Mules vs. Friona (10-17-2014)

Mules vs. Friona (10-17-2014)

It has been said that football games are won and lost in trenches. Friday night the Mules controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball to defeat the Friona Chieftains 55-7.

Friona found out early the sledding was going to be tough. Felipe Guerrero kicked off for the Mules to start the game and Friona returned to their 31. Issac Acosta sealed off the outside and dropped the Chiefs premier running back, Gabrial Chico, for a yard loss.

Friona could not make up the loss on the next two plays and were forced to punt. The punt was taken by Jason Florez at the Mule 34 and was tackled immediately.

“There was no doubt tonight that we controlled the line of scrimmage,” said Mule coach David Wood. “Our offensive and defensive lines were the Players of the Game for us. When that happens it makes winning a lot easier.”

“We were able to get all the kids in the game and everyone of them made a contribution to the win. I do not remember a night like this one by our team. The kids played well the whole game and they never let down or even took a play off.”

“Tomorrow we will start working on getting ready for Childress. I just do not know how to practice for that three-hour bus ride.”

Danny Campos tossed a short pass to Josh Lopez coming out of the backfield. Lopez went for 16 yards on first down. Lopez followed that with a six-yard run up the middle. Braden Bessire ran a five-yard button hook route and Campos delivered him the ball.

Bessire turned and powered his way for six more yards and a first down. Lopez made runs of four and five yards. Cristian Paez plowed up the middle for two yards and a first down. A motion penalty cost the Mules five yards on first down.

Campos then hit Keagan Gonzales running a crossing route over the middle for 11 yards. Lopez took the option pitch from Campos to the Friona one-yard line. Paez scored on the Hammer play to put the Mules ahead to stay with 6:53 remaining in the first quarter. Guerrero tacked on the point after for a 7-0 Mule lead. 

The Chiefs were flagged for holding on the ensuing kickoff and that backed Friona up to the Chief 10. A motion penalty cost Friona five more yards before a play could be run. Franco and Kevin Mendoza teamed up for the stop after a three-yard gain on first down.

Bessire cost the Chiefs a yard on second down. Mendoza was closing rapidly on the Friona quarterback so he chose to throw the ball away on third down. The Friona punter kicked his own man in the back and Tony Vasquez covered the ball on the Friona 14.

The Mules could not push the ball across the goal line so Guerrero was asked to split the uprights from 20-yards out. The field goal gave the Mules a 10-0 lead with 3:17 remaining in the first quarter.

It was three and out for the Chieftains and were forced to punt to the Mule 43.

Gonzales took over at quarterback and for the Mules. He kept the ball on first down and rambled 11 yards on first down. Gonzales first pass bounced around like a pin ball before Florez got in the fray and claimed it for the Mules at the Friona 34. A wide-receiver screen pass to Tre Villa went for seven yards and ended the first quarter.

A holding penalty backed the Mules up the Friona 37. An incomplete pass on first down left the Mules facing third down and needing 13 yards for a first down. Lopez took off out of the backfield as if expecting a swing pass from Gonzales to draw the linebackers out of the middle of the field.

Gonzales took a couple of steps back and then headed up the middle on a quarterback draw. Isaac Luebanos blocked the Texas heavy weight power lifting champion to the outside and James Lutz pushed the nose guard to the inside.

Gonzales raced through the gaping hole. Jaxon Lee beat him down field and blocked the only man that had a chance of tackling Gonzales. Gonzales scored on the 37-yard sprint. Guerrero added the point after for a 17-0 Mule lead with 11:32 remaining in the half.    

The Mules huddle before every kickoff and rather than breaking the huddle raced toward the ball as a group. They all came to a halt except for Villa. He came circling out of the back of the huddle toward the Mule sideline.

The Mules just stood still for a count of three before Guerrero stepped forward and lofted the ball 10-yards down field but angling toward the Mule sideline. The Chiefs had frozen when the Mules stopped. The ball’s first bounce was on the midfield stripe in front of the Mule bench.

Villa easily beat everyone to the ball and claimed it for the Mules at the Friona 45. Campos tossed to Gonzales five-yards down field. Florez made a block that allowed Gonzales to gain four additional yards.

