Mules vs. Brock (11-25-2016)

Mules vs. Brock (11-25-2016)

The Mules knew the old saying, "To be the best you have to beat the best." And with those words in mind, the Mules prepared to play the number one ranked Brock Eagles in the Regional round of the Texas State Football Playoffs. 

The Mules planning and preparing for the power running team that included a running back, Tyler Gray, that had gained over 2000 yards in the 2015 season and had 1651 yards during the first ten games of the season.  

The Eagles offensive front line averaged almost 221 pounds per man. 

The Mules trailed the Brock Eagles 14-7 at the intermission but cut that lead to 14-13 with just over eight minutes remaining in the third period. It seemed as if the officiating changed after that. The Mules fell 48-19. 

The Mule defense stopped the Eagles on the Mule 39 and forced a punt that bounced into the end zone for a touchback. 

The Mules went three and out with Beto Diaz punting to the Brock 44 where the ball rolled dead. The Eagles needed five yards on fourth down and lined up to punt. The punter took the deep snap and rolled right. He completed a pass for 13 yards and a first down at the Mule 21. 

Four plays later Zane Young dove over from two-yards out, and the kick was good for a 7-0 Eagle lead with 2:10 remaining in the first period. 

The Brock kickoff sailed into the end zone for a touchback, and the Mule drive started on the Mule 25. Diaz was tackled by his facemask on first down to advance the Mules to the 41-yard line. 

Diaz connected with Jason Florez on an inside receiver screen. Dagen Dunham and Cesar Olvera were blocking down the field. Diaz reached the Brock 39 before being pulled down. Two penalties backed the Mules up to near midfield and were forced to punt to the Brock 34. 

Fidel Mendoza and Tre Villa hemmed T. Gray up in the Eagle backfield on first down. Mario Flores, Dunham, and Florez swarmed to the ball to make the tackle for a yard loss. Yoel Reyes broke up a pass on second down. 

Fidel Mendoza had his legs chopped out from under him on third down, but he got up and pursued the quarterback. Moises Vasquez fought through a block and also gave chase. The Mule defensive backs had the receivers covered, and F. Mendoza and Vasquez met at the quarterback for the sack.

Brock punted, and the Mules allowed the ball to roll dead on the Mule nine-yard line. 

Diaz pump faked before throwing to Florez at the Mule 12. Florez made one defender miss at the 23, and another grabbed only air as Florez went past. Brock finally tackled Florez at the Mule 44 after a 35-yard gain. 

Michael Lozano took a pitch from Diaz for a gain of seven yards. Diaz kept up the middle for 11 yards with the help of a block from Carlos Meza. An inside receiver screen pass to Florez was good for 24 yards to the Brock 14. 

Diaz rolled left and tossed to Tre Villa to advance the Mules to the Eagle 11 yard line. Diaz kept on a quarterback draw to the Brock seven. Dunham lined set up as a sniffer back on the right side. 

Dunham blocked but released his man and rolled right with Diaz. Diaz tossed Dunham the ball at the Brock six-yard line. There was nothing but green grass between Dunham and a the end zone. 

Arturo Contreras PAT kick was good, and the Mules had tied the game at 7-7 with five minutes remaining in the first half. The Mule scoring drive had taken the Mules 10 plays and covered 86 yards. 

The Eagles scored before the intermission on a 16-yard run by Matthew Gray. The kick was good, and Brock led the Mules 14-7 at the half. 

Brock kicked off to start the second half to Florez at the Mule nine-yard line. Florez managed to pick his way to the Mule 34. 

Diaz passed to Dunham running straight downfield. Dunham made the catch over the defender attempting to tackle him before the ball arrived. Dunham was tripped up at the Mule 48 but managed to put down a hand and finally leaped to the Brock 41 for a 25-yard gain. 

Lozano reached the Brock 30 before getting hit and fought for additional four yards. Dunham ran out of the Mule backfield and caught Diaz pass for a seven-yard gain. Florez was on the receiving end of a Diaz pass that went for eight yards to the Brock six. 

The officials were confused by the Mule offense and threw a flag. The ensuing penalty cost the Mules five yards on second down. Dunham fought off a defender to reach the end zone and had to continue to battle his way to Diaz throw. 

Dunham caught the ball seven yards deep in the end zone with a defender hanging on his back. The kick was off the mark, and the Mules trailed 14-13 with 8:25 remaining in the third period.

The Mules halted the ensuing Brock drive at the Mule 34. The Eagles faked a punt and snapped the ball to a blocking back. He went straight up the field and was tackled short of the first down marker. The ball carrier extended his arms with the ball after being down. The officials gave the Eagles a very favorable spot that was half a ball over the first down mark.

"That was a situation that just takes the wind out of a team's sails," said Mule coach David Wood. "We were still in the game up to that point."

"Brock does not have many flaws, but we were able to do more against them than most teams have been able to do. For the most part, we hung with them and fought them tooth-and-nail. Our kids never gave up the fight, and that is what I am proud of."

"We have the best fans in Texas that follow us where ever we play. The Mules and coaching staff appreciated their support every day, not just on Friday night."   

The Eagles scored four plays later on a 12-yard run. Brock went for a two-point conversion but the attempt failed, and the Mules trailed 20-13 with 6:07 left in the third period. 

It is easier to make blocks if you grab pads and stretch jerseys to prevent defensive players from making plays. That seemed to make it much easier for Brock to score three more touchdowns to take a 41-13 lead over the Mules with 11:51 left in the game. 

The Mules had to battle through defensive holding and pass interference to score one last time. Diaz tossed to Florez with a 15-yard touchdown throw to cap a 10-play 78-yard drive. The score cut the Brock lead to 41-19 with 7:18 left in the game. 

The starters for the Eagles remained on the field in what appeared to an attempt to pad stats. 

Beto Diaz completed 22 of 39 passing attempts for 299 yards, three touchdowns and had one pass intercepted. Jason Florez caught 11 passes for 195 yards and one touchdown. Dagen Dunham caught four passes for 52 yards and two touchdowns. Tre Villa made four receptions for 43 yards. 

The Mules accumulated a total of 362 yards of offense. 

The Mule defense held to Tyler Gray to 6.9 yards per carry. That is nine yards per carry below his season average. 

The Mules check in their gear and move on to basketball and offseason workouts to prepare for 2017.

9th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt. (11-21-2016)

9th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt. (11-21-2016)

 

The freshmen Lady Mules broke the scoring ice with a free throw from Emili Mora. After that, the Lady Mules seemed to take over the game and outscored the Bobbies in every period.

 

Eight of the ten Lady Mule players contributed points to for the win. Anna Phillips and Valerie Toscano led the Lady Mules in scoring with eight points each. Joceline Ramirez and Kylee Espenson dropped in four points apiece.

 

Emili Mora added three points with all of her points coming in the first period. Valeria Carreaga and Destiny Vasquez chipped in two points each.

 

The Lady Mules hosted the Slaton Tigerettes Monday and will travel to Friona to play the Maidens December 5.  

8th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt. (11-21-2016)

8th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt. (11-21-2016)

 

The eighth-grade Lady Mules bounced the Dimmitt Bobbies out of the gym Monday evening 38-13. The Lady Mules rolled up an 11-2 lead in the first period and led 22-7 at the intermission.

 

Anahi Barrera led the charge for the Lady Mules with a game-high 17 points. Danielle Moran finished with seven points. Grace Leal, Katelyn Kelley, and Tatum Hasley made four points each. Destiny Florez chipped in two points near the end of the game.

 

“This was a good way to end before Thanksgiving break,” said Lady Mule coach, Jalissa King. “We had strong support from several girls on our team.”

 

“Anahi Barrera and Tatum Hasley each had eight rebounds. Carina Sianez added five rebounds, and Barrera made seven assists and six steals. It was a great team effort.”

 

The eighth-grade B-Team Lady Mules kept their record perfect at 3-0 by defeating the Dimmitt Bobbies 33-5. The Lady Mules outscored Dimmitt in every period of the game.

 

Clara Vara led the charge for the Lady Mules with 12 points. Heather Chavez and Anzley Rodriguez dropped in six points each.

 

“These ladies played a great game,” continued Coach King. “They worked hard on the aspects of the of the game we have been emphasizing in practice, and it paid off tonight.”

 

The Lady Mules hosted the Slaton Tigerettes Monday and will compete in the Lamesa Tournament December first and third. The Lady Mules will host the Friona Maidens December 5. 

7th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt (11-21-2016)

7th Lady Mules vs. Dimmitt (11-21-2016)

 

The 3-0 seventh-grade Lady Mules set a torrid pace Monday against the Dimmitt Bobbies. Utilizing a full-court pressing defense and fast break offense the Lady Mules jumped out to a 6-0 lead with just 45 seconds off the clock and the Bobbies were calling timeout.

