The Mule Fan

LOOKING BACK

Mules Kick Cougars 31-28, Clinch Playoffs

Heights traveled to New Braunfels Canyon for another matchup with a District foe in need of a win. Coming into the game at 2‑2, the Cougars needed a win to keep pace with Clemens for the fourth playoff spot. The Mules, on the other hand, were looking to qualify for the playoffs as soon as possible. With the win, we can now talk about the "P" word that the Mules have been working towards since January of this year. More on that below.

Okay, here we go. Coin toss? Let's just say that these boys would not do well in Vegas. Any of you craps players would play the "Don't Pass" line if these boys were rolling the dice (craps players --- explain that to the non-craps players). On the other hand, one could make a fortune with these boys in Vegas. They play red, you play black … they bet on the over, you bet on the under.… They say hit, you stick.… They take the points, you give the points. So the Mules lose the toss for the eighth consecutive time. Mr. Bailey, will you please calculate the probability of that and have one of your statistics students provide the results to the Mule Fan writers? Canyon defers and in a sign of sportsmanship, the boys shake hands before the game.

The Mules took the opening kickoff at their own 15. When the drive stalled, the Mules were forced to punt. On the errant snap, Kristian Stern made a terrific play, gathering the ball, kicking it and being hit, allowing the Mules to keep the ball and dig out of a hole. The teams exchange punts, and the Cougars sixty yard punt forces the Mules to start at their own twenty. Mills pass to Cantu sets the Mules up at the 41. On a pitch right, Rosenthal scampers in from the 34 for the first Mules score of the night behind great line blocking and downfield receiver blocking by Bryson Marshall, David Cantu, and Zach Richter, with 4:13 left in the first quarter. The Mules on defense again looked to hold down the passing attack of QB Lane Fife. Fife, the leading passer (by yardage) in the district, had a knack of finding a receiver at the last second, so continuing the pressure was key for the Mules. Massari and Sandoval had nice tackles on the next drive and again the Cougars punter pinned the Mules back at the 20. [Note: The Mule Fan was unable to locate a program, so we have very few players names from Canyon.] The Mules dig out of danger on a 3rd and 13 scramble by Mills. The quarter ends 7‑0 Mules.

The Mules punted on the ensuing drive and A. K. Knowles was down on the tackle at the Cougars 40. The Mule Fan has been advised that Knowles is downfield on most, if not all, punts and his effort deserves special mention. Good hustle on special teams is critical. The teams exchanged possessions and the ensuing drive, Fife found ?? (#87) for 17, ?? (#23) for 15, ?? (#10) to the 10, Lawrence (his name was announced by the P.A. address system) to the 5 before Dunham (we cheated and looked at the newspapers) ran it in for a 7‑7 score with 7:18 left in the second quarter. On the next Mules drive, Steven Elder, at quarterback, found Bryson Marshall for 10 yards and connected with Zach Richter twice for 15 and 10 before a miscue gave the ball back to the Cougars. Canyon failed to mount a drive and the Mules took over. On a risky fourth down attempt, the Mules were unsuccessful, giving the ball back to Canyon at the 44 yard line. Fife threw a couple of short passes before hitting Alex Lawrence for a 20 yard touchdown in the corner of the end zone for 14‑7 Cougar lead with only 18 seconds left in the half. Halftime Canyon 14, Heights 7.

The cool evening caused many folks to congregate near the concession stand for coffee and hot chocolate. On the way to get a cup of coffee, this Mule Fan elected to first round the corner and "take care of some business." Much to his surprise, the entrance to the Men's Room was located adjacent to the entrance to the Visitor's Locker Room. Outside the locker room, the Mules defensive coaches were huddled, likely discussing a strategy for the second half. In such close proximity to the non-soundproofed locker room, it was very clear that Coach Norment was not pleased. It then struck the Mule Fan that those defensive coaches may not have been discussing strategy at all, but rather, they likely elected to vacate the locker room simply to ensure Coach Norment wouldn't scream at them too. In an exclusive post-game interview by the stands, Coach Norment declined to comment on the specifics of this week's half-time lecture – though his hoarse voice painted the picture. In any event, both the offensive and defensive coaches have been making terrific adjustments all season, so both Mule Fan reporters headed back to their seats for the second half with cautious optimism.

