Hey Mules Fans! As you can see, we have changed the face of the Mule Fan blog. This will be part of a new Mules Football website that we plan to launch very soon which will include the Mule Fan blog along with enhanced calendar functions to keep you updated on Mules football announcements. Check back soon!

Looking Back:

AH Mules vs Lehman Lobos

“We Can Run The Ball Well”

With 21 first downs and only one punt, it's easy to see that the offense moved the ball well. Add the defense holding the Lobos to only 225 total yards and 11 first downs, and you can see why the game ended 63-14 Mules. Lehman has some really good athletes, but the Mules play as a team, are disciplined, and were doing their jobs. It was a game where everybody got to get involved, and with an expectation of a deep playoff run, we will need to have everybody with game experience.

Our running backs got a lot of work Friday night, and with 252 rushing yards and only 20 passing attempts in a spread offense, you can see that for yourselves. William Thompson (WTT) ran 17 times for 105 yards with 2 TD’s while Andy Brooks ran 14 times for 60 yards and a pair of TDs himself. The offensive line did a great job moving the line of scrimmage for our running game. You add to that the receivers blocking down-field and it's easy to get to those 252 yards rushing. We posted 28 of our points in the first half while holding the Lobos to only 7. Our defense was just swarming. Its hard to single-out one person because of all the Mules around the ball, but recently moved-up sophomore Blake Rosenthal had 2 picks that really helped open up the game. I think he was showing off for his brother Justin (The Red Rocket) visiting from college.

When you add our passing game and the usual suspects involved in that to the running game and strong defense, you get a wide margin. Forrest (Elder) and Bubba (Richter) connected 4 times for 48 yards and a touchdown, Steven Elder finished the night 12-20 with 2 TDs and 36 yards rushing. With 35 second half points, it presented a great opportunity to see some new faces on the field. Working out the kinks with some of these guys will pay dividends during the play-offs.

This is a really good time to have an off week. With injured guys starting to come back, and a few guys banged up, this extra time will help heal a lot of stuff before the last game and the 1st round of the play-offs. We will need everyone for our push, and with the coaches having an extra week to be prepared, I have high expectations myself. Next Friday, the 5th of November, we get after it again with Clemens at our home stadium to finish up regular season. Come out and yell a bit!!! This is how we roll!!!

District Standings - Week 5:

	Won	Lost
Smithson Valley Rangers	4	0
Alamo Heights Mules	4	1
Buda Hays Rebels	3	1
NB Canyon Cougars	3	2
Clemens Buffaloes	1	3
Kyle Lehman Lobos	0	4
Lockhart Lions	0	4
Alamo Heights defeated Kyle Lehman 63-14
Smithson Valley defeated Clemens 39-0
Buda Hays had a Bye
NB Canyon defeated Lockhart 33-3

Chirps from the Byrd, Head Coach Byrd, that is:

Mule Fan: What’s your plan for the next couple of weeks to keep the team focused with an off week?

Coach Byrd: We are trying to rest some ankles and injuries and also go back to some fundamentals and try some new situations. We are going to work hard 3 days this week to keep our routine and then start-up on Monday as a normal game week.

Mule Fan: A lot of forecasters are predicting us getting to the regional finals by winning the first 3 games. What’s your plan on getting there and going further?

Coach Byrd: In the play-offs, anything can happen. You can’t really look past the first game because anyone can upset you. It comes down to us executing and taking care of business. They got to stay hungry and focused. Play-offs are scary, because loser goes home. We need to make the plays. We can play with anyone.

During the Bye Week, the Mule Fan sought out a few tips from an NFL expert to help keep the boys motivated during the off-week.......

JV Levels Lobos 31-7

It was a good week for the JV Mules as they rebounded from the prior week and brought their A-Game against the Lobos from Kyle Lehman. The JV Mules are now 6-3 with one game left to play against Clemens on November 4th.

