The Mule Fan

Mules Stumble in Season Ending Stunner

Well, what can you say. Losing sucks. Especially when the better team didn't win. In a matter of seconds we went from hope and expectation of overtime to......season over. Stunned silence in the stands....astonishment that it was over. Which brings us to our last Mule Fan post of the season. It was a game of big plays for both teams, but in the end Calallen was able to execute the big play when they needed it and unfortunately the Mules didn't. It was a heartbreaker.

As we say goodbye to our seniors, and to be politically correct we are supposed to look forward to the future, but I would rather look back and point a few fingers.

1. A pep rally could have helped.
2. Where was Eric Anderson when you needed him? Thank goodness we have Abel.
3. Coach Troilo shouldn't have shaved his lucky beard and Coach Harris should have shaved his.
4. I can't believe we lost the coin toss. Who called it?
5. Who picked those referees?

That being said, it was a great season. I don't think we realized how hard it would be when it ended. Standing outside the locker room after the game watching the seniors emerge was a tear-jerker. The Mule Fan would like to thank our Seniors for a truly great season. You were a great example to the underclassmen. You worked hard, on and off the field, and your unselfish dedication to team success was an inspiration. We will miss you guys!

No.				No.
2	Kristian Stern	K		51	James Uhl	LB
4	Zach Montana	DB		54	Jonathan Lalinde	DL
5	Steven Elder	QB		56	Tyler Heinemeyer	OL
7	Wyatt Ponton	WR		58	Zane Narro	DL
12	Dean Meyer	RB/LB		60	Nick Martinez	DL
15	Jai Boatman	DB		62	Chris Bernal	DL
17	Armando Rodriguez	DB		65	Clinton Campbell	DL
18	Carter White	TE		66	Arron Rodriguez	OL
19	Braden Berry	DB		67	William Burns	OL
20	Carter Thurmond	DB		70	Beau Devine	DL
25	Luke Wakely	WR		72	Angel Galvan	OL
26	Travis Feste	TE		73	Zack Mullins	OL
28	David Cantu	TE		74	Peter Deluna	DL
30	Zach Richter	WR		75	Caton Sandoval	DL
34	David Dubinsky	DB		77	Ryan Meador	OL
39	George Shaw	LB		84	Garret Hisle	DB
40	William Thompson	RB		87	Jack Newman	DB
44	Jett Ploetz	WR		88	Jonathan O'Brien	DB
46	Anthony Knowles	OB		89	Zach Dubrof	LB

As for me, Joey, I won't be back next year as I was Mule Tipped and suspended from the blog! Good Luck Bailey.

Final Chirps from the Byrd - Head Coach Byrd, That Is:

Mule Fan: What's your take-away from last Friday's game?

Coach Byrd: I'm sorry the season came to an end. It's been a weird feeling for me. I'm not as mad as I am disappointed. We were the the better team in my mind. I thought we had a great plan offensively and defensively. Calallen is a good team, they have won a lot of games. On offense we moved the ball well, we averaged almost 8 yards a play. We just didn't make the plays when we needed to and we just got bogged down near the endzone a couple of times.

We knew we needed to jump on them early, but we just didn't finish some plays and get ahead of them. If you don't get ahead of them they get into their running game and you sit there for 8 or 9 minutes and everybody gets cold and then you come out on offense and play.

Defensively, I thought we played a pretty good first half. Unfortunately on the first play we gave up a trap play for a 95 yard TD. Then we gave up the scramble/pass right before halftime. There was 21 points on offense that we missed and two TDs from them. On that long 4th quarter drive by Calallen, it was asked why we didn't just let them score instead of chew-up the clock. Coach Harris called down on the headphones with two and a half minutes left and asked if we should just let them score. It was discussed and I felt like we should hang in there....we might get a turnover or something goofy might happen. We had two timeouts and all we needed was two minutes. I felt like we could move the ball. The clock was not really an issue.

On the last play where we ran the ball, I had called a timeout. We had a pass called and then I thought since they were dropping their linebackers we could get in there, but they jumped their end outside at the last minute and we didn't execute it right and we got stopped for a loss. It was tough.

This was an outstanding group this year. I love each and every one of them - they are just the neatest kids. Our seniors did a lot to keep the program where it's at and where it needs to be. They did a great job of being examples of kids that stay out of trouble and take care of business and do the things they need to. I'm proud of each and every one of them. I'm proud of their effort all year and I'm proud of what they accomplished. I just wish this game had gone better.

Mule Fan: Would you like to play them again!?

Coach Byrd: You bet. I would love to play them again. I would LOVE to play them again!!! It was an unbelievable atmosphere - big crowd and big excitement. Many small colleges won't have that big of a crowd. I'm real proud of our community. The attendance has been great. I think people now look at the football schedule and will make sure that they're home when we have home games and they really follow the team. It's a tribute to the kids and parents that our community wants to be a part of what we have going on here.

Mule Fan: How does the future look?

Coach Byrd: I'm excited about the future. We had a good number of younger guys that got a lot of playing time this year. On offense, we have four out of five offensive linemen returning with a lot of experience. Yarborough and Geibel, wherever they play, were on the field a lot this year. Brooks and Biggs will be back on offense. We've got a lot of kids coming back. On defense, Nelson, Uretsky and Klumpp will be back. Rosenthal got some playing time and did a nice job. There is a lot of talent coming up from the JV that I'm excited about. I'm excited about having a little more speed on offense. I think we're going to have a group where we can push people a little deeper and do some things. I really think the future looks good.

Mule Fan: Thanks coach for an outstanding year!

Thanks!

The Mule Fan would like to say thanks to everyone who dedicated themselves and their time to make the Mules Football program the success that it is.

Thanks to Gene Phillips (and his clever emails) and Patty Juarez in the Athletic Office for being the grease in this well-oiled machine.

Thanks to all of the coaches: Don Byrd, Mike Norment, Craig Westmoreland, Bobby Newton, Randy Osborne, Ron Harris, Jim Dawson, Glenn White, Chris Troilo and Luke Moody. In case you didn't realize, this is one of the most talented groups of high school coaches anywhere. Not only do our coaches teach our sons the game of football, they teach them such great principles of hard work, dedication, respect and teamwork. They love our kids, and it's what drives them to spend long, long hours each week to prepare our boys to be the best that they can be.

Thanks to Mike Post and Adriana Moody and to all the trainers for all the long hours keeping the boys healed-up and ready to play. Thanks to the Cheerleaders, the Spurs, the Band, and the JROTC for all of your dedication and hard work. Not a day goes by when I drive by the field at 7:00 am and see you practicing that I don't think about how hard you work and what a great job you do. You guys turn a football game into a real exciting event that brings school spirit to our team, the fans, and the community.

Thanks to all the parents that volunteer to make signs, prepare and serve meals, and have volunteered to work in the concession stands.

Thanks to Mary Candee and Alamo Heights senior Tess Tarrillion for being at every game taking great photos, and thanks Mary for supplying The Mule Fan with great action shots all year long. Thanks to the Mule Team and Mule Pushers and to everyone who contributes their time and money to supporting all of our sports programs at Alamo Heights. Thanks to Rick Shaw announcing "Another Alamo Heights.... First Down!" in the booth and to his spotters. You help make a home game - a home game! Thanks to Dave Parker and Ed Suarez for broadcasting all the Mules games on radio. And to anyone we have left out....we apologize but a big thank you as well!

We will see you next year! It will be here before you know it!