 

The Lady Mules pressed only during the first period but had built an 18-0 lead. To be precise, the first Bobbie basket did not fall until just four seconds were remaining in the first half. The Lady Mules downed the Bobbies 37-6.

 

Page Parker set the scoring pace for the Lady Mules with 14 points. Natalie Ambriz finished the game with nine points. Makayla Toscano dropped in six points, and Kayla Soto scored her four points in the final period. Alina Elizaraz and Kyla Sierra chipped in two points each.

 

“We jumped out to an 18-point lead during the first period,” said Lady Mule coach Stephanie Lowery. “The girls came out aggressive and ready to play. I am proud of their improvement, and I am excited to see what the rest of the season brings.” 

 

“Once again tough defense led to many fast break points in the paint. Paige Parker made eight steals and Kylee Villa finished with seven steals.”

 

The seventh B-Team Lady Mules claimed their first win of the season Monday against the Dimmitt Bobbies. The Lady Mules led 9-0 by the intermission and downed the Bobbies 22-15.

 

Ava Miller led the Lady Mules with six points.

 

“We finally got a win,” continued Coach Lowery. The girls looked more confident out there than they have all year. They hustled on defense and got several steals.”

 

The Lady Mules hosted the Slaton Tigerettes Monday and will play in the Lamesa Tournament December first and third. The Lady Mules will host the Friona Maidens December 5.

Mules vs. Breckenridge for Area (11-18-2016)

Mules vs. Breckenridge for Area (11-18-2016)

 

Mules’ coach, David Wood, referred to the game as the rubber match in a pre-game interview. Friday night was the third time in three years that the Muleshoe Mules and Breckenridge Buckaroos had met in the Area Round of the Texas State Football Playoffs.

 

The Mules had lost to Breckenridge 28-7 in 2014, but the Mules returned in 2015 for a 31-20 victory. The Mules had to battle back from a 21-7 halftime deficit Friday night to win the latest version of Mules vs. Bucks 47-35.

 

“It was deja vu from last year,” said Coach Wood following the game. “The difference is that this year we did not go into halftime with the momentum. We were down 21-7 again at the half, just like last year, but this time we were on a drive, and it was snuffed out there at the end.”

 

“Without the momentum, we knew adjustments needed to be made. So we just laid it out on the table, and the kids responded and came out on fire like I have never seen a team do before. That was the most remarkable third quarter I have ever been a part of on both sides of the football.”

 

“It is one thing for a defense to make stops but it is another thing then to have your offense go score, score, score. The kids deserve all the credit. They have worked so hard this and going on to the Regional Round again.”

 

“We are getting the opportunity of a lifetime to play the defending Texas State Champion team from Brock. The kids are very excited about that, but we will enjoy this win tonight.”

 

The Mules trailed 14-0 with 9:49 left in the first half. Breckenridge kicked off, and Jason Florez returned to the Mule 32. The Mules scored on the second play of the ensuing drive.

 

Beto Diaz tossed a screen pass to Florez spread to the left side. Yoel Reyes chopped the cornerback, and Mario Flores sealed off the outside linebacker to open the door for Florez.

 

He accelerated by three would-be tacklers. Donovan Gutierrez scurried downfield to make the final block to allow Florez to score. It was a 64-yard catch and run. Arturo Contreras booted the extra point, and the Mules had cut the deficit to 14-7 with 8:25 remaining in the first half.

 

“We started off slow in the first half,” said Mule receiver, Jason Florez. “Some of the players said some things at halftime and our coaches came up with a great game plan. We came out and executed that plan and never let down in the second half.”

 

“We played as a team and gave it all our hearts tonight. We are just going to keep playing hard and give it our all in each game.”

 

The Bucks were not finished and pounded the ball downfield on 13 plays that covered 49 yards and ate up almost six minutes. PAT kick gave the Bucks a 21-7 advantage at the intermission.

 

But the revitalized Mules reappeared after the break and Florez returned the opening kick 14 yards to the Mule 31-yard line. Diaz kept the football on three consecutive downs and advanced the Mules 18 yards to the Mule 49.

 

Florez gave his defender a head fake and scooted by his defender while running a post pattern. He stretched to the max to make the catch at the Buck 30. The defender almost caught up to Florez, but he extended his left arm to hold him off.

 

The defender grabbed the stiff arm and attempted to drag him down. Florez slipped out of the grasp to finish the 51-yard touchdown play with 10:57 left in the third period. Contreras kick was good, and the Mules had trimmed the Buck lead to 21-14.

 

Lozano kicked off, and the ball took a tricky hop at the Buck 28 and was finally picked up at the 23. Tre Villa made the stop on the return at the Mule 44-yard line. A penalty scooted the Bucks back to their 19-yard line.

 

The Mules shut down the powerhouse running attack of the Bucks and forced a punt on fourth down. The ball rolled dead on the Mule 30.

 

Diaz started left on first down and allowed a blocked Buck to hit the turf before making the pitch wide to Lozano. Flores laid down a block that allowed Lozano to cut to the inside and made a man miss. Florez made a block downfield, and Lozano scooted upfield for an 18-yard gain to the Buck 48.

 

The Mules used some trickery on fourth down, and Dagen Dunham took a direct snap from center while Diaz and the receivers appeared to look to the sideline for a call from their coach.

 

The defense seemed to relax with part of the team looking to the sideline and Dunham followed the left side of the Mule line for five yards and a first down at the Buck 35.

 

Diaz hit Yoel Reyes as he was running the fade at the eight-yard line. Y. Reyes turned 270 degrees to make the catch at and finished his 360-degree spin as he fell in the end zone. The PAT kick was off the mark, and the Mules still trailed the Bucks 21-20.

 

Lozano booted the ensuing kickoff high in the air, and a Buck raced to make the catch. The Buck went to one knee in his efforts, but the ball slid through his hands and rolled away. Brady Martinez recovered the miscue for the Mules at the Breckenridge 38.

 

Javy Perez went in motion from his running back position. Diaz rolled right and drew the defensive end before making the pitch to Perez. Cesar Olvera sealed off the path as Perez raced by one tackler but a second pushed him out of bounds at the one-yard line.

 

Dunham went under center, took the direct snap, and found a crease to end zone. Contreras kick was good, and the Mules took the lead for good with 5:48 left in the third quarter.

 

Lozano kicked off to the Buck 24 and Ean Hasley and Martinez chased the ball carrier back to the Breckenridge 20 before making the tackle.

 

Fidel Mendoza wrapped up the Buck ball carrier like a Christmas package on first down. Dominik Hasley shot the gap as the Mules smothered the dive on second down. An incomplete pass forced the Bucks to punt fourth down.

 

The Buck punt was short and rolled out of bounds at the Mule 47-yard line. The Mules needed eight plays to cover the 53 yards to pay dirt. Diaz kept up the middle for the final 24 yards to give the Mules a 33-21 lead with 1:46 remaining in the third period.

 

The Bucks decided to fair catch Lozano’s kickoff at the Buck 33. The Mules collapsed the middle of the Buck offensive line for a stop for no gain. Flores and Isaac Mendoza teamed up to blast the intended Buck receiver as he came down with the ball. The shock of the hit by the Mules jarred the ball from the receiver’s hands.

 

Dunham sacked the Breckenridge quarterback for an eight-yard loss on third down. The Buck punt bounced out of bounds at the Buck 43.

 

Lozano gained eight yards on a pitch behind a block by Romeo Reyes. Diaz then tossed the ball to R. Reyes, and he laid out for the catch at the Breckenridge one-yard line. Lozano got the nod for the one-yard run for a touchdown on the first play of the final period. The kick was good, and the Mules increased the lead to 40-21 with 11:54 remaining in the game.

 

Breckenridge tried to get back in the match with a 37-yard touchdown, but the Mules answered with Diaz scampering 14 yards for his second touchdown of the evening to keep the Mules up 47-28.

 

The Bucks had one last gasp with a 32-yard touchdown run for the final points of the game.

 

Isaac Mendoza picked off a Breckenridge pass to dash all Buck hopes of a last-minute comeback.

 

The Mules finished the night with a total of 518 yards with 255 yards being through the air and 263 yards on the ground.

 

Diaz rushed 25 times for 169 yards and two touchdowns. He passed for 255 yards and three touchdowns. Michael Lozano rushed eight times for 47 yards and one touchdown and caught two passes for 18 yards. Javy Perez carried three times for 41 yards. Dagen Dunham rushed twice for six yards and one touchdown.  

 

Jason Florez caught six passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Romeo Reyes made two receptions for 43 yards, and Yoel Reyes had one catch for 35 yards and one touchdown.

