JV Mules vs. Slaton (1-6-2016)

JV Mules vs. Slaton (1-6-2016)

The JV Mules played the Slaton Tigers close for four periods but could never gain an advantage. Slaton won the game 57-50. The Mules fell behind by two points, 6-4, with just over two minutes left in the first period.

The Mules tied the game to start the second quarter but the Tigers went on a 11 point run before the Mules could score again. The Mules never led after that.

Kevin Gonzales was fouled on a put back attempt and made both free throws to put the Mules on top 2-0 early in the game. Slaton answered to tie the game. Eric Herrera fed Coleman Preston on the blocks for a short jump shot.

Slaton made a pair of baskets to claim the lead and added a third before the Mules scored.

Isaiah Perez passed to Mikey Lozano open on the blocks for a short jumper to end the first period with the Tigers leading 6-4.

Jacob Kettner was fouled shooting and made both free throws to tie the game at 8-8 early in the second period. Rigo Mendoza scored to interrupt the Slaton scoring run but the Tigers dropped in a trey seconds later. Preston and Lozano each made a free throw.

Slaton doubled up on the Mules 24-12 with just over four minutes remaining in the first half. Lozano passed to Preston to complete a fast break as the Mules began to chip away at the Slaton lead.

Mendoza finished a fast break before Kettner fed Lozano for a baseline jumper. Lozano was fouled on the next trip down the floor and made one free throw. Reese Orozco fed Lozano running on a break to cut the Slaton lead to 24-21 at the half. The Mules had mounted an 11-2 run to end the half.

Slaton open the second half with a seven-point run to take a 31-21 lead over the Mules. Ean Hasley and Preston made a free throw each before Orozco scored on an in bound play.

Back-to-back 3-pointers put the Mules back in a hole with Slaton leading 37-25. Preston drove the baseline for a hoop and Perez finished a fast break. Mendoza battled through a foul to score with the third period drew to a close but he failed to complete the three-point play.

The Mules trailed 37-31 after three quarters.

Slaton had built a 55-38 lead over the Mules with 2:15 remaining in the game. The Mules battled back with 12 points in the final minutes.

Lozano paced the Mules with 16 points that included a trey in the final quarter. Preston finished with 11 points. Mendoza made six points while Hasley and Brendon Rodriguez dropped in four points each. Orozco added three points. Kettner, Gonzales and Perez chipped in two points each.

The Mules hosted the Bovina Mustangs Monday night in a late scheduled game before starting district play Friday night when the Littlefield Wildcats come for a visit. The Mules will host Friona January 19.  

9th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt (1-4-2016)

9^th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt (1-4-2016)

The freshmen Lady Mules jumped out to a quick start on the Dimmitt Bobbies Monday night and never looked back. The Lady Mules ran off 16 unanswered points in the first quarter and a half. The Lady Mules led 18-2 at the intermission.

The Lady Mules held Dimmitt to just two points in each of the final two periods for a 32-6 win.

Keely Dunham got the rout started by scoring a hoop in the paint and added two more points on an in bound play. Alyssa Wheeler put back an offensive rebound. Natali Elizalde picked a Bobbie’s pocket and drove the floor for a hoop. Maddison Price stuck back an offensive rebound to end the first period with the Lady Mules leading 10-0.

Dunham kicked off the second frame with a hoop. Kyndal Miller made a steal and drove the floor for a hoop. Wheeler put back an offensive rebound to put the Lady Mules up 16-0 with three minutes left in the half.

Dimmitt scored the Bobbies only hoop of the half before Reina Regalado made a hoop to put the Lady Mules on top 18-2 at the intermission.

The Lady Mules kept their foot on the gas in the second half with Ab Mendoza, Dunham and Price each scoring a hoop in the third period.

Wheeler, Regalado and Price each scored before Dimmitt made a final hoop. Elizalde closed out the game for the Lady Mules with a feed from Regalado.

Dunham led the Lady Mule scoring with eight points with Price and Wheeler close behind with six points each. Elizalde and Regalado finished with four points each. Miller and Mendoza chipped in two points apiece.

The Lady Mules traveled to Littlefield Monday night to play the Lady Cats and they go to Friona January 18 to play the Maidens. The Lady Mules return home January 26 to host the Tulia Lady Hornets. 

8th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt (1-4-2016)

8^th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt (1-4-2016)

The eighth grade Lady Mules blew away the Dimmitt Bobbies in the first half Monday night to cruise to a 20-13 win in their first game of 2016. The Lady Mule defense held Dimmitt to just one first half point to lead 12-1 at the intermission.

Anahi Sandoval scored from the elbow to open the game for the Lady Mules. Dimmitt’s only point of the first half came ten seconds later on a free throw. Sandoval scored her second basket with a turn-around jumper from the blocks to give the Lady Mules a 4-1 lead after one period.

Joceline Ramirez hit from just inside the arc to start the second period and a minute later she scored from the elbow. Kettvia Quick scored on an in-bound play. Sandoval battled her way through the paint to the hoop to end the first half with the Lady Mules leading 12-1.

Dimmitt scored twice to start the second half before Val Toscano made back-to-back baskets for a 16-5 Lady Mule lead with one quarter left to play.

The Bobbies scored first in the final period but Emili Mora answered with an eight-foot jumper from the baseline. Dimmitt dropped in two hoops before Toscano made the Lady Mules’ final hoop of the game.