A quick stop in the third quarter would shift the momentum. On a 3rd and 5, it looked to the Mules faithful like this would happen until Fife hit Jenkins for a first down. Then lightning struck as Fife hit Grundle for a 67 yard touchdown. Suddenly, Canyon was up 21‑7 with 10:33 left in the 3rd quarter. Down, but not out, the Mules needed to regroup. A miscue and this might get out of hand. The Mules started at the 43 after the kickoff return. On a fourth and two, Rosenthal bounced outside behind Golden and Cohen for 11. On a fourth and seven, Elder was on target to David Garza with a strike to the 14. Rosenthal to the 1 and then Elder to Garza and it was 21‑14 Canyon with 5:40 left in the third quarter. Fife, leading the Cougars, looked to extend the lead. Cliff Molak made a nice sack, and Fife overthrew a receiver on a sure touchdown, but a pass interference call (there were several of these on the night that may or may not have been pass interference, according to spotter/referee Charles Wernette) gave the Cougars new life. However, a catch and a fumble on a big hit gave the ball to the Mules at the 38. The defense gave the offense the gift of a short field – now the offense needed to capitalize and they did. Elder passed to Scotty McIntyre who made a sensational diving catch to the 21 and then Elder passed to reliable John Cabell who somehow managed to elude tacklers and stay inside the pylon for the Mules touchdown. We were tied 21‑21 with 3:15 left in the third. The Cougars set up at the 25 after the pooch kick and on 3rd and 10, Luke "Quit Calling me Lucas" Maloy picked off the pass giving the Mules the ball again. Elder kept to the 4 and Rosenthal ran it from there for a 28‑21 lead with 1:17 left in the third. Quite a momentum shift – in a period of 9 minutes, the Mules raced back from 14 down to lead by 7 at the end of the third quarter.

To start the fourth quarter, the Mules had the ball after the Cougar punt. The Mules drove the ball downfield nicely, with the offensive line opening up large holes, allowing Rosenthal to pick up chunks of yardage. Unfortunately, a Mules turnover gave the ball back to Canyon, who was not done fighting on the night. On the drive, Thomas McSween outran the quarterback for a huge stop. As an aside, the Mules defensive line and linebackers were spectacular with pressure on the night and containing efforts by Canyon to run. With Canyon unable to sustain a series of short plays, Canyon went deep and was the beneficiary of some interesting pass interference calls. Obviously, one of the referees was a former receiver. Fife then found Lawrence for a 49 touchdown strike, and the Cougars suddenly had the game tied at 28 with 5:29 left in the fourth.

The defense has played incredibly well this year, and for the last several games, it seems the offense had needed to do its part with a drive late in the game. In Laredo, Clemens and Seguin, the late drive heroics worked, but not in the San Marcos game. So what would this week bring for the Cardiac Kids? Starting at the 30, tied at 28, the offense began to churn yardage. Rosenthal converted a third down play, and Elder passed to David Garza for 13. The Mules then went back to the ground, picking up yardage and running the clock. The drive stalled at the 8, and the Mules lined up for the field goal. Time out Cougars. Try to ice Stern? Not on this night. The snap, the hold, the kick. Stern's 28 yard field goal was good and the Mules led 31‑28. The Mules ran off 5 minutes on the clock and only 46 seconds remained. Canyon was not done. Did we mention that Canyon has the district's leading quarterback Lane Fife? Canyon started from their own 35.

A huge pass and suddenly Canyon is at the Mules 41. A holding call and Canyon is at the 31. Sweat is pouring out of this Mule Fan writer. Brent Marshall, anointed the fan cheerleader on the night, led the chants of "De-Fense." The metal stands shook with feet stomping. Fife's pass is complete – fortunately it is complete to Luke/Lucas Maloy at the 5 with 17 second left. Interception and Mules ball at the 5 with 17 seconds left. Canyon has two timeouts. This Mule Fan continues to sweat when he realizes that the Mules do not know how to go under-center (Jill – this is where the quarterback lines up behind the center and the center hands the ball to the quarterback, with little room for error). Therefore, the stress must continue. It is not over. We anxiously stand to be sure Reid Egger's deep snaps are perfect to Elder. One bad snap and Canyon could recover for a touchdown in the end zone. C'mon Reid. First one is perfect. Elder dives forward. Cougars timeout. Second Egger snap is perfect. Elder dives forward. Cougars timeout. Third Egger snap is perfect. Elder dives forward. Mules celebrate the 31‑28 victory.