 

Donovan Gutierrez led the Mule defense with 21 tackles and caused or recovered a fumble. Mario Flores had 20 tackles and broke up a pass. Dagen Dunham made 16 tackles, one being for a loss, and made one sack. Javy Perez had 15 tackles, Moises Vasquez made eight tackles, and Isaac Mendoza had seven tackles, broke up a pass, caused or recovered a fumble and intercepted a pass.

 

The Mules will celebrate Thanksgiving on Thursday with their families before traveling to Vernon on Friday. The Mules will host the Brock Eagles in Lion Stadium on Leon Brittain Field at 7:00 PM CST.        

Lady Mules vs. Olton (11-15-2016)

Lady Mules vs. Olton (11-15-2016)

 

The Lady Mules proved to be rude hosts Tuesday evening as they ran away from their guests, the Olton Fillies. Reagan Reynolds and Sadie Sudduth led a scoring burst that allowed the Lady Mules to soar in front 14-0 with four and half minutes gone in the game.

 

The Lady Mules led 19-10 at the end of the first period and rolled to a 60-29 win.

 

Sa. Sudduth hit from the right wing to put the Lady Mules in front 30 seconds into the game. Reynolds struck with a hoop from the baseline and half a minute later finished a fast break. Reynolds finished a second fast break with Sa. Sudduth delivering her the ball for an 8-0 Lady Mule lead.

 

Keely Dunham put back her missed shot and Sydnie Sudduth fed Sa. Sudduth the ball as she broke to the hoop for a hoop with four and half minutes left in the first period. Yvonne Diaz scored from the baseline to put the Lady Mules on top 14-0.

 

The Fillies sank a 3-pointer with just less than three and half minutes left in the first period. Emily Precure made both free throws after being fouled in the act of shooting. She added another penalty shot after the Fillies hit a bucket.

 

Brittany Mendoza dropped in both free throws after being hacked while she was shooting.

 

The Fillies almost kept pace with the Lady Mules in the second period, but Muleshoe led Olton 30-20 at the intermission.

 

Lilly Barrera sank a buzzer beater at the end of the third period to hold a Filly scoring run in check. The Lady Mules outscored the Olton 15-13 for a 45-23 Lady Mule lead with one quarter left to play.

 

Dunham and Sa. Sudduth provided most of the Lady Mule punch in the final quarter. Sa. Sudduth made the Lady Mules’ only trey and a pair of hoops for seven points. Dunham made three baskets for six points.

 

Sadie Sudduth finished the night with a game-high 20 points. Keely Dunham and Reagan Reynolds added eight points each. Lilly Barrera and Yvonne Diaz dropped in six points each. Cassidy Cage made all four of her points in the second half. Emily Precure and Sydnie Sudduth chipped in three points each.

 

The Lady Mules traveled to Levelland Monday night to play the `Loboettes and are on the road to Hale Center November 29 to play the Lady Owls.    

JV Lady Mules vs. Olton (11-15-2016)

JV Lady Mules vs. Olton (11-15-2016)

 

The JV Lady Mules set the tone early Tuesday night when they hosted the Olton Fillies in the New Muleshoe High School Gymnasium. The Lady Mules led 30-6 after the first half with eleven Lady Mules scoring.

 

The Lady Mules continued to dominate the Fillies in the second half for a 46-22 win.

 

Brianna Barron led the charge for the Lady Mules with nine points. Valerie Ambriz and Natali Elizalde finished the night with five points each. Ab Mendoza, Maddison Price, Noa Rojas, Citali Vargas, and Melody Moran scored four points each. Alyssa Wheeler finished with three points.

 

The Lady Mules traveled to Levelland Monday evening to play the Loboettes and are scheduled to travel to Hale Center to play the Lady Owls November 29.  

8th Lady Mules vs. Idalou (11-14-2016)

8th Lady Mules vs. Idalou (11-14-2016)

 

The eighth grade Lady Mules kept their winning record intact by defeating the Idalou Lady Cats Monday evening 36-28. A 10-4 scoring run in the opening quarter gave the Lady Mules they needed for the win.

 

Idalou reclaimed most of the differential in the second period to trail the Lady Mules 14-12 at the intermission. The Lady Mules did not suffer a lapse in scoring in the second half and scurried away from the Lady Cats.

 

“This was a good win for us,” said Lady Mule coach Jalissa King. “Idalou is always a strong basketball school, and they played a solid game. It was a close game the entire time. Anahi Barrera played a strong game with 10 rebounds and four assists.”

 

“Jordan Zapata and Grace Leal each had three steals. The girls worked hard until the very last second.”

 

Anahi Barrera led the Lady Mules with 16 points and Katelyn Kelly dropped in six points.

 

The eighth-grade B-Team extended their winning streak to 2-0 by defeating the Lady Cats of Idalou 30-22. The Lady Mules jumped out to a 10-3 lead in the first period and cruised through the next three periods for the win.

 

Priscilla Medina led the way with 10 points. Anzley Rodriguez and Clara Vara added six points each.

 

“This was a tough game for our girls,” continued Coach King. “Last year they did not see teams as fundamentally sound as Idalou. They worked hard and played well together.”

 

The Lady Mules hosted the Littlefield Lady Cats Monday night and will travel to Slaton to play the Slaton Tigerettes November 28. 

7th Lady Mules vs. Idalou (11-14-2016)

7th Lady Mules vs. Idalou (11-14-2016)

 

The seventh grade Lady Mules hosted the always tough Idalou Lady Cats Monday afternoon. Before the dust settled the Lady Cats may have wished they had stayed east of Lubbock.

 

The Lady Mules fell behind 6-2 but came roaring back to take a 13-8 lead by the end of the first period. The Lady Mule defense caused several turnovers that were converted to points and rolled on for a 36-28 win.

 

Natalie Ambriz and Paige Parker throttles must have been stuck wide open as the two girls raced up and down the floor daring the Lady Cats to keep up with the Lady Mules.

 

Ambriz had scored seven points by the end of the first period, and Parker had six. Both girls shared the ball with teammates as the Lady Mules zipped up and down the floor.

 

Parker broke the scoring ice for the Lady Mules with a steal and a drive to the hoop with just over three minutes left in the first period. At the two-minute mark, she gave a head fake and drove to the hoop for her second basket.

 

Ambriz then caught fire and drove coast-to-coast for a layup with 1:40 still left in the first period. Thirty-one seconds later she was again laying the ball up on the rim. Ambriz made her third layup of the quarter with 43 seconds left in the first period.

 

Parker drove the baseline for a hoop with just under 20 seconds to go in the opening quarter. Idalou fouled Ambriz as she attempted to put back a missed shot with time running out. She made one of her penalty shots.

 

Ambriz finished the game with 20 points. Parker made all 14 of her points in the first three quarters. Kayla Soto chipped in two points in the fourth period.

 

The Lady Mules hosted the Dimmitt Bobbies Monday night. They will travel to Slaton after Thanksgiving to play the Tigerettes.  

Mules vs. Kermit Bi-District (11-11-2016)

Mules vs. Kermit Bi-District (11-11-2016)

The Mules played a complete game Friday night against the Kermit Yellow Jackets to bring home the Bi-District Gold ball with a 68-13 win. The Mules finished the game by running their coach, David Wood‘s, favorite play; the Victory Knee at the Kermit three-yard line. 

“In a game like this,” said Mule coach David Wood. “It is nice to see all the kids get in the game and reap the fruits of their labor. The win was a team effort in all phases of the game.”

The Mule coaches felt a fast start was necessary against the Yellow Jackets to prevent Kermit from gaining momentum. The Mules executed the plan to perfection with Dominik Hasley putting pressure on the Jackets 6-3, 257-pound quarterback, Jerek Garcia. 

Garcia’s pass on the third play of the game was picked off by Mario “Boo” Flores at the Kermit 36 and returned the ball to the Kermit 27-yard line. 

Beto Diaz stood in the pocket as Jason Florez ran straight at the defensive back causing him to freeze momentarily. Florez broke straight down the sideline, and Diaz dropped the ball over Florez’s shoulder at the Jacket four-yard line. Florez dashed to the end zone with just over ten minutes left in the first period. 

Arturo Contreras PAT kick was good to put the Mules on top 7-0. 

Michael “Mikey” Lozano kicked off to the Kermit 27, and the Jackets formed a wedge to return the football to the Kermit 46-yard line. 

Charles Stallings broke into the Mules secondary on the second play of the drive and zipped 51-yards for a touchdown, and the PAT was good to tie the game at 7-7.

That was the Jackets last Hurrah as the Mules took over the game after that. 

The Mules chose to fair catch the high kickoff at the Mule 34-yard line. Diaz connected with Flores on the inside receiver screen. Cesar Olvera, Dominik Hasley raced across the field to make blocks for an 11-yard gain. 

