tackles. Isaac Mendoza recorded nine tackles and one special team’s tackle.

The Mules hit the road to Idalou to play 

JV Mules vs. Childress (9-21-2017)

JV Mules vs. Childress (9-21-2017)

The JV Mules appeared to utilize the long bus ride to Childress Thursday afternoon as an inspiration to defeat the Bobcats 33-6. The Mules scored twice in the opening quarter and added two more touchdowns in the second period to lead the Bobcats 26-6 by the intermission.

The Mules added one final touchdown and an extra point in the final period to finish off Childress. The ride home did not seem near as long as it could have if the score had been reversed.

Raul Sierra completed four of seven pass attempts for 108 yards and three touchdowns. He rushed four times for seven yards and made one reception for nine yards. Fabian Valdez caught two passes for 33 yards.

Jimmy Villa rushed eight times for 47 yards and one touchdown. He made three receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Villa completed eight of 10 passes for 71 yards and one touchdown.

Derek Barron had three catches for 22 yards. Adrian Bustillos made two receptions for 20 yards. Jose Cardenas had one catch for a five-yard touchdown and kicked three extra points. Hector Arres rushed 10 times for 64 yards, and Nick Dominguez carried eight times for 46 yards.

Cardenas picked off one pass and returned it for a touchdown. He also recovered a fumble. Arres made two tackles and recovered a fumble. Rigo Mendoza and Florez led the Mules with six tackles each. Kynton Haseloff made five tackles. Rick Torres recovered one fumble. Cristian Bustillos intercepted one pass.

The Mules will host the Idalou Wildcats Thursday afternoon in Benny Douglas Stadium.  

  

9th Mules vs. Andrews JV

9^th Mules vs. Andrews JV

Childress could not field a freshman team, so the Mules scrambled and found the Andrews Mustangs JV did not have an opponent for Thursday afternoon and agreed to travel to Muleshoe. The Mules were overmatched, and the Class 4A Mustangs left with an 18-8 defeat of the Mules.

Following the opening kickoff, a facemask penalty advanced the Mustangs to midfield. Two incomplete passes left the Mustangs needing 10-yards on third down. The Andrew’s quarterback scrambled for seven yards to the Mule 42.

Riley Kettner saved a touchdown with a tackle at the Mule 16. Joe Gutierrez made the stop for after a one-yard gain on first down. A pass to the end zone sailed over the receiver’s hands.

Enrique Toscano broke up a pass in the end zone on third down. The Mustang quarterback connected for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 5:44 left in the opening period. Joey Martinez stopped the two-point conversion. The Mustangs led 6-0.

The Mustangs took over on downs at the Mule 41 with four and half minutes left in the first half. A 14-yard touchdown pass by the Mustang quarterback put Andrews in front 12-0 with 2:31 left in the first half. Victor Velasquez made the stop on the two-point conversion attempt.

The Mules started their ensuing drive on the Muleshoe 44. Andrews intercepted a Mule pass and returned to the Muleshoe 31.

Jacob Rodriguez returned the favor and intercepted a Mustang pass at the Mule 26. The Mules fumbled on second down, and the Mustangs recovered at the Mule 21. An Andrews 16-yard touchdown pass came with 37 seconds remaining in the first half. Gutierrez stopped the two-point conversion.

The two teams exchanged possessions to begin the third period. The Mustangs turned the ball over to the Mules on downs at the Andrews 31.

Gutierrez hit the right side for three yards. A pitch to left to Gutierrez on third down and he powered ahead for six yards. Barron kept left for the two-yards needed for a first down at the Andrews 21.

Barron tossed to J. Martinez, and he broke a tackle for a 20-yard gain to the Mustang one-yard line. J. Martinez burst up the middle for a one-yard touchdown. Barron tossed to Kurt Rodriguez in the end zone for the two-point conversion. The Mules trailed 8-18 with 53 seconds left in the third period.

Neither the Mules nor the Mustangs could locate the end zone again in the game.

The Mules rushed for 51 yards and passed for 146 yards for a total offense of 197 yards. Riley Kettner rushed four times for five yards and completed 10 of 22 pass attempts for 146 yards and threw three interceptions.

Joe Gutierrez carried three times for 23 yards. Joey Martinez rushed three times for 23 yards, made seven catches for 106 yards and one touchdown. Kurt Rodriguez made three receptions for 40 yards and a two-point conversion.

Joey Martinez led the Mule defense with 10 tackles. Riley Kettner recorded seven tackles. Colton Griswold made five stops. Victor Velasquez, Benjamin Ramirez, and Elias Aguirre made four tackles each.

The Mules will host the Idalou Wildcats Thursday evening.