A great win. The defense held Canyon to 13 yards rushing. Though Canyon passed for 317 yards, almost half came on three plays. Very good defensive coverage against terrific receivers and a great quarterback. And, no kidding, Egger's snaps were perfect in a critical moment. On offense, once again the offensive line allowed the Mules to gain yardage on the ground and through the air, for a total of over 400 yards. Stern's punts were great and, of course, kicking for a game winner with 45 seconds left is not an easy thing to do! The extra point/field goal team is to be commended once again.

LOOKING AHEAD

Kerrville Tivy Antlers – 7:30 p.m., Harry B. Orem Stadium

The Mules last home game of the season is against Kerrville Tivy, this Friday night. While Heights has clinched a playoff spot, Kerrville is very close. This is Kerrville vs. Heights, #1 vs. #2.

When you say Kerrville, you say John Manziel, the talented junior quarterback for the Antlers. Manziel is Mr. Kerrville. The junior is an awesome player and is a threat to run and to pass. He has picked apart almost every defense he has played and last week he led Kerrville to a stunning victory over Steele. Manziel has more nicknames than most kids, and all of them are well deserved. The Mules will have to contain him (you can't shut him down) to hang in this game. Most polls picked Kerrville to finish second in the district behind Steele. Tivy returns three starters on offense and five starters on defense.

Like Coach Byrd's strategy of tough non-district opponents, Tivy's Mark Smith believes that difficult non-district games lead to a team ready to play district opponents. This season, Kerrville started off with losses to 5‑A powerhouses Roosevelt, Madison (#2 in SA) and Wagner (#9 in SA). Tivy beat Champion and Seguin, before losing to San Marcos. Tivy has bounced back with a win over Canyon (38‑16) and an upset of Steele (38‑34). Based upon their last two performances, it is clear that the Mules are catching Tivy at a time when Tivy is hitting a stride.

Against Steele, Manziel was 29 for 40, passing for 319 yards while running for another 105 yards. The week before, Kerrville raced past a Canyon team that took the Mules to the wire. In the game, Manziel again passed for over 300 yards while the defense held Canyon to 200 passing yards. The loss to San Marcos was typical San Marcos football – running up 79 plays to the Antlers 36 plays. In the game, Manziel broke out for a 99 yard touchdown run. Against Seguin, Manziel rushed for 164 yards and passed for another 167 yards. Getting the picture? Against Champion, Manziel passed for 226 yards and ran for another 140 yards.

District statistics? Manziel's completion percentage is the best in the District, and he is the fourth leading rusher in the district with 658 yards, having run for 13 touchdowns. Manziel's favorite target is Mikkail Ironside who leads the district with 44 catches for 552 yards. Tivy and Heights average about the same yardage in rushing per game, but Tivy averages 204 yards per game through the air. Sonny Guzardo has caught 20 passes averaging 10 yards per catch. Defensively, Michael McKenzie is Tivy's rock solid safety. Tivy's defense has given up some yardage on the ground and in the air, but Tivy's offense has generated a lot of points to compensate. Should be an exciting game.

SNEAK PEAK AT THE PLAYOFFS

Since the Mules are in the playoffs, we can take a look at playoff possibilities, though the picture will be much clearer after this weekend. It appears that Heights, Steele and Tivy (if it wins one of its last two games) will be three of the four teams representing district. It appears that Clemens and Canyon are looking for the fourth spot – with a big showdown this week.

WEEK SIX

Tivy at Heights
San Marcos at Boerne
Steele at Seguin
Canyon at Clemens

WEEK SEVEN

Heights at Clemens
Boerne at Canyon
Seguin at San Marcos
Clemens at Tivy

The big game this week (besides Tivy at Heights) is the Canyon vs. Clemens game. A victory by Clemens would likely throw Heights into the Big Team Playoff Bracket with Steele, regardless of final standings. One of these teams would play Lake Travis (#1 in the State in 4‑A and 5‑A in some polls) in the second round, if they get past their first round matchup. Kerrville likely will be in the small team bracket if it makes the playoffs.