Florez snagged the bubble screen to the right side, and Flores, Tre Villa, Donovan Gutierrez and D. Hasley raced to get in front and block for Florez. The play went 14-yards for a first down. 

Javy Perez kept the Kermit defense honest by blasting up the middle for six yards. Diaz pump-faked the bubble screen to Florez and then tossed to Flores after he appeared to be going to block for the screen and then cut back across the field to make the catch. He broke a tackle at the Kermit 25 and the dragged two defenders to the Jacket 15-yard line. 

The Mules almost stalled out inside the Kermit five but gained one and two yards to reach the one-yard line. Dagen Dunham went under center, took the snap and plunged forward behind his center, Gutierrez. Contreras booted the extra point to give the Mules a 14-7 lead with five minutes left in the first period. 

Lozano kicked off to the Kermit 26. Ean Hasley and Brady Martinez flew to the football. Hasley made the first contact and Martinez made the tackle secure at the Jacket 34-yard line. 

Stallings gained 15 yards on the Jackets’ first play, and Issac Mendoza brought him to the turf. Stallings carried again, but Dunham made the first contact and Olvera finished him off after just a three-yard gain. 

Moises Vasquez slashed into the Jacket backfield and tackled Stallings for no gain. On third down and needing seven yards, the Jackets rolled Garcia out of the pocket. Flores tracked him down and, Dunham stripped the ball as the trio went to the turf. Vasquez claimed the loose ball for the Mules at the Kermit 42-yard line. 

Florez started in motion just behind the Mule line. Diaz called for the snap and handed Florez the ball running the Jet Sweep. Dunham’s block allowed Florez to turn up field and Lozano made a block downfield. Florez was pulled down after a 24-yard gain. 

A quick throw to Dunham moved the Mules 11-yards downfield to the Jacket seven-yard line. Lozano pounded the five-yards closer to the goal line. Diaz then made a high throw in the end zone to Dunham. 

Dunham leaped high in the air to catch the pass above the defender’s head for a touchdown. The kick after bounced off an upright to give the Mules a 20-7 lead with 2:23 still left in the first period.    

Two plays into the second quarter the Mules took over on downs at the Mule 18. 

Diaz shuffled the ball forward to Lozano crossing just behind the Mule line. A huge hole opened for Lozano as Fidel Mendoza blocked to the inside and Carlos Meza sealed off the outside. Lozano powered for seven yards to the Mule 25.

Diaz connected with Villa running along the Mule sideline. He made one man miss and gained 16-yards. Flores leaped high to snag a Diaz pass between two defenders at the Jacket 43. He stumbled as his feet hit the ground and jumped forward to the Jacket 39-yard line. 

Yoel Reyes made a spectacular catch at the Kermit goal line. Diaz made a back-shoulder throw but Y. Reyes jumped and twisted his body in the air to grab the ball and then fell in the end zone. The pass-and-catch covered 32 yards. Contreras kick was good to give the Mules a 27-7 lead with 8:35 left in the first half. 

The ensuing Kermit drive stalled out and the Mules took over on downs at the Mule 23. Florez slipped through a hole after catching a screen pass and gained 14-yards. Romeo Reyes went nine yards to midfield with a pass from Diaz. 

Florez took the inside screen pass and worked behind blocks by Meza and F. Mendoza. Their blocks created a crease for Florez to run through. He made a man miss at the and D. Hasley made the final block to open the gate to the Kermit end zone. 

It was a 46-yard catch and run for a touchdown with 44 seconds left in the first half. The Mules led 34-7 at the half after Contreras kick split the uprights.

With just less than nine minutes left in the third quarter, Dunham again made a one-yard plunge into the end zone. Contreras added the extra point for a 41-7 Mule lead. 

Perez intercepted a Jacket pass at the Mule 40 and set the Mules up for another scoring drive on the Mule 45. Florez capped off the six play 55-yard drive with a 24-yard catch-and-run 4:02 remaining in the third period. Contreras kick extended the Mule lead to 48-7. 

Lozano demonstrated his athletic ability on a 52-yard TD shuffle-pass-and-run. After working his way downfield, setting up blocks and avoiding tacklers, Lozano was tripped by a Jacket at the Kermit five-yard line, and he stumbled and fell into the end zone. The Contreras kick gave the Mules a 54-13 lead with just less than two minutes left in the third quarter. 

Early in the fourth quarter, Lozano took over as the quarterback. He passed to Martinez, and he zipped downfield for a 27-yard touchdown. Contreras kick increased the Mule lead to 61-13 with ten and half minutes left in the game. 

Lozano carried to the Kermit 20 with just less than eight minutes left in the contest. Matthew Alarcon took over at quarterback. A motion penalty cost the Mules five yards. 

Alarcon rolled left and cut behind a block by Martinez. Ryan Rodriguez added a block on the sideline as Alarcon cut toward the goalpost. Fernando Rivas made a final hit on a Jacket to head to the goal line. He was pulled down at the one-yard line. 

Alarcon kept left and ran off tackle for a one-yard TD with 5:45 remaining in the game. Contreras kicked the Mules final point. 

Raul Sierra ran Coach Wood’s favorite play three times to take the final minute off the clock and end the game. 

The Mules will travel to Big Springs’ Howard College Stadium. The Mules are the home team and game time is scheduled for 7:00 PM CST. 

Lady Mules vs. Abernathy (11-8-2016)

Lady Mules vs. Abernathy (11-8-2016)

The Lady Mules fell behind 10-0 in the first four-and-a-half minutes of their opening game of the season. They were hosting the always competitive Abernathy Lady Lopes. After a timeout, the Lady Mules cut that lead to 13-8 by the end of the first period. 

The Lady Mules continued to battle through the second quarter and went to the dressing room at halftime tied 22-22. 

Little did the players, coaches or fans know what sort of ride they were going to have in the final 20 minutes of the game. When time ran out in the final period, the game was still tied 41-41. 

Sydnie Sudduth tied up the overtime period when she battled her way through a foul and put back an offensive rebound with just 41 seconds left in the game. The Lady Mules got the ball back and ran the clock down to just a final few ticks. 

Sadie Sudduth drove the lane and dished to Sy. Sudduth along the baseline. Sy. Sudduth managed to scoop the ball up to the rim. The ball bounced on the rim once; the final buzzer began to sound, and the ball fell through the hoop to give the Lady Mules a 50-48 win. 

Lilly Barrera was fouled out front as the overtime period began. She went to the line to shoot a free throw. She dropped the first shot through but missed the second but gave the Lady Mules a 42-41 advantage with 3:36 remaining in the OT.

Abernathy made two-of-four free throws to retake the lead and then dropped in a trey to extend their lead to 46-42 with 1:55 left in the game. 

Fifteen seconds later Sa. Sudduth lined up her first 3-pointer of the night to cut the Lady Mule deficit to 45-46 with 1:40 still on the clock. Abernathy made their final two points with free throws with 1:15 left in the game. The Lady Mules took over after that. 

Reagan Reynolds was fouled with 43 seconds left in the game and missed her free throw but Sy. Sudduth grabbed the offensive rebound, and the rest is history. 

Sadie Sudduth led the Lady Mules with 19 points in the game, and that includes a 3-pointer in the overtime period. Yvonne Diaz made nine of her 11 points in the first half. Sydnie Sudduth scored 10 points, but five of those points came in the OT. 

Reagan Reynolds finished with seven points and hit a 3-pointer early in the second half. Keely Dunham made two points and Barrera chipped in one point in the OT. 

The Lady Mules hosted Olton Tuesday night and will travel to Levelland November 21. 

JV Lady Mules vs. Abernathy (11-8-2016)

JV Lady Mules vs. Abernathy (11-8-2016)

The JV Lady Mules stumbled out of the gate Tuesday night when they hosted the Abernathy Lady Lopes. They only made two-of-six free throws and no field goals to fall behind the Lopes 10-2. 

Abernathy continued to increase their advantage in every period to defeat the Lady Mules 45-27. 

Alyssa Wheeler made all nine of her points in the second half and that included a 3-pointer in the final period. Brianna Barron and Madison Price made five points each. Natali Elizalde added all four of her points in the second quarter. Natalie Diaz and Reina Regalado chipped in two points each. 

The Lady Mules hosted Olton Tuesday evening and will play in the Seagraves Eagles Tournament November 17 and 18. They plan to travel to Levelland November 21 to play the Loboettes.

8th Lady Mules vs. Littlefield (11-7-2016)

8th Lady Mules vs. Littlefield (11-7-2016)

Both the eighth-grade Lady Mules and Lady Mule B-Team defeated the Littlefield Lady Cats on the road to open basketball season. The Lady Mules jumped out to a 14-9 lead by the end of the first quarter. 

