8th Mules vs. River Road (10-18-2017)

8^th Mules vs. River Road (10-18-2017)

The eighth-grade Mules stampeded over the River Road Wildcats 48-12 Thursday afternoon in Benny Douglas Stadium. The Mules needed only four offensive plays to score the opening touchdown and never looked back after that.

The Wildcats kicked off to the Mule 13, and there was no return. Juan Zacarias carried wide left for 11 yards. He then kept the football and rolled wide to the right on a 75-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion failed, and the Mules led the Wildcats 6-0 with 5:28 remaining in the opening period.

Andre Alfaro and Zacarias teamed up to stop the Wildcats after a two-yard gain. Evan Lopez put pressure on the River Road quarterback to force an incomplete pass on third down. The Wildcats punted to the Mule 46.

Zachary Hasley connected with Josh Estrada for a 16-yard gain. Zacarias gained six yards on a counter play. Zacarias scored on a 16-yard run up the middle. The two-point conversion again failed, and the Mules led River Road 12-0 with 36 seconds left in the first period.

Josh Estraca intercepted a River Road pass at the Mule 48 and returned to the Wildcat 40.

It took the Mules six plays to score on a three-yard run by Jeremiah Barron with 2:36 left in the first half. Hasley tossed to Barron for the two-point conversion for a 20-0 Mule lead.

The Wildcats’ first-half touchdown came on an interception at the Mule 24, and they ran it in for a score with 50 seconds remaining in the first half.

River Road kicked off to the Mule 30-yard line. Barron took the kickoff in the chest, and then scooped up the ball and returned 70 yards for a touchdown 11 seconds after the Wildcats had scored. Estraca added the two-point conversion for a 28-6 Mule lead.

The Mules kicked off, and Alex Regalado recovered the ball at the Wildcat 20.

Hasley snuck in behind the River Road defense and Barron launched the ball. Hasley caught the ball for a 20-yard touchdown with no time left on the clock. The Mules added the two-point conversion for a 36-6 Mule lead at the intermission.

The Wildcats second touchdown came on a 76-yard kickoff return to open the second half. Alexis Alvidrez made the stop on the two-point conversion attempt. The Mules led 36-12 with 6:47 remaining in the third quarter.

The Mules answered quickly with a 51-yard touchdown pass and run from Barron to Daniel Avila. The two-point conversion failed, and the Mules were up 42-12.

The two teams exchanged fumbles inside the River Road 10-yard line. The Mule defense pushed the Wildcats backward to the River Road one-yard line. The Mules blocked the punt, and Jacob Reyes recovered the ball for a touchdown for the final points of the game.

The Mules will travel to Friona Thursday to play the Braves.