Alamo Heights 22, Port Lavaca Calhoun 46 December 7, 2013

Port Lavaca Calhoun Ends Mules Season 46-22 in San Marcos

-Sandcrabs Move on to Semi Finals vs. Brenham

-Mules Proud of 10-4 Season and Now Look Ahead

(San Marcos, Texas)—Everybody knows the feeling.  You enter the season full of enthusiasm and excitement, twist and turn during the journey, experience the highs and lows as a community, and all but one team and its fandom end on the down.  But now that we’ve all had a few days to get it in perspective, our chins are up and we celebrate a terrific Mules season that was a ton ‘o fun!  Yeah sure we would rather have made it to the mountaintop but it ain’t an easy climb.  This season ended three steps from the top as Port Lavaca Calhoun sent the Mules home 46-22 at Bobcat Stadium in San Marcos on a frosty day.  We get our Mules and put ‘em up for every step and congratulate the Alamo Heights Mules for giving us our 10^th consecutive year in the playoffs (an irrational fantasy to anyone associated with Alamo Heights from any decade prior to the 90’s), a 10-4 season and a team that was a heckuva lot of fun to watch.  We here at the Mule Fan are proud, as we know you all are.

Photos courtesy all season of Mary Candee. Thanks Mary!

The Sandcrabs executed a potent triple-option offense throwing size, strength and “vewy cwafty deception” at the Mules as Elmer Fudd might say.  Statistically, Port Lavaca poured 485 yards of rushing offense all over Alamo Heights, which managed only 62 yards on the ground.  When Calhoun lead rusher Cory Williams signed off, he had booked 194 yards in 32 carries and a touchdown.  Quarterback Hunter Boerm stacked 85 yards and two TD’s on top of that.  Plenty of understudy backs got into the act as well faking into the line, taking pitches and diving into the end zone.  It was an offense that the Alamo Heights scouted well but were certainly not able to duplicate their power in practice.

See these shots and many more great ones at
http://dulcedesigns.photoreflect.com.  Buy a batch of memories
shot by a pro with a camera that costs more than $100.

In spite of the heavy hit the Mules took through two and a half quarters, the defense got some big stops and the offense started to turn it on in the third putting themselves in a position to flirt with a two possession game with ample time. But a long effective drive fell short with a tipped ball and interception at the three yard line by a Sandcrab linebacker putting down the Mules threat.  The Mules did get a 94 yard returned blocked extra point by special teams wiz Cameron Dawley, an exciting touchdown from Jake Osborne on a 61 yard catch and score on a Dalton Banks pass, and an 82 yard fumble recovery and score from defensive tackle Juan Alvarez with time running out but that was about all that was on the menu on Saturday.  

So thanks go all around to the seniors listed below (and there’s a bunch of them), to whom we wish the best of luck, for their leadership and contributions to the Alamo Heights football program and to the coaches, trainers, student trainers, athletic staff, band, Spurs and cheerleaders for all their effort this season and throughout the year.  It’ll be an exciting off season with plenty of intrigue as districts realign and new schedules with new opponents are finalized. 

This Week’s Canned Hams?  Who Else? The Seniors: 

Armando Tamez, Jake Osborne, Juan Pablo Olazaba, Scotty Uhl, Wesley Sparr, Daniel Mays, Noah Hernandez, Ted Zuzula, Robert Schuler, Jay Hargrove, Tommy Tyng, Byron Proctor, Jacob Cilfone, William Faz, Adam Luna, Brandon Wasson, Austin Jaramillo, Nick David, Kaw Ka Pow Htoo, Bruno Fontana, Robert Durbin, Zander Thomas, Parker Hollingshead, Connor Gates, Ben McSween, JD Janicek, Matthew Wilkes, Zach Guney, Joey Gonzales, Chris Magallanez, Juan Alvarez, Zach McConnell, Connor Peoples, Camilo Garcia, Max Molak, James Lockwood, Riley Zander, Christian Lalinde, Jeffrey Dubrof, and David Andrade.