The Lady Mules outscored the Lady Cats in every period to take the night 36-19. Anahi Barrera led the Lady Mules with 20 points and Katelyn Kelly dropped in eight points. 

“This was a strong first game for us,” said Lady Mule coach, Jalissa King. “We pushed the ball hard and were strong on defense. Katelyn Kelley really stepped it up on the court by contributing eight rebounds. Danielle Moran added five rebounds and two steals.”  

The eight-grade B-Team Lady Mules scored 20 of their 29 points in the second half to defeat the B-Team Lady Cats 29-7. Anzley Rodriguez and Delores Ayala scored 10 points each to lead the Lady Mules. Prisila Medina chipped in six points. 

“This was a strong team effort by the eighth-grade B-Team Lady Mules,” continued King. Anzley Rodriguez had a strong offensive and defensive game. She had five rebounds and six steals. She led this team to victory.”

“Camila Platas was a tough defensive force for us. She had four defensive rebounds and two blocks. What a wonderful way to start our season.”

The Lady Mules hosted the Idalou Lady Cats Monday night and will go on the road to Dimmitt to face the Bobbies November 21. 

7th Lady Mules vs. Littlefield (11-7-2016)

7th Lady Mules vs. Littlefield (11-7-2016)

The seventh-grade Lady Mules and seven-grade Lady Mule B-Team traveled to Littlefield to open the 2016-2017 Lady Mule basketball season on the road. 

The Lady Mules outscored the Lady Cats 13-6 in the opening quarter and held on to take the game 22-19. Page Parker led the charge for the Lady Mules with nine points. Natalie Ambriz was close behind with eight points. 

“This was such an exciting first game,” said Lady Mule coach, Stephanie Lowery. “We started with a strong first quarter and continued to put pressure on the defensive side. We struggled to finish on the offensive side.”

“Kylee Villa had several big stops on defense. All the girls played aggressively the entire game”

The seven-grade B-Team Lady Mules defeated the B-Team Lady Cats 12-8. 

“These girls started off with a rough first quarter but slowly began to figure things out,” continued Lowery. “I am proud of their hard work and we can only get better from here.”

The Lady Mules hosted the Idalou Lady Wildcats Monday and will travel to Dimmitt to play the Bobbies November 21.

Mules vs. Shallowater (11-4-2016)

Mules vs. Shallowater (11-4-2016)

The Mules had a lot of pride on the line Friday night when they traveled to Shallowater’s Todd Field. The Mules rallied early and seemed to take the wind out of the Mustangs on the first play of the game. 

Mario “Boo” Flores blasted the ball loose from the Shallowater running back as he approached the line of scrimmage. Javy Perez leaped on the ball for the Mules at the Shallowater 25. 

Beto Diaz kept up the middle for five yards on first down. Dagen Dunham’s route took him five yards downfield and he turned and settled in front of the defenders. Diaz delivered Dunham the ball. Dunham turned and dragged defenders five yards to the Shallowater five-yard line. 

Diaz carried up the middle for a touchdown with just two minutes gone in the first period. Arturo Contreras kicked the point after to give the Mules a 7-0 lead. 

The Mules went on to defeat the Mustangs 42-24. 

“Tonight was a great way to end the regular season against a high caliber team,” said Mule coach David Wood. “It was good that we had some different kids rise to the top of the highlight reel. This is a great way to set the stage for the playoffs.” 

Late in the first period, Jason Florez returned a Shallowater punt from the Mule five-yard line to the Mule 20. Florez was tackled by his face mask and the penalty tacked on an additional 15 yards to the Mule 35.

By the end of the first period, the Mules were again knocking on the Mustangs’ door. After a blocking in the back penalty backed the Mules up to their 20-yard line. Florez dashed straight at the defensive back and broke to the outside. 

Diaz launched a pass to the end zone. Florez adjusted his route, he had to look over his inside shoulder and again spot the ball. He snagged the ball eight yards deep in the end zone to give the Mules a 14-0 lead with 11:44 left in the first half. 

It only took the Mustangs two plays to penetrate the Mule 10-yard line. Flores was a yard deep in the Mustang backfield to make the tackle at the Mule five. The Mules jumped offside and the ball was advanced to the Mule two-yard line. 

Shallowater moved before the ball was snapped and the Mustangs were penalized back to the Mustang seven-yard line. Ean Hasley pushed the Mustangs back a yard on second down. 

The Shallowater quarterback lost two more yards on third down and was forced to boot a 23-yard field goal and cut the Mule lead to 14-3 with nine minutes remaining in the first half. 

The ensuing Mule drive started at the Mule 30-yard line. The Mules ran a reverse pass on third down. Diaz handed off to Michael “Mikey” Lozano and he pitched to Flores going back to the left. Flores then pitched the ball back to Diaz deep in the pocket. 

Diaz launched a pass downfield to Jason Flores at the Shallowater 22. Lozano then took the handoff and ran off right tackle into the Mustang secondary. He avoided a tackle at the 10-yard line and was hit from behind at the five-yard line. He powered into the end zone dragging two Mustangs with him. 

Contreras PAT kick gave the Mules a 21-3 lead with eight and a half minutes left in the half. 

Lozano kicked off and the Mustangs returned the ball to the Shallowater 46-yard line. It took the Mustangs three plays to score their only touchdown of the first half. The point-after try was no good and the Mustangs trailed 21-9 with 6:55 to go in the first half. 

The ensuing Mule drive stalled out at the Mule 42 and Diaz punt rolled dead at the Shallowater 10-yard line. 

Shallowater’s quarterback tossed the ball over his intended receiver. Florez leaped high in the air for the interception at the Mustang 22. He outran the Mustangs to the end zone for a defensive touchdown. Contreras added the extra point to increase the Mule lead to 28-9 with three and a half minutes left in the half. 

The Mules made their second goal line stand just before the half ended and forced the Mustangs to settle for a second field goal. The Mules led 28-12 at the half. 

Shallowater kicked off to start the third quarter and the Mules ran the ball out of the end zone and following a penalty started their drive at the eight-yard line. Diaz rolled left on the fourth play of the drive. 

Florez was held at the line of scrimmage but broke away from his defender. Diaz fired Florez a strike near midfield. Florez ran away from his defender for a 72-yard catch and run. Contreras kick gave the Mules a 35-12 lead with 10:53 left in the third quarter. 

Shallowater scored early in the final period on a three-yard run. The two-point conversion failed. 

Lozano scored the Mules final touchdown as he ran out of the backfield. Diaz passed him the ball over the middle. Lozano scooted to the end zone for a 23-yard scoring play to cap a six-play 52-yard drive. Contreras kick was good for a 42-18 Mule lead with just less than eight minutes left in the game. 

The Mustangs scored a final time on a 26-yard pass. The PAT kick was no good. 

The Mules rolled up a total of 425-yards of offense with 71 yards being on the ground and 354 yards through the air.   

Florez caught six passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He also intercepted two passes and returned one for a 22-yard touchdown. Tre Villa made five receptions for 65 yards and Romeo Reyes caught four passes for 61 yards. 

Diaz rushed six times for 28 yards and one touchdown. He completed 24 of 35 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns. Lozano rushed six times for 32 yards and one touchdown. He also caught three passes for 40 yards and one touchdown. 

Flores and Dagen Dunham led the Mule defense with 12 tackles each. Flores made one tackle for a loss, had a sack, broke up a pass and caused a fumble. Dunham had four tackles for losses, two sacks and had two quarterback hurries. 

Donovan Gutierrez made ten tackles. Isaac Mendoza had eight tackles, one special team tackle, one sack and broke up a pass. Javy Perez recorded seven tackles, four special teams tackles and recovered a fumble. 

Dominik Hasley made seven tackles along with a sack. Jason Florez had six tackles, broke up a pass and made two interceptions. Romeo Reyes also made six tackles. 

The Mules will travel to Denver City Friday night to play the Kermit Yellow Jackets at 7:00 PM CST. The Mules are the home team. The Jackets are the number two team from District 2-3A Division I and have a record of 4-6, 3-1.

JV Mules vs. Shallowater (11-3-2016)

JV Mules vs. Shallowater (11-3-2016)

The JV Mules were 4-0 in district going into Thursday’s game with the Shallowater Mustangs in Benny Douglas Stadium. The game was a defensive battle and neither team scored in the first half. 

The Mustangs scored as the second half started to take a 7-0 lead. The Mules scored with eight minutes left in the game and added the two-point conversion to take an 8-7 lead. The Mustangs won the game with a 17-yard field goal to defeat the Mules 10-8. 