Lee and Dustin Smith pulled to lead Lopez through the hole. Lopez cut behind the duo and scooted 21 yards to the Friona 15. Lopez then took the option pitch from Campos for eight yards.

Luebanos and Dunham pulled and led Campos through the line. Luebanos took out two Chieftains and Dunham was left with no one to block until Campos had reached the end zone. Guerrero’s extra point kick increased the Mule lead to 24-0.

The Mules were not through and scored for the third time on an eight-play 52-yard drive that ended with a seven-yard TD run by Lopez with 4:18 still in the second period.

Thirty-one seconds before the half ended the Mules completed a seven-play 95-yard drive with a Campos to Gonzales five-yard toss in the end zone. Guerrero added the point after for a 38-0 Mule lead.

Gonzales scored his second rushing TD of the night with a four-yard run. That capped a 10-play 75-yard drive. Guerrero’s kick gave the Mules a 45-0 lead.

Ryder White intercepted his first pass of the season at the Friona 46. The Mules worked their way to the Friona 12 in six plays. Needing six yards for a first down the decision was made to call on Guerrero to kick a second field goal.

Guerrero again parted the uprights with the ball for a 48-0 Mule lead with just less than three minutes remaining in the third quarter.

Saul Sanchez converted a broken play into a 70-yard touchdown run on the first play of the final quarter. The wrong personnel were in the game for the play that was called. Sanchez was determined to make the best of the situation.

He took the snap and started to his right but found his path blocked by Chieftains. Sanchez reversed his field and Luebanos made a block to allow him to begin his journey back across the field.

Smith had chopped a player when the play start but had to scramble to his feet and block the same player plus he took out a second Chief with the same block. Cristian Lopez came back to start building a wall for Sanchez to run behind.

Three more Mules recognized Sanchez plight and came to lengthen the wall until only one Chief had a chance to catch him. JJ Gandara made the final block to set Sanchez free. Guerrero’s kick ended the Mules’ scoring with 11:34 remaining in the game.

Friona’s only score came on a one-yard run by Chico to cap a 10-play 51-yard drive. Luke Mata added the point after for Friona.

The Mules had a total offense of 548 yards. Three Mules rushed for 100 yards or more and seven Mules had carries. Keagan Gonzales had a busy night. He rushed eight times for 111 yards and scored two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 76 yards with one being for a TD and was five of six passing for 47 yards.

Saul Sanchez rushed five times for 100 yards and a touchdown and was one of three passing for 21 yards. Josh Lopez continued his string of 100-yard games with 12 carries for 100 yards and a touchdown and caught three passes for 24 yards. Danny Campos made eight runs for 23 yards and a touchdown. He also was eight of 13 passing for 109 yards and a touchdown.

Cristian Paez carried six times for 22 yards and a touchdown as well as made one reception for 21 yards. Braden Bessire rushed once for eight yards, caught one pass for 11 yards and Jorge Martinez carried twice for seven yards. Tony Vasquez made two catches for 25 yards, Jason Florez caught one for 11 yards and Tre Villa made two receptions for nine yards. 

The Mule defense held Friona to 113 total yards with 107 being on the ground and six yards through the air. Gabrial Chico was held to 44 yards on 11 carries. Only two receivers caught passes.

Roman Franco led the defense with nine tackles with three being on special teams. Kevin Mendoza made eight stops with two being for losses, one on special teams and one quarterback hurry. Javy Perez had seven tackles with two being on special teams and broke up one pass.

Nate Rosas made seven stops with two being on special teams. Dagen Dunham made six tackles with one being for a loss and had two quarterback hurries. Issac Acosta had six tackles with two being on special teams.

Tony Vasquez made three tackles with one being on special teams and intercepted two passes. Ryder White and Tre Villa intercepted one pass each.     

The 2-0 Mules will make the longest drive during district to Childress Friday night to play the 1-1 Bobcats.   

JV Mules vs. Friona (10-16-14)

JV Mules vs. Friona (10-16-14)

The JV Mules improved to 2-0 in district by defeating the Friona Chieftains 50-0 Thursday evening. The Mules had traveled to Friona for the game.

The Mules piled up 333 yards of offense with 229 being on the ground and 104 yards through the air. Aaryn Ross was the leading rusher with 176 yards. He scored two touchdowns with receptions of 37 and 40 yards. Ross also had TD runs of 33 and 90 yards.