   

8th Mules vs. Childress (9-21-2017)

8^th Mules vs. Childress (9-21-2017)

The eighth-grade Childress Bobcats realized they had been in a fight before they departed Muleshoe. The Bobcats took the night 14-6 over the Mules.

The Mules kicked off to start the game, and Childress covered the ball at the midfield. The Bobcats made eight yards on first down. A motion penalty set the Bobcats back five yards on second down.

Daniel Avila sniffed out a screen pass and made the tackle for no gain. The Bobcats completed a pass for five yards before Josh Estraca made the tackle. Childress recovered a fumble in the Bobcats backfield for an eight-yard loss on fourth down.

The Mules took over on downs at midfield. Jeremiah Barron rolled right and made the pitch to Juan Zacarias for a 12-yard gain. The Bobcats stifled the Mules on the next three downs, and the Mules punted to the Childress 20.

The Bobcats strung together a 13-down drive to score on a three-yard run with 3:46 remaining in the first half. The two-point conversion was good, and Childress led the Mules 8-0.

The Mules could not even the score before the half ended.

Childress kicked off to begin the second half, and the Mules covered the ball at the Muleshoe 36.

Zacarias went wide right for ten yards. Barron kept left for six yards, and then scrambled for eight yards and a first down at the Childress 40. Christian Fabela made a reception on a slant for five yards.

Barron connected with Estraca at the Bobcat 20. Estraca outdistanced the defense to the end zone for the Mules only score with 3:02 left in the third period.

The Bobcats scored on the first play of the final quarter on a 15-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion failed, and Childress held on for the win.

The Mules will travel to Idalou Thursday to play the Wildcats. 

7th Mules vs. Childress (9-21-2017)

7^th Mules vs. Childress (9-21-2017)

The seventh-grade Mules had to keep battling back Thursday afternoon when they hosted the Childress Bobcats. They continued to match the Bobcats’ scoring three times before finally taking the lead in the fourth period with a two-point conversion.

Irvin Torres hit Noah Deleon running a slant pattern over the middle for a 28-yard touchdown to tie the game at 20-20 with just three minutes left in the game. Torres kept and burst up the middle for a two-point conversion to put the Mules in front 22-20. 

Childress would not go away and needed only four plays to score on a 31-yard pass and run to retake the lead with 1:17 left in the game.

The Mules could not answer to fall to the Childress Bobcats 26-22.

The Bobcats broke the scoring ice with 3:46 left in the first half on a 15-yard touchdown throw. Frankie Reyes made the stop on the two-point conversion attempt.

Childress attempted to trick the Mules with an onside kickoff, but Daniel Ramirez covered the ball at the Mule 45-yard line.

Torres connected with Uriel Vasquez at the Childress 25, and he scooted to the Bobcat 18 for a 35-yard gain. Childress was called for offside on first down. Torres rolled right and tossed to Vasquez to advance the Mules to the Bobcat one-yard line. Torres carried over with 1:44 remaining in the first half to tie the game at 6-6.

Forty seconds later the Bobcats scored on a 19-yard touchdown pass and added the two-point conversion for a 14-6 lead over the Mules with 1:04 left in the first half.

Childress kicked off to the Mule 38, and there was no return. F. Reyes hit the left side of the line for five yards. Torres kept wide right and cut back to the center of the field for a 41-yard gain on fourth down. He then was forced to scramble for seven yards to the Bobcat nine.

Torres passed to Judas Reyes on a slant over the middle. He made the catch and broke between a pair of defenders for a touchdown with 16 seconds left in the first half. Torres kept wide left for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 14-14.

Childress scored with 20 seconds left in the third period to take a 20-14 lead over the Mules.

The Mules will travel to Idalou to play the Wildcats Thursday. 

Mules vs. Brownfield (9-15-2017)

Mules vs. Brownfield (9-15-2017)

In a game the Mules would like to forget, they fell to the Brownfield Cubs Friday night 42-13. The Cubs owned a six-point lead when the first period ended and never trailed in the game.

The Cubs scored again early in the second period on a 40-yard pass from Jaelyn Nolan to Adrian Martinez. The Cubs tacked on the two-point conversion with a toss from Nolan to Chris Vidales. The Cubs led 14-0 with 9:25 remaining in the first half.

The two teams exchanged punts, and the Cubs punt took a Mule bounce to the Muleshoe 43. Michael Del Toro completed a pass to Romeo Reyes. Rudy Ruiz made a downfield block to open the path for a 22-yard gain.

Brady Martinez ran a delayed slant and snagged the football for a five-yard pickup. Michael Lozano cut wide to the left and a facemask penalty and a dead-ball foul advanced the ball to the Cub three-yard line.

Back-to-back plays lost ground, and on third down, Del Toro fired a strike to R. Reyes at the one-yard line, and he powered into the end zone. Brady Martinez booted the point after to cut the Cub lead to 14-7 with just under five minutes left in the first half.