Lehman received the opening kickoff and it appeared that the Mules might be in for a longer afternoon than anticipated as the Lobos running back, #10, made big gains play after play. Lehman was able to drive the ball 80 yards to score, all on running plays. The Mules actually weren't all that impressed, and after receiving the ensuing kickoff, responded with their own scoring drive. QB Wes Yancy moved the ball downfield with good runs from Coby Bailey and a nice pass to George Mixon. Finally, Yancy scrambled the last 35 yards for a Mules TD as he weaved in and out of lumbering Lobos. After a Matt Kelly extra point, the score was tied 7-7 with 1:46 left in the 1st quarter. The Lobos offense would struggle from that point on. On the next series, Jimmy Russell sacked the Lobo QB for a loss and a fumble, giving Heights the ball on the Lehman 18-yard line as the teams switched ends for the 2nd quarter. This time QB Kevin Kujawa led the Mules the 18 yards needed for another Heights touchdown, as Kujawa turned a missed snap into a 5-yard scoring run to advance the score to 14-7.

On the next Lobo possession, Lehman again moved the ball downfield. Lobo #10 had another big run, picking up 34 yards and backing the Mules defense deep into their own territory. Lehman found itself on the Mules 5-yard line, but that's about as far as they got. The Mules defensive line of Hunter Martin, David Birkey, and Chris Abdouch, dug-in their cleats and held the Lobos on the next three downs as the Lehman quarterback tried to score on three consecutive QB keepers. You had to wonder why they didn't give the ball to #10 at least once on those last three plays! So the Mules took over on their own 1-yard line, with Kalen Brockwell at quarterback. On 1st down, Coby Bailey gave the Mules some breathing room as he brought the ball out to the 12 yard line. Then Brockwell hit consecutive passes to Deon Demus and George Mixon to put the ball on the 45-yard line. Coby Bailey followed that up with a big 25 yard run before Brockwell hit Alex Bathie, who made a fingertip catch across the middle for another 25 yards to give the Mules a 1st down at the Lobo 5-yard line. But the drive stalled there and the Mules took the field goal as Matt Kelly kicked it through the uprights to end the first half with the Mules ahead 17-7.

Heights received the 2nd half kickoff and went back to work on offense. Yancy put together a nice series of passes to Deon Demus, John Durbin, and finally Alex Bathie, who brought in a beautiful pass in the corner of the endzone to make the score 24-7, Mules. The Lobos took the ensuing kickoff and tried to get something going, but linebacker John Rascoe sacked the Lehman quarterback for a loss on 4th and 5, giving the Mules the ball at the Heights 37-yard line. Kalen Brockwell came in again at QB, and he promptly hit John Durbin for a nice 14-yard gain along with a screen pass to Demus, putting the ball down on the Lobo 22 yard-line as the 3rd quarter came to a close. On the next play, Brockwell was run out of bounds on a 1-yard keeper, but a late hit by the Lobos gave the Mules a 1st down at the 6-yard line. From there it was easy for Robert Low to put it in High gear for the last 6 yards and another Mules TD. 31-7 Mules. While there was no scoring in the 4th quarter, the Mules continued their defensive dominance. When Lehman tried to lob the ball downfield in desperation, Safety Matt Kelly hit the Lobo receiver, knocking the ball free where it was recovered by linebacker Henry Nixon. Final highlights included a 45-yard run late in the game by Robert Low.

Final score - 31-7, Mules! Great job JV!

Looking Ahead:

AH Mules vs. Clemens Buffaloes

Friday, November 5th - 7:30 PM

Alamo Heights Harry B. Orem Stadium

There is no game this Friday as our Mighty Mules have a week off as they rest-up, heal-up and polish-up for their final game of the regular season. Check back next week as the Mule Fan will give you the quick breakdown of the Clemens Buffaloes.

Looking Back:

AH Mules vs Smithson Valley Rangers

“We Can Bounce Back”


So….., how about that Alamo Heights-Smithson Valley game???? Well, when the gun sounded it was 21-0 Rangers, and a great learning opportunity about focusing on the little things that

add up to a big thing!!!!

The boys walked away from the game discouraged by the shut out, but the coaches started the new week with extreme determination to get the boys focused and back on track. The “mental focus readjustment program” consisted of bleachers, push-ups, running, and verbal direction which was audible in the next county. This is good for the boys because talented teams cannot show up to win without executing both physically and mentally.

A quick editorial note: I believe this is a good wake-up call to prepare us for a deep run into state. SV was ranked 4th in the State and is very talented. Although the stats of the game were not especially good, and will not be written about this week, I think the boys and the coaches know what needs to be done and will do it. We are 6-2 overall and 3-1 in district with 2 district games left to play. The focus will be sharp going into the Kyle Lehman game this Friday night.