Bryce Mauricio made one reception for 37 yards touchdown. Brandon Chavez had a 40-yard TD pass. Jose Angel Mendoza added a touchdown with a three-yard run.

Evan Paez was the leading tackler for the Mules with five tackles with two being for losses. Boo Flores had four tackles with two being for losses. Dylan Miller also had four tackles with three being for losses. Cameron Hardwick made three stops and Dominik Hasley had two tackles for losses and a big hit.

The Mules forced and took advantage of seven turnovers during the game. B. Flores caused and recovered a fumbles. Donovan Gutierrez caused and recovered fumbles plus made an interception. Jesse Easiley made an interception and Ross had an interception and a five-yard return.

Matthew Flores recovered and onside kick and returned an intercepted pass seven yards. Mauricio returned and interception 25 yards.

The Mules will host the Childress Bobcats Thursday evening. 

9th Mules vs. Shallowater (10-16-14)

9^th Mules vs. Shallowater (10-16-14)

The freshmen Mules traveled to Shallowater Thursday afternoon to tangle with the undefeated and seldom scored on Mustangs. The Mules put up a fight but Shallowater took the game 28-20.

To add to the excitement Wes Wood, quarterback of the 2008 Texas State Champion Mules, was calling the offensive plays for the Mules. Lane Wood, running back and linebacker for the 2008 Texas State Champion Mules, was running the defense for the Mustangs. The two coaches are cousins and played their junior high, high school and college ball together.

Shallowater jumped out to an early 16-0 lead but the Mules battle back to end the first half trailing 16-14. The Mustangs kicked off to start the second half and the Mules drove the ball systematically down the field.

The drive resulted in a Mule touchdown and drained all but three seconds off the clock in the third period. The Mustangs never ran an offensive play in the third quarter.

Shallowater scored in the fourth quarter to take the lead. The Mules were driving the ball late in the final period. Back-to-back holding penalties was more than the Mules could over come. 

Issac Mendoza was the leading rusher for the Mules with 131 yards. Arnulfo Hernandez ran eight times for 22 yards and Michael Lozano rushed five times for 10 yards and caught two passes for 25 yards. Jacob Kettner made two receptions for 38 yards.

Mendoza rushed for all three Mule touchdowns with runs of two, two and one yards. Lozano scored the two-point conversion.

Lozano had five tackles and broke up one pass. Zack Atwood made a tackle, broke up a pass, caused and recovered fumbles. Joe Waggoner had five tackles and Coleman Preston made five stops.

The Mules will host the Plainview Bulldogs Thursday afternoon.

8th Mules vs. Friona (10-16-14)

8^th Mules vs. Friona (10-16-14)

It only took the eighth grade Mules four plays to score Thursday evening when they hosted the Friona Braves. Two defensive plays and two offensive plays put the Mules on top to stay with less than a minute and half gone in the game.

The Mules led 30-0 at the intermission and the clock ran most of the second half. The Mules defeated the Braves 36-16.

Jaime Vidana kicked off for the Mules to start the game and Yoel Reyes made the tackle on the return at the Brave 30. Ryan Rodriguez made the stop after a one-yard gain on first down. The Braves fumbled on second down and Vidana recovered for the Mules at the Friona 28.

Brenden Mehl was forced to scramble on first down but Izaiah Hurtado came back for a block to give Mehl room to gain six yards. Mehl located Reyes open in the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown pass. Jorge Albarran burst up the middle for the two-point conversion.

The Mules led 8-0 with 6:37 left in the first quarter.

Vidana booted the ball to the Friona 24 and Ean Hasley made the stop after a four-yard return. Rodriguez sacked the Brave quarterback for an 11-yard loss on second down. Albarran sniffed out the wide receiver screen for no gain on third down.

The Mules started their second drive on the Friona 37 after the short Brave punt. Mehl passed to Hurtado for 17 yards and the duo connected again for a 19-yard TD pass and run. Mehl found Albarran in the end zone for the two-point conversion and a 16-0 Mule lead with just less than three minutes left in the first quarter.

The Mules again forced the Brave offense off the field after just three plays. The Brave punt sailed to the Mule 30 where Reyes scooped up the ball and scooted 70 yards for a touchdown. Albarran went wide right for the two-point conversion and a 24-0 Mule lead with 17 seconds left in the first period.