“We sent seven players to the varsity this season and then our quarterback, Luke Del Toro, was injured in practice,” said Mule JV coach John Jay. “The loss of Del Toro hurt our offense but Raul Sierra did a great job of learning the quarterback position on the fly. Our defense really stepped it up to keep us in these games and gave us opportunities to win.” 

“We are so proud of these kids and how they met and overcame adversity to stay undefeated in district going into the final game. We are not sure about other teams’ records at this time.”

The Mules first drive was indicative of the way the game would go. The Mule kickoff return man tripped and fell at the Mule eight-yard line. Ryan Rodriguez zipped up the middle for 11 yards on the first play of the game. 

Sierra connected with JoJo Rejino along the Mule sideline for another first down at the Mule 29. The Mustangs jumped offside’s to advance the Mules five yards on the penalty. Then a chop-block penalty was called on the Mules to give the Mules a first down and twenty yards needed for a first. 

Sierra’s pass was tipped up by his intended receiver and Shallowater intercepted and returned to the Mule 20-yard line. 

Neither team could score in the first half. 

The Mules whiffed the kickoff to start the second half. The ball spun out of bounds at the Mule 40-yard line. The ensuing five-yard penalty gave the Mustangs the ball at the Mule 35. 

The Mustangs marched down the field and scored on a 26-yard run with 8:21 left in the third period. The Mustangs kicked the point after for a 7-0 lead. 

A Mule pass was intercepted on the Shallowater 33 and returned to the Mule 44. But the Mules got the ball back on the next play as Jacob Kettner punched the ball out of the running back’s hands and Luis Franco recovered at the Mule 44. 

A blocking in the back penalty put the brakes on the Mule drive and forced a punt. Ryan Rodriguez punted to the Shallowater four-yard line. 

The Mustangs picked up two first downs and reached the Mustang 30. Corbin Hardwick and a host of Mules made the stop for no gain on first down. Jose Quintana raced into the Mustang backfield for a tackle that cost Shallowater five yards. 

Rejino and Julian Astorga stopped the Mustang running back after he gained six yards to force Shallowater to punt on fourth down. The punt rolled dead at the Mustang 47. 

Sierra connected with Sergio Solano running a slant over the middle for 22 yards. Rodriguez zipped up the middle and was stripped of the ball at the Mustang five-yard line. Rigo Mendoza recovered for the Mules. 

The Mustangs were called for pass interference in the end zone. The penalty gave the Mules a first down at the Mustang one-yard line. Sierra scored on a one-yard quarterback sneak up the middle. Rodriguez slipped through a hole in the middle for the two-point conversion that gave the Mules an 8-7 lead with eight minutes left in the game. 

Luis Franco kicked off and Quintana and Fabian Valadez raced downfield to make the tackle at the Shallowater 35. 

Rodriguez made the stop on first down for no gain. Hardwick and Quintana made the tackle on second down after a five-yard gain. Astorga and Mendoza blitzed and sacked the quarterback for a nine-yard loss to force the Mustangs to punt on fourth down. 

A blocking in the back penalty set the Mules back to the Mule 20. The Mules were facing a punting situation after picking up just one first down. Rodriguez faked the punt and raced wide left but was tackled just short of a first down. 

The Mustangs had the ball at the Mule 27 with just over three and a half minutes left in the game. Rejino broke up the pass on first down but the Mustangs connected over the middle for a 21-yard gain to the Mule 16. 

An 11-yard gain on first down put the Mustangs on the Mule five-yard line with a first and goal. Solano blitzed on first down and made the tackle for a four-yard loss. Shallowater gained eight yards to the Mule one-yard line. 

Mendoza made the stop for no gain on third down. 

Shallowater kicked a 17-yard field goal for the win. 

Raul Sierra completed 15 of 28 passes for 127 yards and he rushed three times for three yards and one touchdown. Ryan Rodriguez carried 13 times for 112 yards and scored a two-point conversion. He also caught two passes for 18 yards.

Sergio Solano had three receptions for 40 yards. JoJo Rejino made five catches for 36 yards and Fabian Valadez had five receptions for 33 yards. 

The Mules rushed for 115 yards and passed for 127 yards for a total of 242 yards. 

Luis Franco led the Mules with 10 tackles and one sack. Julian Astorga and Corbin Hardwick recorded eight tackles each. Rigo Mendoza made seven tackles and recovered a fumble. Jose Quintana also made seven tackles. 

“Our big offensive play of the game was when we scored and made the two-point conversion in the fourth quarter to take the lead,” continued Jay. “Our defense held Shallowater at our 13-, 19- and four-yard lines in the first half to keep the game tied at 0-0. Then, in the final period, we stopped them a the one-yard line to force them to kick a field goal.”

Many of the Mules will step up to the Varsity for the Mules’ playoff run.   

9th Mules vs. Shallowater (11-3-2016)

9th Mules vs. Shallowater (11-3-2016)

The freshmen Mules ran roughshod over the Shallowater Mustangs Thursday evening in Benny Douglas Stadium. It was the Mules final game of the season and both teams were undefeated in district. 

The Mules led 12-0 after one-quarter and scored again 44 seconds into the second period. The Mules led 38-6 at the intermission and continued to stampede the Mustangs in the second half for a 54-12 win. 

Shallowater kicked off to start the game and Jesus Montiel returned the ball to the Mule 36. Montiel blasted up the middle for seven yards on first down. Matthew Alarcon connected wide left with Cristian Bustillos for six yards. 

Alarcon rolled wide right for six yards. He then connected with Bustillos for five more yards to the Shallowater 39. Alarcon faked a handoff, dropped back and launched a pass to Jose Cardenas streaking down the Shallowater sideline for a touchdown. The Mules led 6-0 with 8:26 remaining in the first period. 

Nathan Rodriguez kicked off for the Mules to the Shallowater 44 and there was no return. 

Rodriguez and Tyler Moellar plugged up the hole the Mustangs attempted run through. Montiel and Alarcon teamed up to stop a jet sweep after a three-yard gain. After an incomplete pass, Elio Sanchez stopped a reverse on fourth down for a yard loss and the Mules took over on downs at the Mustang 47.

Alarcon fired a strike to Montiel at the Mustang 30 and he outraced the Mustangs to the end zone to put the Mules up 12-0 with 6:54 left to play in the first period. 

Rodriguez again kicked off for the Mules and the ball sailed high but short. The Mustangs fumbled and the Mules recovered at midfield. The Mules could not convert the Mustang miscue. 

The Mule defense forced the Mustangs to punt with a minute and a half left in the first period. The Mules started their scoring drive at the Mule 35. 

Montiel broke off left tackle for 15 yards. Alarcon tossed to Cardenas set wide to the right side and he scooted for 12 yards. Alarcon rolled left before tossing to Jimmy Villa for a 21-yard gain. 

Montiel blasted up the middle to pick up seven yards. Alarcon kept the football and scooted wide around the left side for a gain of nine yards to the Shallowater one-yard line before the first quarter ended. 

A loss of two yards set the Mules back to the Mustang three. A sack cost the Mules five more yards and the Mustangs were offsides on the next play. The penalty moved the Mules to the four-yard line. Alarcon passed to Osvaldo Nunez and he powered the ball across the goal line to give the Mules an 18-0 lead with just over nine minutes left in the half. 

Rodriguez kicked off to the Shallowater 20 and the Mustangs returned to the Mule 45. The Mustangs worked their way down the field and scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass with five and a half minutes remaining in the half. The Mules led 18-6. 

The Mules ensuing drive started at the Mule 40. A motion penalty set the Mules back five yards but did not slow down the Mules. Alarcon connected with Cardenas at the Shallowater 40. 

Cardenas escaped a tackle immediately and raced to pay dirt with 5:19 still on the clock in the half. Montiel made a seal block that allowed Alarcon to score the two-point conversion for a 26-6 Mule lead. 

Rodriguez kicked off to the Mustang 30 and there was no return. 

The Mustangs gained 30 yards on first down. Santiago Reza made the tackle after an eight-yard Mustang run. A motion penalty cost Shallowater five yards. Alarcon hit the intended receiver just as the ball arrived to break up the pass. 

Cardenas and Moellar teamed up to make a stop for a two-yard Mustang loss on third down. Eddie Vasquez and Bustillos sacked the Mustang quarterback for a three-yard loss at the Mule 42. 

Alarcon connected with Aaron Venzor for five yards on first down. Alarcon then rolled left on second down and pitched to Montiel. Montiel weaved his way to the Shallowater 39. Alarcon rolled wide right, broke a tackle at the line of scrimmage and scooted to the goal line for a 32-6 Mule lead with just under two minutes left in the half. 

Rodriguez kicked off to the Mustang 22. Nunez and the Mules raced downfield to make the tackle at the Shallowater 32. A holding penalty on first down put the Mustangs in a hole on first down and they could not recover. Shallowater was forced to punt and the ball rolled dead at the Mule 40. 