District Standings - Week 4:

Won Lost 1 Smithson Valley Rangers 3 0 2 Alamo Heights Mules 3 1 3 Buda Hays Rebels 3 1 4 NB Canyon Cougars 2 2 5 Clemens Buffaloes 1 2 6 Kyle Lehman Lobos 0 3 7 Lockhart Lions 0 3 Friday's District Results (10/15) Alamo Heights lost to Smithson Valley 21-0 Buda Hays defeated Lockhart 31-0 NB Canyon defeated Clemens 42-35 Kyle Lehman had a Bye

Chirps from the Byrd - Head Coach Byrd, that is:

Mule Fan: What was your perspective on the Ranger game?...Smithson Valley Rangers, not Texas Rangers!!!

Coach Byrd: We weren’t quite ready mentally, but we hung in there physically with a great football team. We made a lot more mistakes than we did in the Reagan game, we are about 75% of where we need to be. But I’m encouraged that if we can grow off this game like we did after the Reagan game, it's going to vault us in the playoffs. Smithson Valley is ranked 4th in the state in most polls, and in my mind we can play with these guys. After the boys saw film, they all said the same thing, “we can play with these guys”, and that encouraged me. They got their confidence back……

Mule Fan: How did the boys respond after the game?

Coach Byrd: I think they were upset because they didn’t make a few more plays, and they realized how close they really were, even if the score wasn’t an indicator of that. They have a good attitude, and even realized they didn’t have a good week of practice prior to the game. Bad habits in practice are carried on the field of a game, but I'm not discouraged at all, because you can see a different focus and attitude in the first two practices of this week. We are looking forward to getting back at it.

Mule Fan: Speaking of getting back at it, what does Kyle-Lehman look like for Friday night?
Coach Byrd: Lehman is a team that is very athletic, they just haven’t gotten it all together and played well. On film they have some real talent on both sides of the ball. I see a good football team that isn’t playing well right now. I just don’t want them to wake up Friday night! They would love to knock off a team headed to the playoffs and people always want to play us hard, so we are going to have to be ready. I look forward to seeing everyone in Kyle….

JV Loses a Close One:

The JV Mules lost a close one to Smithson Valley this past week, but the Mules walked away feeling like they were the better team and should have come away with a victory. The game started tough for the Mules, as on their first possession the Rangers blocked the Mules punt, allowing Smithson Valley to recover the ball on the Mules 10 yard line. The Rangers then quickly scored on the next series of plays and the score was 7-0. After the ensuing kickoff, the Mules once again were held on offense and forced to punt. But this time, it was the Rangers who bobbled the punt reception and Tommy Barrow was there to make the recovery for the Mules in the Smithson Valley red-zone. From there it was Bailey and Bailey, as Cole Bailey took a screen pass down to the 10-yard line and then Coby Bailey took it the rest of the way for a Mules touchdown to even the score 7-7. The Mules kicked off to the Rangers who proceeded to drive the ball deep into Mules territory. But on a 4th and 2 from the Mules 8-yard line, the Mules defense decided it had had enough and held their ground, rejecting the Ranger attempt at a first down. The Mules offense took over at their own 6-yard line and under QB Kalen Brockwell, brought the ball out to near mid field before the Rangers held and forced the Mules to punt. Smithson Valley then took their "clap & snap" offense down the field and scored just before halftime to make the score 13-7 Rangers.

The Mules came out of halftime ready to play and quickly drove the ball downfield . Quarterback Wes Yancy mixed up his offense with a combination of good running and passing, advancing the ball down to the Ranger 13-yard line. It looked like the Mules were destined to score, but a tough fumble ended the drive at the 12-yard line. Both teams then traded blows back and forth throughout the rest of the 3rd quarter and the score remained 13-7 going into the 4th. Smithson Valley then got lucky on two big pass plays that connected for 49 and 30 yards, respectively, for another score to extend their lead to 19-7 with 6:00 left in the game. But the Mules were not going down without a fight and Brockwell took over at QB with time running out. Brockwell took the Mules 82 yards on passes to wide receiver Robert Weigel, who scored with 41 seconds left to close the gap 19-14. With just over a half minute left in the game and momentum on their side, the Mules tried an onsides kick that unfortunately went out of bounds giving the Rangers the ball to run out the clock and seal the win. The Mules played a tough game and felt like they had the chances to win. It was a great game!