Sandoval and Toscano paced the Lady Mules with six points each. Ramirez made all four of her points in the second period. Mora and Quick chipped in two points each. 

The Lady Mules traveled to Littlefield Monday night to play the Lady Cats. The Lady Mules then travel to Friona January 18 to play the Maidens and return home January 25 to host the Tulia Lady Hornets. 

7th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt (1-4-2016)

7^th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt (1-4-2016)

The seventh grade Lady Mules wasted no time in getting back in the win column in 2016 by defeating the Dimmitt Bobbies Monday evening 23-12 to improve their season record to 4-2. The Lady Mule defense held Dimmitt scoreless in the first period.

Anzley Rodriguez passed to Anahi Barrera for a drive down the lane and the first two points of the game. Katelyn Kelley put back an offensive rebound to end the first period with the Lady Mules leading 4-0.

Dimmitt struck back fast in the second period to knot the game at 4-4. Daniella Moran saw Barrera was open at the elbow and tossed her the ball for a driving lay up down the lane. Barrera was not selfish and set a screen for Tatum Hasley to break open for a drive to the hoop.

Dimmitt made a pair of free throws to end the half trailing the Lady Mules 8-6.

The second half was all Lady Mules with Barrera making a steal and driving the floor for a lay up. Hasley was fouled after a Dimmitt hoop and made one free throw. Kristian Arzola set up Barrera with a pass for a driving lay up for a 13-8 Lady Mule lead.

Barrera score from the elbow with three minutes left in the third quarter. Hasley was fouled while shooting and made one free throw. The Lady Mules led 16-8 with one period left to play.

Arzola drove the lane for the first basket of the final quarter. Barrera made a free throw after being fouled on a put-back attempt. Barrera then scored on an in bound play to extend the Lady Mule lead to 21-8 with just over two minutes left to play.

The Bobbies broke their scoring drought in the fourth period with 1:40 left to play.

Grace Leal drove from the left wing for the Lady Mules final basket.

Barrera led the Lady Mules with 13 points and Hasley finished with four points. Leal, Kelley and Arzola scored two points each.

The Lady Mules traveled to Littlefield to play the Lady Cats Monday night and will play in the Friona Tournament January 14-16. The Lady Mules return to Friona January 18 for a regular season game.

From the Stands (1-3-2016)

From the Stands (1-3-2016)

The first week of 2016 is a great time to reflect on the year that has just closed. And what a year it was.

Looking back on January of 2015 the Lady Mule and Mule basketball teams were battling their way through the district schedules. The Lady Mules qualified for the Texas State Playoffs and surprised two post-season opponents to finish their season with both the Bi-District and Area Championships.

The Mules cruised past the Spearman Lynx for the Bi-District gold ball but came up short in the Area-round game that had to be postponed and moved because of winter weather.

The power lifters were in action before basketball had ended. Brianna Barron led the Lady Mules by finishing fifth in the Region I Meet. Evan Paez and David Rodriguez paced the Mule power lifters by qualifying to lift in the Region I Meet.

Spring would make me go crazy except for the great Muleshoe coaches that keep me posted each week.

Conner Harrison led the Mule golfers by finishing as the top individual player in the district and qualified to play in the Region I Tournament. The Lady Mule team won the Team silver medal in district competition and qualified to play in the Region I Tournament.

Five Lady Mules qualified in the Area track meet to advance to Region I Meet. Evan Paez was the lone Mule to qualify for the Region I Meet.

The Lady Mule softball team came back to tie the Shallowater Fillies for the District Championship in the final game of the season. The Lady Mules defeated the Fillies a second time just a few days later to become the number one seed in the district. They went on to earn the Bi-District Championship.

The Mule baseball team broke new ground in 2015. They had to over come some adversity just as district competition got underway but made the playoffs. Childress fell to the Mules in a two-out-of-three set on the all-turf field at West Texas High School.

The Mules traveled to Monahans to battle the always tough Presidio Blue Devils. The Mules won the first game 2-1 but came up short 2-1 in the second game. The Mules returned to Monahans on Saturday after an overnight deluge and a senior scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning for a 3-2 win and the Area Championship.

The Mule football team just completed a successful season that began with an undefeated run through district. Every Mule that was suited up played in the Bi-District game. Breckenridge had defeated the Mules in 2014 but the Mules returned the favor in 2015 to win the Area Championship. Injuries are never a football team’s friend and finally caught up with the Mules.

Currently the Mules and Lady Mules are preparing for their district basketball runs. Both teams are looking strong. Winter storm Goliath played havoc with the Lady Mules’ and Mules’ Caprock Holiday Tournament schedule but both teams did get in a couple of games during the tournament.

The Lady Mules hosted the Levelland Loboettes Tuesday night and the Mules hosted the Slaton Tigers. The Lady Mules will open district Friday night when the Shallowater Fillies visit the New Muleshoe High School Gymnasium. The Mules will travel to Idalou to battle the Wildcats.

The Lady Mules travel to Dimmitt January 12 to tangle with the Bobbies while the Mules take the night off. January 15 both teams will be at home when the Littlefield Lady Cats and Cats visit Muleshoe.

2016 is already shaping up to be as exciting as 2015. I hope you will take the time to watch and support the Lady Mules and Mules.