The Cubs scored before the intermission and again after the second half started to lead the Mules 28-7.

The Cubs kicked off to the Mule 40, and Matthew Alarcon returned the ball to the Mule 48. Lozano carried up the middle and cut left for a nine-yard gain. Yoel Reyes made the reception on a wide-receiver screen, avoided one tackle and broke another for a 10-yard gain.

Lozano powered up the middle for six yards. The Cubs jumped into the neutral zone to donate the Mules five yards. Del Toro emptied the backfield and ran a quarterback draw to the one-yard line. Del Toro followed Lozano into the end zone for the Mules final score.

The Mules rushed for 133 yards and passed for 116 for a total of 249 yards of offense. Luke Del Toro carried 12 times for 77 yards and one touchdown. He completed 13 passes for 90 yards and one touchdown. Jimmy Villa completed four passes for 26 yards.

Romeo Reyes caught six passes for 54 yards and one touchdown. Jacob Kettner grabbed two passes for 28 yards, and Brady Martinez made four catches for 18 yards.

The Mules are making preparations to host the 3-0 Childress Bobcats Friday night. 

JV Mules vs. Brownfield (9-14-2017)

JV Mules vs. Brownfield (9-14-2017)

The JV Mules made the trip to Brownfield Thursday evening. The Cubs proved to be no match for the Mules. The Mules improved their season record to 2-1 with a 42-6 defeat of the Cubs.

Raul Sierra completed 15 of 28 pass attempts for 202 yards and three touchdowns. Nick Dominguez rushed 11 times for 144 yards and scored one touchdown. Hector Arres carried five times for 81 yards and two touchdowns.

Derek Barron made five receptions for 39 yards and three touchdowns. Fabian Valdez caught four passes for 42 yards and one two-point conversion. Adrian Bustillos made three catches for 32 yards, and Kelan Florez had three receptions for 11 yards and two two-point conversions.

Jose Cardenas led the Mule defense with 10 tackles and one sack. Florez made seven tackles, Rigo Mendoza had five tackles, and Josh Torres made five tackles. Kynton Haseloff made two tackles and picked off three Cub passes.

Haseloff returned one interception 103 yards for a touchdown but was called back on a penalty. Cristian Bustillos made four tackles and made one interception. Andrew Castorena had four tackles and recovered a fumble.

The Mules rushed 16 times for 225 yards and caught 15 passes for 202 yards for a total offense of 427 yards. The Mule defense combined for 52 tackles, four interceptions and recovered one fumble.

The Mules will make the long trip to Childress Thursday afternoon to battle the Bobcats.   

9th Mules vs. Brownfield (9-14-2017)

9^th Mules vs. Brownfield (9-14-2017)

The freshmen Mules found various ways of scoring against the Brownfield Thursday on the Cubs’ field. The Mules defeated the Cubs 16-6.

Riley Kettner completed six of 22 passing attempts for 58 yards, rushed seven times for 21 yards and one touchdown. He also made three interceptions and recorded four tackles.

Joe Gutierrez carried 11 times for 93 yards, made two receptions for eight yards, and recorded seven tackles. Eli Macias caught one pass for 20 yards and made one tackle. Enrique Toscano had one reception for 15 yards, made three tackles, and one interception. Kurt Rodriguez caught one pass for 10 yards and made two tackles.

Joey Martinez made one reception for five yards, recorded nine tackles, and made one sack. He returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown and made a tackle for a safety.

Francisco Zubia scooped up a fumble on a two-point conversion attempt by the Cubs and returned 85 yards for a two-point conversion for the Mules.

The Mules rushed for 114 yards and passed for 58 for a total offense of 178 yards. The Mule defense recorded 43 tackles, three sacks, made one interception and took the ball from the Cubs on three occasions.

The Mules are back on the road Thursday when they will travel to Childress to battle the Bobcats.     

8th Mules vs. Brownfield (9-14-2017)

8^th Mules vs. Brownfield (9-14-2017)

The eighth-grade Mules played host to the Brownfield Cubs Thursday afternoon. The Mules were tough on the visitors and sent them home with a loss. The Mules won their first game of the season 20-0.

The Mules kicked off to start the game, and Alex Regalado made the tackle at the Cub 30. The Cubs gained 15 yards on their first play. Jacob Reyes and Regalado blitzed into the Cub backfield for an eight-yard loss on third down. Abraham Mendoza broke up a fourth-down pass to give the Mules the ball on the Cub 45.

Jeremiah Barron rolled right and made the pitch to Juan Nava. Nava scooted 45 yards for a touchdown with 4:15 remaining in the opening period. The two-point conversion failed, and the Mules led 6-0.