Freshmen A-Team:

The Mules played tough in a 22-14 loss to the Smithson Valley Rangers. The Mules scored first with a strong touchdown run by Brandon Wasson. The Mules defense played well, holding the Rangers to no score. Strong defensive efforts were turned in by Daniel Mays and Robert Schuler. The Mules scored again on a pass from Scott Uhl to Robert Schuler to increase the Mules' llead, 14-0. But Smithson Valley would come back and quickly scored to narrow the score to 14-8, Mules. Smithson picked up an additional touchdown and the took the lead, 16-14. Smithson Valley's final score came after an interception from a tipped ball and the final score ended at 22-14. The Freshmen Mules played well, but unfortunately, let Smithson Valley take advantage of opportunities to score.

Looking Ahead:

AH Mules vs. Kyle Lehman Lobos

Friday, October 22nd, 7:30 PM

Bob Shelton Stadium, Kyle, TX.

Map to Bob Shelton Stadium

OK, now that we have put last Friday's game behind us, it's time to look ahead to this week's match-up against the Kyle Lehman Lobos. The Lobos are 3-4 overall but have struggled in district play with a district record of 0-3 to date. But their losses have come at the hands of the better teams in our district, having faced defeat by Smithson Valley, Canyon, and Hays. Unfortunately, things shouldn't be much better for the Lobos this week as they face a more focused and determined Mules team. Lehman is coming off a bye week, so they should be well rested and healed for their match-up against the Mules.

The Lobos return a total of 13 starters from last year's .500 season with eight returning starters on offense and five on defense. Players to watch are QB Harvest Trammell who has come in to replace an ailing Matt Anguiano. Outside linebacker Andrew Longworth and running back Levi Medley are also standouts on the Lobo's roster.

The Mules have two more regular season games left this year, and Friday's game against Lehman will be our last district away game. Our Mules are counting on enthusiastic fan support so grab the kids, neighbors, grandparents, or anyone else that might be just standing around looking for something to do, and make the nice drive up to Kyle. On the way, come early and stop by Cantina Del Rio in Gruene to meet up with your fellow Mules fanatics and get ready for a great game of High School Football! See you there!!

Go Mules!!!!!

JV Plays One Game This Week!

Thursday, Octover 21st, 5:30 PM

Alamo Heights Harry B. Orem Stadium

Way to go Garret!!

Congratulations to Garret Hisle, #84, for being named the Right Guard, Walmart and Fox Sports Soutwest, Top 5 Defensive Player of the week for his strong defensive play against Canyon week before last. Garret earned a $500 donation to Alamo Heights and a trophy! I bet he'd rather have the $500! Anyway, great job Garret!

Pre-Game Get-Together:

This week, all Mules fans are invited to meet before Friday's game against the Lehman Lobos at Cantina Del Rio in Gruene, TX (not Del Rio, TX!) at 5:00. Cantina Del Rio is owned by the Molaks, so you know that it will be great! To get to Cantina Del Rio, take I-35 north to exit 191 Canyon Lake (FM306) and turn left. Go 1.5 miles and turn left at Hunter Road.Hunter lane will take you straight to Gruene. Cantina Del Rio will be to the right of Gruene Hall as you head towards the river. Park behind Cotton Eyed Joe's T-Shirts to the left of Gruene Hall. The Molaks will have an area roped off for the Mules fans.

Map to Cantina Del Rio in Gruene

Tickets:

Tickets to this Friday's game will be available at the AHHS Athletic office through Friday from 8:30 AM to Noon, and from 1:30 - 3:30 PM. Patty will also be selling tickets at Thursday's JV game. Tickets are $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for Students. Note that all tickets bought the night of the game at Bob Shelton Stadium will be $7.00 for both students and adults.

Fenley Trophy Golf Tournament:

Thanks to everyone who participated in last Friday's 7th Annual Fenley Trophy Golf Tournament at the Quarry. It was a beautiful day for golf and a great tournament to honor the late, great Mules head coach, Gaylard Fenley. All proceeds from the tournament benefitted AHHS sports programs through the Alamo Heights Mule Team.

Varsity Car Wash:

Thanks to everyone who brought their dirty cars and trucks out last Saturday to have them washed by our varsity Mules. Anytime you give a hose and a bucket of soapy water to a bunch of 17 and 18 year-old boys, they're bound to have a good time! Proceeds raised from the car wash will go to support the Ronald McDonald House.

