Mules vs. Sweetwater Mustangs (9-5-2014)

Mules vs. Sweetwater Mustangs (9-5-2014)

The Sweetwater Mustangs rolled into Benny Douglas Stadium ranked 20th in the Class AAAA. They were riding high coming off a 66-35 win over the Lubbock High Westerners to open the 2014 football season.

The Mustangs traveled 204 miles to meet the Mules and had never been exposed to the tenacity or stubbornness of a herd of Mules. Sweetwater limped off a very wet turf Friday night after eking out a 32-27 win over the Mules. 

“It was a memorable game for the kids,” said Coach David Wood. “We always like to play in the rain and it brings the kid out in all of us. We did not like the out come on the scoreboard but we now know we can play against a team that puts a lot of talent on the field.”

“We did not win but it was one of those games that makes us better. In fact the whole non-district schedule will make us better. We just have to try and keep down the injuries. Last week the ball bounced our way but this week it did not.”

“We were able to come back from a deficit again this week and in fact had to come back a second time this week to almost win it again. We just did not put the ball in the end zone. Our kids a gaining more and more confidence in what they can do. We as coaches are learning about these kids and who and when to have certain personnel in the game.”

“We are still figuring the kids out and some of them opened our eyes again this week. We are going to do some more shuffling. The bottom line is Sweetwater is a good football team and we were not pushed off the field by them. I was proud of the kids and they do not have any quit in them.”

“When the game was over I could not even be upset at the kids. They felt the loss of the game and I felt it right along with them. Everyone pulled their own and when it is all said and done we have to watch film and try to get better,” concluded Coach Wood.

Isaiah McGee caught touchdown passes of 45 and 23 yards in the opening period from Mustang quarterback, Kaegan Jeffrey to give the Mustangs a 12-0 with 3:41 left in the first period. 

The Mules answered with an eight-play 68-yard drive that was capped off by a Danny Campos to Keagan Gonzales pass that covered 23 yards. Gonzales booted the point after to cut the Mustang lead to 12-7 with just less than a minute and half left in the opening period. 

The Mustangs were back in the end zone early in the second period with an eight-play drive of their own that covered 58 yards. Jeffry tossed to Bray Amos from three-yards out. The two-point conversion failed but the Mustangs led 18-7 with 11:18 remaining in the first half. 

The Mules owned the rest of the half. It only took the Mules a minute and 14 seconds to answer with a second scoring toss from Campos to Gonzales that covered 48 yards. Gonzales again added the point after to cut the Mustang lead to 18-14.

But the Mules were not finished as the Mustangs drove to the Mule 44 and needed two yards on fourth down to keep the drive alive. Dagen Dunham penetrated and Jaxon Lee blitzed to pull down the running back for a three-yard loss. The Mules took over on downs. 

Campos kept up the middle for 12 yards. Lopez also punched up the middle for six more yards to the Mustang 35. Campos hit Tony Castillo running a deep slant for 12 more yards. The Mules sent three receivers to the wide side of the field and all ran straight down the field. Campos connected with Jason Florez five-yards deep in the end zone to give the Mules the lead. Gonzales’ point after gave the Mules a 21-18 lead at the intermission. 

The Mustangs could not sustain a drive in the second half and did not score on the Mule defense. But McGee returned a Mule punt 45 yards for a Sweetwater touchdown with 5:33 left in the third period. The two-point conversion failed again. 

McGee later intercepted a Campos pass and returned 35 yards for a TD with 5:32 to go in the game. Jeffrey connected with Max Gomez for the two-point conversion. 

The Mustangs attempted an onside kick after being penalized 15 yards on the kickoff. The ball had only traveled nine yards before it was touched by Sweetwater at the Mustang 34. 

Campos connected with Florez on a post pattern at the Mustang 11 on first down. Florez was blasted in the helmet and the penalty gave the Mules a first down at the three.

The Mules pounded away a yard at a time until Lopez powered in from the one-yard line. The two-point conversion failed.   

The Mules had a total of 361 yards of offense in the game with 223 yards came through the air and 138 on the ground. Campos connected on 17 of his 35 passing attempts to five receivers and rushed 13 times for 52 yards. Gonzales caught five passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns. Florez also had five receptions for 89 yards. 

Lopez rushed 11 times for 59 yards and caught two passes for 24 yards. Castillo made two receptions for 20 yards and Chamel Regalado caught one for 10 yards. 

Franco led the Mule defense with 29 tackles and recovered a fumble. Ryder White made 22 stops and hurried the quarterback twice. Regalado made 21 tackles and broke up a pass. Mendoza had 18 tackles, one being for a loss, had one sack and recovered a fumble.

Dunham recorded 14 tackles with one being for a loss. James Lutz, Dustin Smith, Castillo, and Florez each made 12 tackles. Castillo broke up a pass and intercepted a pass, Lutz made a tackle for a loss and Smith made two tackles for losses and one sack. Florez intercepted a pass and Gonzales made 10 tackles with one being for a loss and one sack.  

The Mules will travel to Seagraves Friday night for their first road game of the season against the Eagles at 7:30 PM.