The Mules ran a reverse pass on first down with just 30 seconds left in the half. Alarcon connected with Bustillos for a 43-yard gain to the Shallowater 17. Alarcon found Sanchez open in the end zone to give the Mules a 38-6 lead at the half. 

Shallowater mounted their best drive of the game when the second half started. The Mustangs needed two yards on third down from the Mule 20. Alarcon was defending against the pass and read the eyes of the receiver. He stuck up both hands as the ball was about to arrive and broke up the pass. 

Montiel intercepted a Mustang pass at the goal line and returned to the Mule 35 to halt the drive. 

Four plays later the Mules were back in the Mustang end zone on a 21-yard pass from Alarcon to Jimmy Villa. Montiel blasted up the middle for the two-point conversion and a 46-6 Mule lead with 2:49 remaining in the third quarter. 

The Mustangs scored on the first play of the fourth period on an 11-yard run. The two-point conversion pass was picked off by Cardenas. The Mules led 46-12 with just under 10 minutes left in the fourth period.

The Mules added one more touchdown with an 11-yard run up the middle by Alarcon. Montiel tacked on the two-point conversion to end all scoring. 

Matthew Alarcon led the Mules on offense by rushing seven times for 71 yards and two touchdowns plus a two-point conversion. He completed 13 of 19 passes for 304 yards and five touchdowns.

Jesus Montiel carried 13 times for 123 yards and two two-point conversions. Jose Cardenas rushed twice for seven yards and caught three passes for 114 yards and two touchdowns. 

Cristian Bustillos made three catches for 58 yards. Jimmy Villa had three receptions for 52 yards with one being for a touchdown. Elio Sanchez made one catch for 17 yards and a touchdown. Kelan Florez made two receptions for 12 yards. Osvaldo had one catch for four yards. 

Jose Cardenas led the Mule defense with eight tackles and one interception. Eddie Vasquez made six tackles and Damian Juarez recorded five tackles. Nathan Rodriguez and Jesus Montiel made four tackles each. Montiel picked off a pass. 

Matthew Alarcon, Cruz Cortez, and Santiago Reza made two tackles each. Cristian Bustillos and Elio Sanchez each made a tackle.       

The District Champion freshmen Mules will hang up their equipment until next season and move on to the hardwoods to start the 2016-2017 basketball season. The Mules will be playing basketball on Monday evenings.

8th Mules vs Shallowater (11-3-2016)

8th Mules vs Shallowater (11-3-2016)

The eighth-grade Mules have had trouble making the two-point conversion after making a touchdown. That did not change Thursday evening when the Mules traveled to Shallowater to play the Colts. 

The Mules wrapped up the season with a record at 5-4 following a 16-12 defeat by Shallowater. 

Joe Gutierrez led the Mules with 53 yards rushing. Joey Martinez followed with 44 yards rushing. He scored on a five-yard run. Mario Guardado ran for 20 yards. 

Joey Martinez made receptions for 113 yards. Riley Kettner had catches for 30 yards. Mario Guardado caught one pass for 10 yards and scored a touchdown. 

Joey Martinez made eight tackles to lead the Mule defense. Elias Aguirre and Eli Macias had four tackles each. Joe Gutierrez picked off a Shallowater pass. 

The Mules will now start basketball practice and start preparing for the season.  

7th Mules vs. Shallowater (11-3-2016)

7th Mules vs. Shallowater (11-3-2016)

The seventh-grade Mules made the bus trip to Shallowater Thursday to battle the Colts. It was a battle for all 32 minutes of the contest. 

Juan Nava scored on a one-yard dive for the Mules only points. The lost the final game of the season to finish the year with a record of 3-9. Shallowater won the game 14-6. 

Jeremiah Barron led the Mules in rushing with 76 yards. Nava ran for 28 yards and one touchdown. 

Jeremiah Barron led the Mule defense with six tackles. Evan Lopez and Josh Estraca finished the night with five tackles each. 

A big defensive play was when Juan Zacarias intercepted a Colt pass. 

The Mules will now turn their sights indoors and start working on their basketball game.

B-Team Mules vs. Shallowater (11-3-2016)

B-Team Mules vs. Shallowater (11-3-2016)

The B-Team Mules had a tough game in Shallowater Thursday to wrap up their 2016 football season. The Mules went down to defeat 30-6. 

Ricardo Martinez led the Mules in rushing with 87 yards. Mario Cereceres finished with 30 yards and Fernando Enamaorado ran for 17 yards. 

Enamorado led the Mule defense with five tackles. Martinez made three tackles and Mario Cereceres made two tackles. 

The Mules will check in their equipment and hit the hardwoods.

Mules vs. Littlefield (10-28-2016)

Mules vs. Littlefield (10-28-2016)

The Littlefield Wildcats had not won a “War on 84” since 2013 until this past Friday night. The 2016 version of the annually renewed “War on 84” turned out in favor of Littlefield because of an accidental pooch kick. 

The Wildcats had tied the game at 35-35 with 4:09 left to play when Andrew Deluzio muffed the kickoff. He had been instructed to kick the ball high and deep but instead the ball went high and short. 

The ball hit the turf at the Mule 45 and bounced back to the oncoming Wildcats. Littlefield recovered the ball at the Mule 47. Seven plays and four minutes later the Wildcats were in the Mule end zone for a 41-35 win. The Mules blocked the extra-point attempt. 

The ensuing kickoff took two seconds off the clock leaving the Mules seven seconds to go 67 yards to pay dirt. 

Beto Diaz first pass attempt was batted down. The Mules then sent five players wide right and Diaz connected with Jason Florez. He raced downfield with blockers in front of him. As the Wildcats were about to tackle him he shuffled the ball back to Dagen Dunham. 

Dunham rumbled downfield and got the ball to Javy Perez. Perez was shoved out of bounds 25-yards short of pay dirt. 

“We had a great game plan and executed that plan,” said Mule head coach, David Wood. “The ball just did not bounce our way tonight. It happens sometimes. We have never shut down the Littlefield ground attack like we did tonight.”

“Maybe we were too good against the run and forced them to pass. Even the onside kick turned out to be a mistake by their kicker. We must now move on and keep winning. We are now in playoff mode even with one regular season game still on the schedule.”

  

The “War on 84” started out as a defensive battle in the opening period and neither team scored until early in the second period. The two teams combined for five touchdowns in the second period and the first half ended with the Littlefield Wildcats leading the Mules 21-14. 

The seesaw battle continued through the second half. The score was tied four times during the game not including the 0-0 score through the first period. Littlefield scored the decisive touchdown with just nine seconds left in the ball game on a two-yard run. 

The Mules fumbled late in the third period with the Wildcats leading 21-20. Littlefield recovered on the Wildcat 43. The miscue allowed Littlefield to drive 57 yards on four plays and score on a 31-yard run by Chris Douglas. The PAT was good and Littlefield increased the margin to 28-20. 

It only took the Mules one minute to reply. Florez returned the Littlefield kickoff to the Mule 31. A screen play to Florez lost two yards on first down. 

When the Mules snapped the ball on second down, Yoel Reyes ran straight at the Wildcat cornerback. The defensive back froze in his tracks and Y. Reyes broke downfield. Diaz delivered him the ball in stride at the Littlefield 40. Y. Reyes ran away from the defender for a 71-yard touchdown. 

The Mules needed a two-point conversion to knot the score. Dunham hit the deck while appearing to attempt to make a block. He rolled away, popped up and scooted eight yards deep in the end zone and Diaz tossed him the ball to tie the score with 3:09 remaining in the third period. 

The Mule defense clamped down on the Wildcats and forced Littlefield to punt on the second play of the fourth period. 

Florez spotted Diaz scrambling away from a Wildcat. He broke off his route and came back to receive Diaz’s pass at the Littlefield 32. Florez was pushed out of bounds at the Wildcat 23. 

Diaz kept the ball and ran up the middle for a six-yard gain on first down. On second down, he rolled right, pump faked and then took off down the field. Florez made a block at the three-yard line to pave the way for Diaz third touchdown run. Arturo Contreras tacked on the extra point for a 35-28 Mule lead with ten minutes left in the game. 

Littlefield scored the final two touchdowns for the win. 

Diaz completed 16 of 23 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted once. Diaz rushed 16 times for 68 yards and three touchdowns. Javy Perez carried four times for 53 yards. 

Jason Florez caught nine passes for 127 yards and one touchdown. Yoel Reyes snagged two passes for 83 yards and one touchdown. Tre Villa caught two passes for 52 yards. The Mules rolled up 119 yards rushing and threw for 295 yards for a total offensive output of 414 yards. 