DISTRICT DOINGS

WEEK FIVE

Alamo Heights (5-0) 31,N.B. Canyon (2-3) 28
Boerne Champion (1-4) 52,Seguin (0-5) 41
Clemens (3-2) 28,San Marcos (1-4) 21
Kerrville (4-1) 38,Steele (4-1) 34

WEEK FOUR

Alamo Heights (4-0) 23,San Marcos (1-3) 22 [FORTUNATELY 22]
Steele (4-0) 42,Boerne Champion (0-4) 7
Kerrville (3-1) 38,N.B. Canyon (2-2) 16
Clemens (2-2) 28,Seguin (0-4) 0

WEEK THREE

Alamo Heights (3-0) 21,Seguin (0-3) 14
San Marcos (1-2) 44,Kerrville Tivy (2-1) 32
Clemens (1-2) 21,Boerne Champion (0-3) 10
Steele (3-0) 27,N.B. Canyon (2-1) 7

WEEK TWO

Alamo Heights (2-0) 58,Boerne Champion (0-2) 14
Steele (2-0) 28,Clemens (0-2) 7
Kerrville (2-0) 31,Seguin (0-2) 14
N.B. Canyon (2-0) 35,San Marcos (0-2) 14

WEEK ONE

Alamo Heights (1-0) 27,Clemens (0-1) 14
Steele (1-0) 44,San Marcos (0-1) 20
Kerrville (1-0) 28,Boerne Champion (0-1) 13
N.B. Canyon (1-0) 24,Seguin (0-1) 14



A Few Words with the Head Coach of the Mules – Don Byrd
October 27, 2009

Mule Fan: The offense had a little trouble in the first half finding its footing but the Mules still only trailed by a touchdown at the half. After Canyon scored to extend the lead early in the 3rd, the Mules roared back with three third quarter touchdowns. What was the difference and what adjustments did you make?

Coach Byrd: Well the running game was working very well in the first half. We had to mix in some throwing in the second half to back everybody up a little bit so we could continue to run the ball. We were just making some fundamental mistakes. The kids weren’t playing with enough intensity. So we just addressed those issues, went out and condensed our game plan a little bit and they just made plays. Of course the defense got some turnovers and got a short field. We had 277 yards rushing and 141 yards passing so it was a great output by the offense. Two fumbles hurt us and a couple of big penalties or we would have had more production than that.

Mule Fan: The defense continues to give the offense opportunities forcing turnovers and giving the offense a short field to work with but Friday was not an easy task with their potent passing attack of Lane Fife and Alex Lawrence. If you played back on #23 Lawrence they were throwing underneath coverage and when you came up tight on him in particular in the second half he showed he had the speed to get deep. How do you find the balance with a player or players who are the focal points of an offense like that?

Coach Byrd: Well he (QB Fife) was a huge weapon for their offense because he could move around. It’s hard to get to him and he made the right decision of who to throw to so my hat is off to their quarterback. He did a great job. We had a little bit of a mix-up in coverages at times. Sometimes we weren’t real coordinated with the secondary and linebackers so that kind of hurt us a little bit. But we made the plays we needed to win the game. They had their backs against the wall so they brought us their “A” game and we were able to withstand that.

Mule Fan: Teams that excel in the playoffs at any level often point to bench strength or a two-deep roster as a differentiator. It has to give you confidence that you have two quarterbacks tested in pressure situations. What were some of the highlights of Stephen Elder’s performance at quarterback on Friday night against Canyon?

Coach Byrd: Stephen did the things we needed to do. He got the ball to the receivers that needed to have the ball, made the correct reads and led the team well. Yeah we’re very fortunate. Cullen Mills has done an outstanding job for us. He’s the starter this week and he’s played great for us all year. I’m not down on Mills at all. But it is nice to have two quarterbacks that have made some plays out on the field.

Mule Fan: And while we’re talking about pressure situations, you can’t always get a kneel-down for the win. How important was it get game winning points on a pressure 26 yard kick from Kristian Stern?

Coach Bryd: The brought a great rush and Stern just timed it out great and hit the ball perfect. They protected well and got the ball down on the tee. So it was just a team effort and we have faith in him.

Mule Fan: So this week, it’s Kerrville. Are you sure you want to play them here?