The Mules again kicked off, and the Cubs returned to the Brownfield 48. The Mules held the Cubs, and forced them to punt and the ball rolled dead at the Mule 24. The two teams continued to exchange possession until Reyes crashed into the Cub backfield.

Reyes fourth-down tackle gave the Mules the ball on the Muleshoe 19-yard line.

Barron connected with Dylan Watkins for six yards on first down. Barron was forced to scramble and gained eight yards. Christian Fabela maintained his focus to snag a tipped pass for 27 yard gain to the Cub 33.

Nava scooted wide around the left side for six yards. The Cubs flushed Barron from the pocket, but he scrambled away and spotted Daniel Avila open in the end zone for a 27-yard touchdown pass with just over a minute remaining in the first half. Nava carried the two-point conversion to extend the Mule lead to 14-0.

Following the intermission, the Cubs had the ball on the Brownfield 31. Josh Estraca made the tackle for a one-yard loss on first down. Regalado and Reyes teamed up on a run blitz for a yard loss on second down. Juan Zacarias stepped in front of a Cub pass for an interception at the Mule 47.  

The Cubs were on their heels following the turnover, and the Mules took advantage. Barron rolled wide right and then cut back across the field for a 53-yard touchdown run with just less than three minutes left in the third quarter. The two-point conversion failed, and the Mules led 20-0.

The Cubs had the ball for five minutes and 45 seconds of the final period and only traveled from the Cub 13 to the Mule 43 before turning the ball over on downs.

The Mules took a victory knee to end the game.

The Mules will host the Childress Bobcats Thursday afternoon. 

7th Mules vs. Brownfield (9-14-2017)

7^th Mules vs. Brownfield (9-14-2017)

The seventh-grade Mules opened their first football season Thursday afternoon and shutout the visiting Brownfield Cubs 20-0.

The Mules kicked off to start the game. Frankie Reyes picked off a Cub pass at the Mule 48-yard line. The Mules could not convert the turnover into points. But the Mule defense stepped up and held the Cubs the balance of the first quarter.

The Cubs completed a pass on first down, but Davian McMullen made the tackle for a one-yard loss. The Cubs attempted a run to the right, but Davian Ragsdale made the tackle after a one-yard gain.

The Cubs made a reception, but McMullen was there to make the stop five-yards short of a first down to end the first quarter. A high snap on fourth down sailed over the punter’s head, and Frankie Reyes was there for the tackle.

The Mules took over on downs at the Cub 15. On the second play of the drive, Irvin Torres passed to Noah Deleon for a 15-yard touchdown with 4:59 remaining in the first half. The two-point conversion attempt failed, but the Mules led 6-0.

The Mules kicked off, and Elisar Cisneros raced downfield to make the tackle at the Cub 34. Reyes, F. Torres, and Kyle Hernandez made one tackle each to hold the Cubs short of a first down.

The Mules took over on downs at the Cub 38. A holding penalty set the Mules back 10 yards. But a pass from I. Torres to Deleon was good for 22 yards and a first down. I. Torres kept wide left for six yards. Reyes carried up the middle for 10 yards and a first down at the 10-yard line.

Cisneros fired a strike to Deleon for a 10-yard touchdown with 20 seconds left in the first half. The two-point conversion failed, and the Mules led 12-0 at the intermission.

The Cubs kicked off to begin the third quarter. Judas Reyes returned 10 yards to the Mule 39. The Mules began their march to the Cub end zone for the final time. The drive took nine plays and consumed most of the third period.

F. Reyes carried wide left for nine yards. I. Torres kept the ball on a run to the right and cut upfield for six yards and a first down. F. Reyes completed a throw to Uriel Vasquez for five yards. F. Reyes scooted wide left for 28 yards to the Cub 14.

F. Reyes kept wide right for 13 yards. He again called his number and kept up the middle for a one-yard touchdown with 29 seconds left in the third quarter. I. Torres kept wide left for the two-point conversion and a 20-0 Mule lead over the Cubs.

The Mules shut down the ensuing Cub drive at the Mule 32 and exhausted the clock for the Mules first win.

The Mules will host the Childress Bobcats Thursday.  

Mules vs. Snyder (9-8-2017)

Mules vs. Snyder (9-8-2017)

The Mules traveled to Snyder Friday evening to battle the Tigers. The game was tied four times during the contest. The Mules tied the game at 7-7 in the first period, and then Snyder came back to knot the score at 20-20 just before the half. The Mules tied the game at 27-27 in the third period and 34-34 in the fourth period.

Jacob Kettner snagged to final tying pass at the Tiger 28. Luke Del Toro had emptied the backfield and sent three receivers to the right and two to the left. Kettner was the inside receiver on the three-receiver side.