The Mule defense held Littlefield to 161 yards rushing and 207 yards passing for a total of 368 yards. 

Mario “Boo” Flores led the Mules with 17 tackles. Donovan Gutierrez made 14 tackles and hurried the quarterback once. Dagen Dunham recorded 12 tackles and made three quarterback hurries. 

Dominik Hasley and Fidel Mendoza had nine tackles each. F. Mendoza also made one special teams tackles and one quarterback hurry. Isaac Mendoza and Romeo Reyes made eight tackles each. I. Mendoza had one tackle for a loss and R. Reyes made two special teams tackles. 

Carlos Meza finished with five tackles and three quarterback hurries. Zack Atwood and Ean Hasley made three special teams tackles each. 

The Mules will travel to Shallowater for the final regular season game. The Mules and Mustangs will battle for a playoff seeding. The game winner will be in third place and the loser drops to fourth place in the district.     

JV Mules vs. Littlefield (10-27-2016)

JV Mules vs. Littlefield (10-27-2016)

The JV Mules and Littlefield Wildcats were tied at 8-8 after three quarters. The Mules added one final touchdown in the final quarter to defeat the Wildcats 14-8. 

Raul Sierra led the Mule offense by completing 18 of 21 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed seven times for 38 yards. 

Ryan Rodriguez led the Mules in rushing with eight carries for 74 yards and he caught four passes for 83 yards and one touchdown in the final period. Sergio Solano made six receptions for 52 yards and JoJo Rejino caught four passes for 46 yards. 

Jacob DeLeon had two catches for 18 yards, with one being for a 10-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Fabian Valadez made two receptions for seven yards.

The Mules first scoring drive covered 95 yards in the second quarter and was capped off with a 10-yard pass from Sierra to DeLeon.  

The Mules rolled up a total of 318 yards against the Wildcats. 

The Mules will host the Shallowater Mustangs in the final game of the season Thursday evening. 

JoJo Rejino led the Mule defense with 11 tackles. Jose Quintana made nine tackles. Ryan Rodriguez and Jacob Kettner made eight tackles each. Rigo Mendoza recovered a Wildcat fumble in the fourth period. 

9th Mules vs. Littlefield (10-27-2016)

9th Mules vs. Littlefield (10-27-2016)

The freshmen Mules locked down the Littlefield Wildcats scoring after just one period after Littlefield scored the Wildcats’ only touchdown. The Mules rolled on for a 26-6 win over the Wildcats. 

The Mules scored twice in the first period to lead the Wildcats 12-6. The Mules held that lead until the third period when they added another touchdown. The Mules scored one final time in the fourth period with a defensive touchdown.

Matthew Alarcon completed nine of 23 passes for 111 yards and one touchdown. Alarcon rushed 12 times for 57 yards and two touchdowns. 

Jesus Montiel carried 10 times for 37 yards and he caught two passes for 20 yards. Jose Cardenas made two receptions for 48 yards and one touchdown. Jimmy Villa had three catches for 38 yards and one two-point conversion. 

The Mules rushed 22 times for 94 yards and two touchdowns. They passed for 111 yards and one touchdown for a total of 205 yards. 

Damian Juarez led the Mule defense with six tackles. Jesus Montiel made four stops as did Eddie Vasquez. Kelan Florez recorded three tackles and Elio Sanchez had three tackles. Matthew Alarcon and Jose Cardenas made two tackles each. 

Eddie Vasquez caused a fumble in the fourth period. Jose Cardenas scooped up the loose ball and raced 38 yards for a defensive touchdown in the final quarter. 

The Mules will host the Shallowater Mustangs Thursday in the final game of the season. 

8th Mules vs. Littlefield (10-27-2016)

8th Mules vs. Littlefield (10-27-2016)

The Littlefield Wildcats scored a touchdown with 57 seconds left in the first half to lead the eighth-grade Mules 30-6. The Mules added two more touchdowns in the second half but fell to Littlefield 46-18. 

The Mules kicked off to start the game and Littlefield returned to the Wildcat 47. Elias Aguirre met the Littlefield running back in the hole for no gain. The Wildcats scored six plays later on a three-yard run with 4:50 left in the first quarter. The two-point conversion was good for an 8-0 Littlefield lead. 

Kurt Rodriguez returned the ensuing Littlefield kickoff for the Mule 25-yard line. Joe Gutierrez ran with the ball on the first five plays to reach the Littlefield 11. Gutierrez started right and pitched to Jose Martinez for five yards. 

Martinez blasted up the middle for a six-yard touchdown with 1:28 remaining in the first period. The two-point conversion failed and the Mules trailed 8-6. 

The Wildcats answered quickly with a 51-yard touchdown pass on the first play of the drive. The two-point conversion gave Littlefield a 16-6 lead with 1:15 still left in the first quarter. 

It only took Littlefield one play to score as the second period started with a 46-yard touchdown pass. The two-point conversion was good for a 24-6 Littlefield lead with 6:39 left in the second quarter. 

It was three and out and the Mules punted to the Mule 47. 

Martinez and Matthew Fabela put pressure on the Littlefield quarterback and forced an incomplete pass. Littlefield fumbled and Jacob Toscano recovered on the Mule 33. 

The Mules fumbled back to Littlefield and the Wildcats scored with 57 seconds left in the first half for a 30-6 Littlefield lead at the half. 

Littlefield added one more score in the third period to lead the Mules 38-6. 

The Mules ended the third quarter at the Littlefield nine-yard line. Gutierrez kept up the middle for six yards and Rodriguez blasted up the middle for three yards to the one-yard line. Gutierrez blasted in for the score with 4:57 remaining in the game. The two-point conversion failed and the Mules trailed 38-12. 

Rodriguez scored the Mules final touchdown on a 10-yard run. 

Joe Gutierrez led the Mules with 99-yards rushing. Joey Martinez carried for 66 yards and Rodriguez ran for 63 yards. Gutierrez and Martinez each made five tackles. Rodriguez and Aguirre recorded three tackles each. Jacob Toscano recovered a fumble. 

The Mules will visit the Shallowater Colts for the final game of the season November 3. 

7th Mules vs. Littlefield (10-27-2016)

7th Mules vs. Littlefield (10-27-2016)

The seventh-grade Mules put up a battle Thursday afternoon when the Littlefield Wildcats visited Benny Douglas Stadium. The Mules went down to defeat 28-6. 

The Wildcats kicked off to start the game and the Mules drove from the Mule 41 to the Littlefield five-yard line. A holding penalty cost the Mules 10 yards on third down and then a fumble gave Littlefield the ball on the Wildcat 21 with four seconds left to play in the opening period. 

Littlefield drove 79 yards in nine plays and scored on a three-yard run with 2:47 left in the first half. The two-point conversion was good and the Mules trailed 8-0 after the first half. 

The Mules kicked off to start the second half and Littlefield returned the ball to the Mule 13-yard line. Juan Nava and Joseph Estraca caught the return man from behind. Littlefield scored on an 11-yard run with 6:05 left in the third period. David Bustillos stopped the two-point conversion and Littlefield led 14-0. 

Littlefield kicked off and Jeremiah Barron returned to the Mule 27. The Mules fumbled on the first offensive play and Littlefield recovered at the Mule 23. 

It took the Wildcats four plays to score on a one-yard run with 3:36 left in the third period. The two-point conversion was good to lead the Mules 22-0.

Barron returned the ensuing kickoff to the Mule 38. Nava carried on back-to-back plays for a total of 15 yards. Barron powered up the middle for four yards. Nava went wide left, spun away from a tackler for 13 yards. 

Nava was tackled by his facemask for an additional 15 yards on the penalty. Barron kept wide right, planted his foot and cut up field through a hole on a 15-yard touchdown run with 58 seconds left in the third period. The two-point conversion failed. 

Littlefield scored again with eight seconds remaining in the third quarter and the two-point conversion failed for the final points of the game. 

Jeremiah Barron led the Mules by rushing for 92 yards and scoring the Mules only touchdown. Juan Nava rushed for 63 yards. 

Barron made eight tackles and Nava made six. Christian Fabela made four tackles and Josh Estraca recovered a Littlefield fumble. 

The Mules will travel to Shallowater to play the Colts Thursday in the final game of the year.

B-Team vs. Littlefield (10-27-2016)

B-Team vs. Littlefield (10-27-2016)

It was a tough night for the B-Team Mules Thursday night when the Littlefield Wildcats came to visit. The could not find the end zone and went down to defeat 30-0. 

Fernando Enamorado led the Mule offense with 39 yards rushing. He also led the defense with six tackles. Ricky Martinez rushed for 17 yards and made four tackles. 

Martinez recovered a Wildcat fumble. 

The Mules will travel to Shallowater to meet the Colts Thursday night in their final game of the season.