Mules Photos:

Each and every week, come rain or shine, Mary Candee (or sometimes her husband Jeff!) is on the sidelines capturing the Mules on film. Thanks again to Mary for being such a supporter of the Mule-Fan by supplying us with her great photos for the Blog. Don't forget to get your copies of Mules photos from Mary at her website www.dulcedesigns.photoreflect.com. They make great Christmas gifts for the Grandparents!

Write to the Mule-Fan:

As we head closer to the end of regular season and into the playoffs, the Mule-Fan would like to hear your suggestions for interesting story ideas that you think merit reporting. Don't be shy about sharing your story ideas and we wont be shy to tell you if they're bad! Contact the Mule-Fan editors at jfeste@kmcapitalmgt.com or jeff@baileycommercial.com

Mules on the Radio:

Don't forget that all Alamo Heights Mules games are broadcast on the radio in case you can't find a way to get to the game! Catch all the action as Dave Parker and Ed Suarez bring you the play-by-play on KKYX-680 AM! You can also hear the game live on the internet at www.tsrnsports.com

Go Mules!!

Looking Back:

AH Mules vs NB Canyon

Speed vs Size

Every time Canyon had the ball, it looked like a rugby scrum. The Cougars had big linemen with 1-inch splits and a full backfield; and on the snap of the ball, the Mules defense would hit the gaps like missiles. Add to that the Mules defense causing four Cougar turnovers, along with untimely penalties that put the Cougars in 3rd and long,and our offense working the ball on the ground and in the air, and you have a battle that ended with a 38-24 Mules victory and a 6-1 overall record and a 3-0 district record in 27-4A.

Andy Brooks set the tone when he took the opening kick off to the Mules 45-yard line and put the offense in great field position. The Cougar defense held and Kristian Stern pinned them back on their own 13-yard line with a nice punt. The Cougars took over on offense and after a few plays, they broke one for 65 yards and the first score of the game with 8:36 left in the first quarter (7-0 NB). On the ensuing kick-off, Dean Meyer returned the ball to the 40-yard line and again put the Mules offense in great field position. This time after a few plays, Andy Brooks took it to the house from 40 yards out to tie the ballgame 7-7. Brooks ended the night with 12 carries for 82 yards and 2 TD’s with an additional 10 yards receiving. (Editors note: On the ensuing kickoff, Travis Feste made the tackle.) The Cougars first play of their second drive was a double reverse that didn’t work, and resulted in a Caton Sandoval fumble recovery on the 16-yard line for the Mules. The Mules inched their way down to the 3-yard line, and that’s where Andy Brooks accounted for his 2nd touchdown. The Mules lead with 4:35 left in the 1st quarter, 14-7.

The Cougars didn’t waste time with a long drive after their 70-yard kickoff return to the Mules 20-yard line. In less than two minutes, the score was tied, 14-14, and it was looking like a slug fest!! After exchanging a few stops on both sides of the ball, the Mules had the final score of the first half with a long drive that ended with a 7-yard strike from Steven Elder (Forrest) to Zach Richtor (Bubba) to put the Mules ahead 21-14 going into halftime. Elder would end the night 12-22 with 171 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The tone of the 2nd half was set by Garrett “G-Man” Hisle. With the Cougars on their own 26-yard line and a 3rd and 9, Canyon thought they could throw long on an out pattern. Well, the pass took awhile to get there, and Hisle made a nice interception before he took it the other way for 6 points. Kristian Stern added his foot to the equation and it was 28-14 Mules with only a minute and a half burned off the 3rd quarter. Canyon answered back with a six-minute drive that closed the gap to 28-21. The Mule Fan would like to stop for a second to give a lot of credit to all our defensive lineman, linebackers, and offensive linemen. These guys pounded all night with the Cougars who were much bigger, and they never quit fighting.

The Mules dropped the Cougars for losses with the speed of Anthony Knowls (AK), James Uhl, Skylar Nelson, Blake Klumpp, et al, while the O-line kept guys much bigger from getting to Elder and company. Other players don’t get their name in the paper without these guys!!!!!