Coach Byrd: I’d just as soon go up there (laugh). No we’ve had some great battles. You know everybody always wants to talk about Boerne being our rival but in football it’s been Kerrville. We’ve played so many big games over the years and this is another one. They’ve got a well-coached team. They’re very athletic. (QB) Manziel does a great job of running that offense. Ironside’s an outstanding receiver. But you know it’s not just those two. The other ones are blocking and doing the things that they need to. On defense they’re pretty solid across the board. Their defensive line has good size to them and do a lot of different stunts so we’re going to have to be smart when the ball is snapped, read it and go. We’re going to have to play a great game against them. They’re a good football team.

Mule Fan: We know the damage that Manziel can do if he gets outside. So what do you do to try and contain him and take away the outside?

Coach Byrd: What you’ve got to do is try to confine the space that he works in by keeping him inside the best you can. And when he does get outside, have the people responsible for that and again try and close the space. The less space he has the less his athleticism shows up. Don’t get me wrong. He’s going to make some plays and we’re going to have to play well to contain him. He brings a lot to the table.

Mule Fan: How has Kerrville progressed from the beginning of the season until now?

Coach Byrd: They were going along and played a tough non-district schedule and hung in there with the three 5A’s pretty well. They didn’t win but they played well. Then they got into district and really settled down. Against San Marcos they had some trouble. I think they just took them a little lightly. This district is tough to run the table, it really is. San Marcos was their downfall but boy did they come back roaring. They don’t want to make the same mistake twice so again Alamo Heights is going up against a good football team.


Mules Radio: ESPN 1250 The Zone

Follow the Mules on radio this season on ESPN AM 1250 The Zone. Airtime for the pre-game show this Friday is at 7:00 p.m. Ed Suarez and Dave Parker will call all the action. Please say thanks and patronize all of the generous sponsors. Don’t forget Dave Parker’s High School Coach’s Corner every Wednesday evening from Big Bob’s Burgers on Harry Wurzbach and Eventide. Dave hosts a live broadcast on ESPN 1250 The Zone from 7-8pm. Stop by, have a burger and talk a little high school football. This week, Dave’s guest is Van Fuschak from Mac Arthur.

Mule Fan 2010

Tryouts are just around the corner for the Mule Fan team. There have been some expressions of interest but most of it has centered on money and office space. That is not the way to approach the board and publishers. It got us nowhere. Plain old raw want-to is why they shower us with the dough. Some have asked if we would “hold their hand” through the process to understand how to do it. We’ve replied that we’ll be there for them to offer encouragement, support and technical assistance. But to be fair, you are not bound by our format. Do it your way. Someone asked if you have to know how to write legibly in cursive. We indicated that was a plus. What about expense accounts? We’d say that the publishers offered it to us but we turned it down because of all the paperwork involved. They have generously provided us with an occasional brownie from the press box and we felt spoiled rotten because of it. So you have that to look forward to. Do you have to work on Fridays? Yes. What about the union? Do you have to join it? We were able to get the big dough because we knew some tough guys who could crack heads. The union is good. And you get to join their health plan. Don’t delay. The offers aren’t going to get better than what they are now. Once you post a few times, then you can get silly with your demands. By the way, loyal Mule Fan readers have begun to nominate potential writers and have asked us what we think. If we hot-box you at a pre-game function, know that you are undergoing our careful and league approved due-diligence!

Mule for a Day a Great Success!

A good time was had by all kids involved in the events last Sunday afternoon. The players did a great job. The volunteer dads and moms were working hard as always. Thanks to Coach Luke Moody for running the show. Coach Moody runs a tight ship. If you missed it this year, be sure and get your kid signed up for next year. There has been some talk about a program for moms, dads and grandparents 30 years of age and older. At last glance there was a strong undercurrent of discomfort from the district. But it can be overcome. We love the smell of analgesic cream in the morning. Have a look at some of the fun in the video below.

KENS 5 Friday Night Football Tailgate

We were chosen by KENS 5 TV to be the Friday Night Football Tailgate Party for this week! Come on out and make a lot of noise, enjoy some Johsonville Sausage on Mission Tortillas and be one of the people in the background making funny wrinkled up faces while on TV cheering for the Mules! KENS 5 will broadcast live during the 5p and 6p Newscast. Representatives from KENS-TV will arrive at 4p and be around through 6:30p. We have been informed that it will all take place out on the practice field to the south of the stadium.

GO MULES!!!!!