He ran a slant over the middle. After making the catch, Kettner had to beat two defenders. He angled toward the end zone, slammed on the brakes at the 10-yard line and allowed one defender to pass in front of him. Kettner then pirouetted and broke behind the second defender into the end zone.

The two defenses dominated the next nine minutes of the game, but a short punt gave the Tigers good field position with time running down. Snyder reached the Mule 19 with seconds left in the game. A 29-yard field goal broke the tie with just seven seconds left on the clock. The Tigers won the game 37-34.

“We played a much better game tonight than we did last week,” said Mule coach, David Wood. “We are a much-improved team. You never like to lose a game, but we are still learning about ourselves.”

The Tigers took the opening kickoff and marched 52 yards on eight plays. They scored on a quarterback keeper for the final three yards. The point-after try was good, and the Mules trailed 7-0 with 8:24 left in the opening quarter.

Brady Martinez returned the ensuing Snyder kickoff to the Mule 31. Luke Del Toro passed to Mikey Lozano coming out of the backfield. He reversed the field and gained 10 yards for a first down.

Yoel ran a hitch-and-go pattern to get open down the Tiger sideline. He popped open at the Snyder 37, caught the ball, and out ran the defense for a 57-yard touchdown. Martinez tied the game at 7-7 with 7:40 remaining in the opening period.

The Tigers scored a second time in the first quarter on a 20-yard pass and run. The extra-point kick bounced off the upright and Snyder led the Mule 13-7 with 2:20 left in the first period.

Y. Reyes snagged his second touchdown catch with 7:53 showing in the second stanza. He lined up as the inside receiver and ran a flag and curled back for the catch at the Tiger 24. Kettner was the outside receiver and ran a fade down the sideline.

Kettner saw Y. Reyes had secured the catch and peeled back to make bone shaking block to free Y. Reyes for a 35-yard touchdown run. Martinez put the Mules on top by booting the extra point. The Mules led 14-13 with just less than eight minutes remaining in the first half.

The ball slipped through the hands of the tailback and only had time to bounce once before Isaac Mendoza was there to snatch it up at the Tiger 46. Lozano gained a first down on back-to-back carries of nine and six yards.

Lozano then scampered wide right for 19 yards to the Snyder 14. Martinez was the center receiver in a three-receiver set. Ryan Rodriguez cleared out the defense and Martinez cut behind him on a slant and made the catch at the 11-yard line. He scooted untouched to the end zone. His point-after try was off the mark, but the Mules led 20-13.

Snyder would not be denied and scored with 4:17 left in the half to knot the game at 20-20. That scored remained to the intermission.

Snyder kicked off to start the second half. The Mules turned the ball over on an interception. The Tigers took the lead on an eight-yard run 27-20.

The Mules continued to battle after Snyder kicked off out of bounds. The Mules’ drive started on the Mule 30. Y. Reyes made the first catch for eight yards. Romeo Reyes made the next catch for 21 yards and moved the Mules to the Tiger 38.

Kettner made an eight-yard catch to put the Mules on the Snyder 16. It was fourth down, and the Mules needed a yard to keep the drive alive. Lozano went far to the right, found a seam, and cut up the field for four yards.

Carlos Meza and Rudy Ruiz pulled while Lionel Camarena and Julian Astorga double teamed the defensive tackle. Ruiz sealed off the defensive end, and Meza led Lozano through the hole. Meza blocked the linebacker to allow Lozano to scoot into the end zone. Martinez kick was good to tie the game at 27-27.

Snyder scored once more in the third quarter to take a 34-27 lead over the Mules.

Luke Del Toro completed 24 of 45 passing attempts for 292 yards and four touchdowns.

Mikey Lozano rushed twenty times for 112 yards and one score. Yoel Reyes caught seven passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns.

Jacob Kettner made five receptions for 70 yards and one touchdown. Romeo Reyes had eight catches for 58 yards, and Brady Martinez caught two passes for 26 yards and one touchdown. 

Julian Astorga recorded 12 tackles, two tackles for a loss, and made two sacks. Ean Hasley had 12 tackles, hurried the quarterback four times, and recovered a fumble. JoJo Rejino made 12 tackles. Jacob Kettner made 11 stops along with one special team’s tackle. Isaac Mendoza had 10 tackles, one tackle for a loss, one sack, hurried the quarterback twice and recovered a fumble. Louis Franco made nine tackles.

The 0-2 Mules will host the 0-2 Brownfield Cubs Friday night in the Mules’ 2017 Homecoming game.    

  

JV Mules vs. Snyder (9-7-2017)

JV Mules vs. Snyder (9-7-2017)

The JV Mules dropped their home opener Thursday evening to the Class 4A Snyder Tigers 16-6. The Mules put up a battle but struggled to put the ball in the end zone.