OK, back to the game. The following series was a big play series. Wyatt Ponton had a 35-yard reception from Elder that put the Mules on the 42-yard line going in. Elder then hit William Thompson (WTT) over the middle on a perfectly timed screen pass, who took it to the endzone from 48 yards out. WTT rushed for 52 yards on 13 carries and had 2 receptions for 60 yards and a TD. The score was now 35-21, Mules. After another Cougar turnover, the Mules had the ball on Canyon's 7-yard line when the 3rd quarter ended. The teams switched ends of the field and the drive resumed. After a grind near the end zone, Kristian Stern was called on to extend the lead with a field goal from 21 yards out.

The Mules now lead 38-21 with less than 10 minutes left in the 4th quarter. Canyon kept fighting, however, and put 3 more points on the board with a field goal from 23 yards out with 4:40 left in the game. The score was 38-24, Mules. With the Cougars deep in their own territory and with less than 2 minutes left, they went deep, and again "G-Man" Hisle was there for his 2nd interception of the game. The Mules ran their victory formation and put this one in the books as a “W”. NB Canyon was a great team with a lot of talent. The Mules played great ball and took advantage of mistakes. This is a team that continues to grow and get better. 6-1 and 3-0, this is how we roll!!!

		Won	Lost
1	Alamo Heights Mules	3	0
2	Smithson Valley Rangers	2	0
3	Buda Hays Rebels	2	1
6	Clemens Buffaloes	1	1
4	NB Canyon Cougars	1	2
5	Lockhart Lions	0	2
7	Kyle Lehman Lobos	0	3
Friday's District Results
	Alamo Heights defeated NB Canyon 38-24
	Smithson Valley defeated Kyle Lehman 61-18
	Buda Hays defeated Clemens 47-21
	Lockhart had a Bye

Canyon's Running Style Offense

Chirps from the Byrd - Head Coach Byrd, that is:

Mule Fan: What was the difference maker this last Friday against the Cougars?

Coach Byrd: We grew as a team both offensively and defensively, just all the little things you strive for to make a good team a better team. Defensively, as the game went on, we got our pads down low and stopped them and put them in positions where they had to move out of their game plan, ie: trick plays.

Mule Fan: We have had a gauntlet of a schedule so far and look a little banged up. So how is our health?

Coach Byrd: We have had a lot of tough games in a row, so we have a sore shoulder here, a sore ankle there, and a few guys on the mend that have been out. But, we have two more games and then a needed week off to get some rest and everyone back full speed and ready for the final game and the play-offs.

Mule Fan: The Cougars coach seemed to be getting upset about something are defense was doing. Could you explain what was going on to the fans?

Coach Byrd: They were talking to the refs about us simulating the snap count.The rules are you can't simulate the snap count, but you can move on defense. They would go, "ready go" and we wanted to see them on "ready" in a certain way, and we wanted to move before they snapped the ball. So we used the word "move" which is not simulating the snap count whatsoever. Their coach was a little upset because of that and his team was charged with a few false starts. It's not against the rules - you have the right on defense to move. They just have such a quick count, we would be moving and it made them jump.

Mule Fan: What can we be expecting from Smithson Valley with only one loss to MacArthur in a really close game?

Coach Byrd: Coach Hill does a great job teaching fundamentals and they have a good football team. They run a 4-3 defense, slant a lot on the line, but like to run a base defense, but solid in all areas. The offense is well coached and the line is a little smaller than in the past. Their 2 RB's are solid and they can move the ball. I think we match up well with them. This is always a game that could be for the district championship. We look forward to Friday night and I bet there will be a good turnout to see 2 good football teams go at it.

JV Rally Falls Short 17-14:

The JV Mules fought a hard comeback battle with the Canyon Cougars last Thursday, but in the end, they didn't have enough clock time to erase a 17 point deficit, as the Mules fell to the Cougars 17-14 in an old fashioned game of smash-mouth football before a good crowd at Harry B. Orem Stadium. Like the early season game against Southwest High School, the Cougars offense consisted of mostly "dive right" or "dive left", as big Cougar linemen opened holes for their three running backs in the "Stack I" formation. The Cougars only threw the ball four times the entire game.