“His Inside Voice” 

A weekly discussion with Coach Mike Norment

Mule Fan:  During the playoffs you’ve talked about always having to “up your game” and top your last effort with your best game of the year.  On Saturday the Mules didn’t have their best game of the year and Port Lavaca probably did.  What do you think was the bigger factor, Calhoun’s execution of their triple option or Alamo Heights not hitting on all cylinders offensively?

Coach Norment:  It was a combination.  In the first half we struggled offensively and that allowed Port Lavaca to be on the field a lot.  They were much bigger than we are and we didn’t want the defense to be out there as many snaps as they were. So that led to them being up three scores at halftime and that’s definitely what we didn’t want to do.  In the last two games we were able to jump on the other team and play with a lead. This game didn’t work out that way so they were able to play their game of ball control and pretty much be able to do what they wanted to do.  We were playing catch up and having to throw the ball almost every down. That’s not what we do.  We are able to mix it up so we became one dimensional so it was a combination.  Plus Port Lavaca was a very talented team and played very, very well so when you combine us not playing our best with them playing very good you get a score like we had this week and unfortunately we were on the losing end.

Mule Fan:  You had their offense scouted well.  I saw a few minutes of a few practices last week and recognized all the formations and plays from scout team but they were a very physical team.  What can you do when you can’t simulate size and strength in a scout team environment in practice?

Coach Norment:  Yeah they were very big and very strong and you really can’t simulate that at all.  You just have to do the best you can.  They were very physical on both sides of the football.  That just shows that we have to work on that in the off season and try and get a little stronger and be able to hold up against teams that want to do that to us.

Mule Fan:  With all of that, the defense started making some stops in the second half, the offense started getting tuned up a little bit and then there was the drive in the third that ended with the tip and the interception after scoring in the previous possession. Had you scored you were looking at a two possession game and plenty of time. Were the guys feeling that?

Coach Norment:  I think so. We had a lot of momentum.  They were on their heels.  And you don’t know what’s going to happen but I do know that had we have scored there you don’t know what would have happened but it would have been better than what happened.  You could just feel the wind get out of us.  That was unfortunate because we had a great season and I like the fact that our kids never gave up.  It would have been real easy to say all right that’s it and fold the tent but they didn’t.  And you expect that from Alamo Heights but you want to make sure the kids do that and they did so I’m very proud of how they finished the game.

Can't do these with an iPhone.  Thanks again to Mary Candee!
http://dulcedesigns.photoreflect.com

Mule Fan:  We know there’s only one team that finishes the year happy but your team accomplished a lot this season especially in the wake of last year’s early exit from the playoffs.  I know you’re proud of that.  What do you think was the biggest reason that they achieved what they did?

Coach Norment:  Well they really bought into the team motto and they understood that everybody was a part.  We talked about that a lot. Everybody was a part of this team. The JV had to give us a great effort in scout team and when they did they were reminded that they had to give us a great look and at the same time they were getting better for next year.  You know we had so many injuries and other things that we had to grab people that maybe weren’t starters and maybe didn’t think they were going to play as much and all of a sudden they’re getting lots of playing time and they actually bought into that.  So we always talk about not being the weak link and we talk about that in the off-season.  Well we can actually say that there weren’t weak links out here.  When the person was called on to step up they were able to step in and do the best they possibly could and we didn’t lose that much.  So I think those are the factors that really made this team be able to go as far as they did is the fact that they bought into the concept of team.  Everybody’s got a position and a role on the team and they fulfilled that.

Mule Fan:  For many years, whether you’ve had more talent or less talent, more size or less size the teams have had great chemistry.  You guys have been able to inject that into their approach.