Friona picked up their initial first down as the second quarter began. Mehl intercepted a Brave pass at the Mule 30 after Rodriguez pressured the quarterback. Mehl returned the ball to the Brave 34.  

A delay of game penalty and a motion penalty could not slow down the Mule offense. A pitch right to Albarran went for 11 yards. Mehl connected with Rodriguez for a 32-yard touchdown for a 30-0 Mule lead with four minutes left in the first half.

Brady Martinez returned the second half kickoff eight yards to the Mule 43. Hurtado kept up the middle for nine yards on first down. Albarran went up the middle on a 47-yard touchdown run for a 36-0 Mule lead with 6:18 remaining in the third quarter.

The Braves first touchdown came on a 59-yard run with 4:03 remaining in the third quarter. The two-point conversion was good and the Braves trailed 36-8.

The final Friona touchdown was a two-yard run with 44 seconds left in the game. The two-point conversion was good.

The 2-0 Mules will travel to Childress to play the Bobcats Thursday. 

7th Mules vs. Friona (10-16-14)

7^th Mules vs. Friona (10-16-14)

The seventh grade Friona Braves just avoided a shutout Thursday by scoring late in the final period. The Mules defeated Friona 38-6.

Nathan Rodriguez kicked off and Jose Cardenas made the tackle at the Friona 37. Damian Juarez broke through to the Brave backfield and made the stop for a seven-yard loss. That loss forced the Braves to punt on fourth down. The punt rolled dead at midfield.

Juarez kept up the middle on first down and was tackled by the facemask. The 14-yard gain plus the 15-yard penalty moved the Mules to the Friona 21. Juarez kept the ball on the quarterback sweep and scored from 21-yards out with 4:35 left in the first period. The Mules led 6-0.

Cristian Bustillos made a pair of tackles on the Braves three-and-out series. The punt was caught at the Friona 40 and the Mule return man was hauled down by his facemask to give the Mules a first down at the Brave 39.

The Mules lost five yards on first down and Juarez threw an incomplete pass on second down. Juarez kept on the quarterback sweep to the right side and Jesus Montiel made the block to open up the green way for Juarez. Juarez scored on a 44-yard run. The Mules led 12-0 with one minute left in the first period.

Rodriguez booted the kickoff deep down field and Jacob Barron rushed down field and stripped the ball. The Mules recovered the football at the Friona 12-yard line. Juarez pitched the football to Hector Arras for a sweep left. He scored on a 12-yard run with 39 seconds remaining in the first period.

Juarez passed to Cardenas in the end zone for the two-point conversion and a 20-0 Mule lead after one quarter.

The game did not get any easier for the Braves in the second period and it was three-and-out on the ensuing series. The Brave punt rolled dead on the Friona 34.

Arras broke a tackle and gained 15 yards to the Brave 19. The Mules need seven yards on fourth down and Ramirez kept left and scooted 16 yards for a touchdown. The Mules had extended their lead to 26-0 with 4:30 left in the half.

Friona kicked off to start the second half and Juarez returned the ball 16 yards to the Mule 44. The Mules first miscue of game came when the Mules fumbled on first down and Friona recovered on the Mule 45.

Eddie Vasquez sacked the Brave quarterback for an 11-yard loss. The Braves gained 10 yards on third down to set up fourth and 10-yards needed for a first down. Bustillos broke through to the Brave backfield and snatched the ball from the quarterback as if running the Statue of Liberty play. 

Bustillos raced 55 yards for a touchdown and a 32-0 lead with 4:21 remaining in the third quarter.

Rodriguez kicked off for the Mules to start the game and Kelan Florez and Cardenas tackled the return man at the Friona 30. Five plays later Cardenas reached in a stripped the ball from the ball carrier and Julian Elizalde recovered for the Mules.

The Mules started their final drive at the Mule 37. It took the Mules four plays to score with a 57-yard touchdown pass and run from Juarez to Cardenas. The Mules led 38-0 with 4:58 remaining in the game.

The Braves scored on a 67-yard run for their only points of the evening.

The Mules will take the long bus ride to Childress to battle the Bobcats Thursday afternoon.