Snyder set the tone early when the Tigers’ quarterback raced 67 yards up the middle for a touchdown on the first play of the game. The Tigers led 8-0 with only 20 seconds gone off the clock.

The Mules could not escape the shadow of their own goal post and were forced to punt. Jimmy Villa punted 38 yards to the Tiger 25. Andrew Castorena and Joes Quintana made the stop of first down. The Mules continued to clog up the running lanes and forced Snyder to turn the ball over on downs near mid field.

The Mules were backed up on three straight plays. The deep snap for the punt sailed into the end zone for a safety. The Tigers led 10-0 with one minute left in the first period.

Snyder made a first down at the Mule 22 as the second period got underway. Steven Atwood held the Tigers to just two yards on third down and needing a yard at the Mule 14. Jose Quintana and Bryan Ginez teamed up for the stop of fourth down one-yard deep in the Tiger backfield. The Mules took over on downs at the Mule 13.

Turnovers plagued both teams until the first half. The Mules fumbled once and were intercepted once. Nick Dominguez picked off a Snyder pass as the first half ended.

An unnecessary roughness penalty on the interception by Dominguez was assessed on the second half kickoff. Hector Arres returned the ball to mid field.

Jimmy Villa connected with Jose Cardenas at the Snyder 40, and he danced his way to the Tiger 29. A roughing the passer penalty advanced the Mules 15 yards and the Tigers jumped off sides for five more yards.

Villa scrambled for three yards. He then tossed to Arres for six yards to the Snyder nine-yard line. Villa’s next pass was to Fabian Valdez in the end zone. The ball just cleared the leaping defender's hands and dropped into Valdez for a touchdown. The two-point conversion failed, and the Mules trailed 10-6 with 7:33 remaining in the third period.

Following the ensuing kickoff, the Tigers fumbled at the Snyder 34, and Jose Cardenas recovered. The Mules failed to convert the turnover into points.

Snyder began to pound the ball up the field and scored one more touchdown with 2:23 left in the game.

Jimmy Villa completed 11 of 18 passes for 133 yards for one touchdown and was intercepted twice. He rushed eight times for 16 yards. Hector Arres rushed three times for 22 yards and caught one pass for five yards. Adrian Bustillos made two receptions for 23 yards, and Jose Cardenas caught three passes for 44 yards. Fabian Valdez had two receptions for 47 yards and one touchdown.

Rigo Mendoza and Hector Arres led the Mule defense with 11 tackles each. Kynton Haseloff had eight tackles, and Jose Quintana recorded seven stops. Jose Cardenas made five tackles, forced and recovered a fumble. Nick Dominguez had four tackles and broke up a pass.

The Mules will travel to Brownfield Thursday to attempt to get back on the winning track against the Cubs.   

9th Mules vs. Snyder (9-7-2017)

9^th Mules vs. Snyder (9-7-2017)

The freshmen Mules improved their season record to 2-0 by defeating another Division I Class 4A school. The Mules defeated the visiting Snyder Tigers 30-8 Thursday night.

The Mules started their first drive of the game, following the opening kickoff, at the Mule 27. Jacob Kettner fired a strike to Joey Martinez running a down and out pattern that went for 21 yards.

Kettner’s second throw went to Kurt Rodriguez for seven yards. Kettner continued to fill the air with footballs and Martinez snagged his second pass of the game. He made the reception 14-yards downfield and powered ahead to the Tiger seven-yard line for a gain of 27.

The Mules punched the ball in the end zone with a pitch wide left to Joe Gutierrez. Kettner found K. Rodriguez open in the end zone for the two-point conversion with 6:33 remaining in the first quarter for an 8-0 lead.

The Mule defense took the field and stopped the Tigers at the Mule 44. Jacob Rodriguez blitz to make a tackle for a six-yard loss. Victor Velasquez plugged up the middle for no gain. An incomplete pass on fourth down ended the Snyder drive at the Mule 44.

The Mules held Snyder at the Tiger 40 after J. Rodriguez sacked the quarterback for a four-yard loss.

K. Rodriguez made a one-handed catch on a 33-yard toss by Kettner. K. Rodriguez beat the defense to the end zone for a 60-yard touchdown pass and run. The two-point conversion attempt failed, and the Mules led 14-0 with 8:35 left in the first half.

The Mules found the Tiger end zone one more time for the first half ended. They recovered a Snyder fumble on the Tiger 28. Five plays later Gutierrez scored on a five-yard run up the middle. Kettner connected with K. Rodriguez for the two-point conversion. The Mules led 22-0 at the half.

The closest Snyder got to scoring in the first three periods was a pass into the end zone from the Mule 11. But it was to no avail as Enrique Toscano stepped in front of the intended receiver in for a touchback.