Canyon received the opening kickoff and commenced their rugby style, scrum running attack, chewing up yardage and the clock. It reminded me of Electric Football when I was a kid. (see the video above) The Mules defense was able to hold the Cougars on their first drive, forcing them to punt. The Cougar punt sailed high and long, forcing Cole Bailey to turn and catch the ball over his shoulder. The ball glanced off his shoulder and fingertips, bouncing into the endzone where Bailey was dropped for a safety. The score was now 2-0 and the Mules had to kick the ball back to the Cougars. The two points were really less damaging than giving the ball back to Canyon, who chewed up the rest of the first quarter clock. Once again,the Cougars commenced their battering-ram style offense and eventually bulldozed their way into the endzone for a touchdown, extending their lead to 9-0. This also ended the first quarter with the Mules never having an opportunity to run an offensive play.

The Mules finally got the ball in the 2nd quarter and put together a pretty good drive under quarterback Wes Yancy. Yancy scrambled for 17 yards and Coby Bailey contributed with nice running as well. After a 10 yard flare-out pass to Cole Bailey, the drive stalled at the Canyon 25 yard line and the Mules were unable the convert on 4th down, giving the ball back to the Cougars. The Cougars banged the ball downfield behind great blocking and scored again with less than a minute left in the first half. The score at halftime was 17-0, Cougars.

The 2nd half belonged to the Mules who took the kickoff and proceeded to march downfield. Yancy found receivers Alex Bathie, Tommy Barrow, and George Mixon open downfield for nice gains. Robert Low balanced the attack with some nice running and found daylight down the right side as he scampered into the endzone from 25 yards out for the Mules first touchdown. Matt Kelly's extra point was good and the score was now 17-7. The rest of the 3rd quarter was back and forth between the two teams as neither team could put together a scoring drive. The Mules defense came alive in the 2nd half and found ways to contain the Cougar running game. The 3rd quarter ended with the Cougars still leading 17-7.

The Mules had a chance in the 4th quarter as they drove the ball down to the 2-yard line behind great running by Coby Bailey. But a holding call brought the ball back out to the 25 yard line. Adding insult to injury was a screw-up by the referees who mistakenly robbed the Mules out of a down, making it 4th down at the 25 vs. 3rd down at the 25-yard line. Coach Norment defended his Mules to no avail and Canyon took over on downs. Once again the Mules defense held and a low snap on the Cougar punt was ruled down, giving the Mules the ball at their own 37-yard line. This time the Mules would finish the job as they drove the ball downfield for the touchdown. Yancy scored from one yard out to close the gap to 17-14, Canyon. The highlight of the drive came after a bad snap over Yancy's head, forcing him to pick it up and scramble to his left before he chunked the ball downfield to Deon Demus just inside the out of bounds to keep the drive alive at the Canyon 15-yard line.

The Mules almost had a chance to win it as the defense recovered a Cougar fumble at the 49-yard line with 1:22 left in the game. Yancy's game winning pass came up just short allowing a Cougar defensive back to intercept and end the game 17-14. It was an evenly matched game between two completely different offensive teams.

Freshmen A-Team:

The AH Freshmen A-Team continued their victory streak by defeating New Braunfels Canyon 21-8 at Canyon Stadium. Once again our offensive line led the way for great touchdown runs by Justin Latimer and Brandon Wasson, and a TD pass from Scott Uhl to Robert Schuler. The Mules defense also ruled the day, allowing only one score by Canyon in the first quarter. Daniel Mays and Ted Zuzula both had excellent and timely pass deflections, and excellent tackling by Brandon Wasson was noted. The game was not without injury, with Robert Schuler and Matthew Wilkes held out of the second half for shoulder and ankle injuries.

Freshmen B-Team:

The Freshman B-Team was out-sized and out-numbered by a huge Canyon team. That being said, the defense really held their own and only allowed 6 points. They were hitting hard and forced 4 turnovers. Sean Levoyer and Ross Brown led the way on defense putting their hats on the ball and causing chaos. Unfortunately the offense could not get the ball in the end zone. They showed improvement and put together several good drives, but just could not complete them. The B team lost 6-0. For a team without a lot of success in the win column, they have had a lot of success at times in every game on both sides of the ball.

Looking Ahead:

AH Mules vs. Smithson Valley Rangers

This Friday, 7:30 PM

Alamo Heights Harry B. Orem Stadium

This is WOAI's "Game of the Week!"