The Mules took advantage and drove 80 yards to pay dirt. Kettner was forced to scramble out of the pocket and gained 25 yards. The Mules crossed mid field on a screen pass to Toscano at the Snyder 45.

The Mules capped off the drive with a long throw down field from Kettner to K. Rodriguez for a 45-yard touchdown. K. Rodriguez also snagged a pass for the two-point conversion with 1:18 remaining in the third quarter. The Mules had increased their lead to 30-0.

Snyder’s only score came on a 14-yard pass with just less than five minutes left in the game.

Riley Kettner completed six of 16 pass attempts for 136 yards, two touchdowns, and two two-point conversions. He had five rushing attempts for 46 yards. Joe Gutierrez rushed 10 times for 73 yards and one touchdown. 

Kurt Rodriguez made four receptions for 113 yards, two touchdowns, and two two-point conversions. Joey Martinez caught two passes for 23 yards and one two-point conversion.

Joe Gutierrez and Joey Martinez led the Mules with seven tackles each. Kurt Rodriguez had four tackles and one sack. Riley Kettner also had four tackles and made one interception. Enrique Toscano made two tackles, intercepted a pass, and recovered a fumble. Jacob Toscano made for tackles and recovered a fumble.    

The Mules will travel to Brownfield Thursday afternoon to meet the Cubs.    

Plains Varsity Cross-Country Meet (9-9-2017)

Plains Varsity Cross-Country Meet (9-9-2017)

The varsity Lady Mules, Mules and JV Lady Mules attended the Plains Cross Country Meet Saturday. The Lady Mules ran a two-mile course, and Liliana Martinez won the gold medal with a time of thirteen minutes and 33.7 seconds. Dellany Martinez finished fifteenth with a time of 14:46.7.

Eduardo Pantoja placed fifth on the boy’s three-mile course with a time of 18:14.3. Ethan Clapp Gonzalez finished ninth with a time of 18:52.3.

Citalli Vargas led the JV Lady Mules with a time of 16:45.0. Haili Gardner placed fifteenth with a time of 18:13.9.

No team totals or placing were available at press time.  

Plains JH Cross-Country Meet (9-9-17)

Plains JH Cross-Country Meet (9-9-17)

Twenty-five Junior High Lady Mules and Mules attended the cross country meet in Plains Saturday morning. No team scores were available at press time, but five team members received medals. 

Kylee Villa paced the Lady Mules and earned a third place medal. She finished the two-mile course with a time of fourteen minutes and 30.7 seven seconds. Alina Elizarraz finished sixth with a time of 14:53.6. Araceli Hernandez placed thirteenth in a time of 15:31.0. 

Jeremiah Estraca led the Mules with a time of 13:40.8 on the three-mile course and placed thirteenth. Jesse Toscano was right behind him in fourteenth place with a time of 13:41.1.

Mules vs. Levelland (9-1-2017)

Mules vs. Levelland (9-1-2017)

Luke Del Toro scrambled 13 yards for the Mules' final touchdown Friday night against the Levelland Lobos to cut the Mules' deficit to 34-47.

"We had three opportunities to cut the lead to a single score," said Mule's head coach, David Wood. "That would have made it a different game, but we just could not connect. The kids never gave up and continued to fight to the end."

"We changed our defense at the half and did a better job of stopping them. That is why we like to play good teams so we can find our weaknesses before district starts."

The Mules lost their season opener 34-54.

The bright spot in the game for the Mule fans came early. Matthew Alarcon received the opening kickoff at the Mule 10-yard line. He returned the ball up the right hash with Ean Hasley and Justin Carrion moving Lobos out of his path. Alarcon was finally brought down on the Mule 47. 

The Mules sent twin receivers to the short side of the field. Del Toro looked over the defense and called for the snap. Yoel Reyes was the tight end on the opposite side of the field.

He ran a hitch-and-go pattern, and Del Toro delivered him the ball at the Lobo 34-yard line. Y. Reyes leaped to make the reception and spun to the inside to avoid one tackler. He then broke a tackle and out raced the defense to the end zone for a 53-yard touchdown.

The point-after attempt was off the mark, but the Mules led 6-0 with just 18 seconds into the game.

Brady Martinez booted a squib kick toward the Lobo sideline. The ball took a high hop and slipped through the hands of the Levelland receiver. Isaac Mendoza tackled the receiver while three other Mules scrambled after the ball. Jacob Kettner snatched the ball from the air at the Lobo 41.

The Mule could not convert the turnover, and Mikey Lozano kicked the ball away and out of bounds at the Lobo 12.

It took the Lobos nine plays take the lead for good. Levelland scored on a one-yard run by Chris Gerber with 6:23 left in the first period. Just over two minutes later the Lobos scored again on a 67-yard pass from Gerber to Zack Estrada. The Lobos led 14-6.

One minute into the second period, Gerber was again in the end zone on a one-yard run to put Levelland in front 20-6.

The Lobos kicked off to the Mule 12 and Alarcon returned it to the Mule 34. Lozano scooted up the middle for 11 yards. After two incomplete passes, Del Toro again connected with Y. Reyes on the hitch-and-go for a first down.

A fumble cost the Mules 10 yards on first down. A wide receiver screen pass to Martinez gained nine of those yards back. Facing fourth down and needing 11 yards, Del Toro again found Y. Reyes open down the field. 

Y. Reyes made the catch at the Lobo 10, broke a tackle, and pulled a second defender into the end zone with 9:24 remaining in the first half. The Mules trailed Levelland 13-20.

The Lobos scored twice more before the Mules could again find the end zone. Del Toro followed Lozano into the end zone on a quarterback draw. The Mules trailed Levelland 20-34 with 36 seconds left in the first half.

Gerber got loose for a 76-yard romp with eight seconds left in the second period to extend the Lobo lead to 41-20.

The Mules kicked off to start the third period. The Lobos needed nine plays to travel 74 yards for a score to lead the Mules 47-20.

Romeo Reyes and Ryan Rodriguez each made a sack to force the Lobos to punt. The snap was over Gerber's head, and he chased down the loose ball. He passed the ball out of bounds to save the large loss.

The Mules took over on downs at mid field. R. Reyes made a catch for 11 yards. Ryan Rodriguez made a quick conversion from receiver to defender on a pass to the goal line.

R. Reyes ran a down-and-out pattern to the short side of the field. He made the catch for nine yards. Del Toro made the first down on a five-yard quarterback sneak.

Lozano scored on a 20-yard gallop up the middle with just six seconds left in the third period. The Mules trailed 27-47 with one-quarter left to play. 

Both teams scored in the final period.

The Mules rolled up 415 yards of offense with 99 yards rushing and 316 passing. Lozano led the Mules in rushing with 16 carries for 47 yards. Del Toro connected on 23 of 47 passing attempts and tossed two touchdowns.

Y. Reyes led the Mules with nine receptions for 159 yards. R. Reyes made nine catches for 111 yards.

The Mules will be on the road next Friday night when they travel to Snyder to play the 0-1 Tigers. 

JV Mules vs. Levelland (8-31-2017)

JV Mules vs. Levelland (8-31-2017)

The JV Mules utilized a balanced offense and stifling defense to defeat the Levelland Lobos 14-6 in the season opener. The Mules proved to be unruly guests on the Lobo turf.

Jimmy Villa connected on six of 13 pass attempts for 112 yards. He also rushed 16 times for 94 yards and rushed for one touchdown. Nick Dominguez carried five times for six yards and scored a two-point conversion. He also caught one pass for 15 yards.

Jose Cardenas made one reception for 40 yards. Adrian Bustillos made four catches for 57 yards.

Josh Torres recorded two quarterback sacks, made five tackles, and forced one fumble. Jose Quintana made seven tackles and recovered a fumble for a touchdown. Kynton Haseloff and Rigo Mendoza led the Mule defense with 10 tackles each.

Cristian Bustillos made seven tackles and intercepted one pass. A. Bustillos recorded three tackles and intercepted one pass. Derek Barron made five tackles.

The JV Mules will open their home schedule Thursday evening when they host the Snyder Tigers at 6:30 PM.  

Freshmen Mules vs. Levelland (8-31-2017)

Freshmen Mules vs. Levelland (8-31-2017)

The freshmen Mules hit the road Thursday to open their 2017 football season in Levelland against the Lobos. The Mules scored three touchdowns, and that proved to be enough to defeat the Lobos 18-14.

The Mules scored one touchdown in each of the first three-quarters for the win. Riley Kettner rushed nine times for nine yards and one touchdown. He also completed 11 of 26 passes for 157 yards and one touchdown.

Joey Martinez carried the ball three times for 72 yards and one touchdown. He also caught four passes for 65 yards and one touchdown. Joe Gutierrez rushed seven times for 42 yards and caught two passes for 29 yards.

Kurt Rodriguez made five receptions for 55 yards. Eli Macias caught one pass for eight yards.

Gutierrez led the Mule defense with seven tackles and recovered a fumble. Elias Aguirre made six tackles and sacked the quarterback once. Enrique Toscano had four stops, Martinez had four tackles and a sack.

K. Rodriguez had two stops and made one interception. Jacob Rodriguez made two tackles and recorded one sack. Matthew Fabela made one tackle and recovered a fumble.

The Mules will host the Snyder Tigers Thursday afternoon at 5:00 PM.