The Mighty Mules take on the Smithson Valley Rangers this Friday evening in a showdown for district supremacy. Both teams have had only one loss this season and are undefeated in district play. Smithson Valley had an easy time this past Friday with Kyle Lehman with a final score of 61-18. Alamo Heights and Smithson Valey have not played each other since 1993, partly because Smithsion Valley has been a 5-A team since 2001. Last year Smithson Valley found themselves in a four-way tie for 2nd place in their district and failed to make the playoffs due to tiebreakers - the first time they have sat out the playoffs since 1995. But thanks to 13 students not registering for class this year, Smithson Valley was able to drop back down to 4-A in this year's realignment. But hey, the Mules don't look for excuses and they are ready to take these Rangers head-on!

Smithson Valley returns 25 lettermen with only six returning starters. The Rangers have a strong running game behind running backs Lach Labanna and Lawrence Mattison. Quarterback Parker McKenzie is only a Junior, but he is a skilled player who balances out the Ranger running game with a good passing arm. His favorite target is senior wide receiver Matt Hillston. This is coach Larry Hill's 17th season at Smithson Valley and he runs a very good program. It will a great game and a tough test for the Mules! Our Mules need great fan support, so clear your calendars for Friday night and come cheer on the Mules!! Go Mules!!

JV Plays Only One Game This Week!

This Thursday, Oct. 14th at 5:30 PM

Smithson Valley High School Stadium

1401 Highway 46 W.

Spring Branch, TX 78070

Map Link To Smithson Valley

Pep Rally - 9:00 am This Friday!

Come get in on the Mules football action at the Varsity Pep Rally this Friday at 9:00 am in the Mule Dome. This is a great way to get fired up and in the spirit for this week's big district game against Smithson Valley. Don't miss it!

La Fonda Before and After the Game:

La Fonda at Sunset Ridge is the place to be before all Mules home games. Come join your fellow Mules fans at La Fonda before and after all Mules games. It's a great place to hang out with friends and get your cheese on before every Mules game. Then head up the street to enjoy Friday Night Football AH style! Also, don't forget that La Fonda is the place to be post game to celebrate the Mules victory! Rick Shaw plans to keep the kitchen open until 11:00 so come by and have a drink and reload the belly.

WOAI's Game of the Week:

Friday's game against Smithson Valley will be WOAI's "Game of the Week". Don't miss WOAI's Friday Night Fever on the practice field before the game, featuring Kiolbassa sausage and drinks. Come show your Mules support and get crazy for the Mules on TV!

7th Annual Fenley Trophy Golf Tournament:

Don't forget that this Friday is the 7th annual Fenley Trophy Golf Tournament honoring the late great Mules head coach, Gaylard Fenley. The tournament will be held at The Quarry Golf club. The fee to play is $150 or a tee sign is also $150. Get them both for $250! All proceeds benefit AHHS sports programs which are supported by the AH Mule Team. Participation and support is not limited to golfers. Tee sign sponsors and auction item donations are also needed. Please send to any alumni, parent, vendor or prospective supporter. Thank you in advance for your support and help getting the word out. Contact Carter Speer at 210-862-8700 to sign up to play or to order a tee sign.

Varsity Car Wash:

Just a reminder about the "Varsity Car Wash" is scheduled for this Saturday, Oct. 16th from 1:30 to 4:30 at the RAM Gas Station at the intersection of N. New Braunfels and Basse. The Varsity Football Team will be washing cars to raise money for the Ronald McDonald House. Tell your friends to bring their dirty cars!

AHHS Cheerleader Fundraiser:

Come eat lunch, dinner, or both at EZ's in Sunset Ridge on Saturday, October 16th. Drop your receipt in the bucket and a portion of your meal expense will go to the Mules Cheerleaders. Hey, ya gotta eat, right!? So why not eat at EZ's and benefit the cheerleaders. They cheer for us, so let's cheer for them! Go Mules!

Mules Photos:

The Mule Fan would like to thank Alamo Heights senior Tess Tarrillion and Mary Candee for supplying the Mule Fan with great photos of the Mules in action! Each week, Mary's photos are available for purchase at www.dulcedesigns.photoreflect.com. The Mule Fan would like to encourage all you Mules fans out there to support Mary's hard work and order your photos today!

Mules on the Radio:

Don't forget, if you can't get to the game on Friday night, you can listen to it on KKYX-680AM. Dave Parker and Ed Suarez will be bringing you all the action! This is a change from AM 1250, which was a much weaker channel. You can also hear the game on the internet live or archived at www.tsrnsports.com Go Mules!