Coach Norment:  It does help that we are a school district where a lot of these kids grow up with each other.  You may play on different YMCA teams or they play on the same teams. The majority of them go to the junior high and so we have a small town feel even though we’re surrounded by San Antonio.  That gives us an advantage over some of these other schools maybe that don’t give that. But at the same time our kids are good kids and they’re very accepting, they see everybody as blue and gold, they’re a Mule and so we have really good team chemistry at all levels including the freshmen.  We get kids that move in or maybe come from the Academy and they’re welcomed in.  They’re assimilated very quickly and that’s a positive for the program.  It was going on way before I got here and it still continues today.

Mule Fan:  Can you share with us what you said to the guys after the game?

Coach Norment:  It’s always disappointing especially for the seniors because it’s over.  You grow very, very attached to these seniors especially these guys who you’ve coached and you’ve seen grow from young, and this is a term of endearment, “idiot freshmen”, to young men who are seniors who are about to go out on their own and you get very attached. We see them cry because it meant so much to them.  It is tough.  It’s tough as a coach but I told them I was so proud of them for what they accomplished.  It is hard to feel great right now but if you really look at it we had a great season. We did better than most people thought we would and I told them that they would always be my guys.

The sad thing is watching these guys leave. But it was very heartening to be in San Marcos and see all these former players there that you remember were seniors two, three, four, five and many more years ago come back and support the program and see how they’ve grown up and become young men, husbands, fathers that hopefully this football program has helped them be a little bit better of a person because of it and that it taught them about hard work and things.  So it is difficult to see the seniors leave but you get a new crop and you can’t really think about it a whole lot. You’ve got to get those guys ready because we’ll be doing this again next year.  So it is a continuous thing and that’s what makes high school football coaching fun because it is a constant cycle.  But seeing the seniors go is always the toughest for me.

Mule Fan:  Can you take us through what happens in the off-season program?

Coach Norment:  We’ll pick up the equipment and do some testing before we leave for Winter break.  I want to have numbers.  What’s their bench press and all that stuff so we have a starting point.  And then when we come back from the break we’re going to have a boot camp. And this is something we started many years ago when I first got here back in 1996.  There were one or two years when we didn’t do it. The head coach always talks to the seniors to find out what’s good, what’s bad and what can we do better and I remember Don Byrd talking about that being one of the biggest things that the senior class thought was an important thing in the program.  We’ve done it for the last ten years.  We’ll change it up a little but basically I like to say “a rubber band doesn’t have any value unless you stretch it”.  Well you stretch a player during boot camp. They’re doing things that are not fun and are physically demanding but we also put a mental aspect to it to show them what they are capable of doing. We’ll do boot camp for 2-3 weeks and then start the off season where we’ll do weight lifting inside everyday and some sort of agility and running outside every day and we’ll do mat room.  We’ll do that pretty much up until March when we start doing football skills and of course late April we’ll go into spring training and spring ball.  And that is it in a nutshell.  It is going to be imperative since we’re losing so many people (40).  We can’t really say right now but when we get testing done we’ll have an idea where we have weaknesses and the things that we need to work on.  Port Lavaca Calhoun was very physical and very strong and that is one area we definitely need to work on is getting our strength up and getting some size.  If you just look at the scores from last year we’ll probably need to get some speed so we’ll be pushing that.  But we’ll try to target the players a little more specifically and see where each player is weak and concentrate on those and turn them into strengths.

Mule Fan:  This is a transition year for district.  When do you expect that information to be out there?

Coach Norment:  That will come out in the beginning of February.  We already know the numbers.  The UIL has done that so we know basically what schools are in what classifications.  There’s not a whole lot we can do now.  Looking at the numbers there will probably be two Valley districts, two Corpus, two San Antonio area and two around the Austin area in 4A.  What district we’re in we don’t know and that’s also still in process.  We’re working on schedules for the non-district games.  I’m pretty sure I’ve got that pretty close to solid and I’ll make calls in January to make sure before the realignment takes place.  When that takes place we’ll be scrambling and making sure we get the schedule and the home games and get that taken care of.  So there’s a lot of work that goes on in the spring that you don’t hear about.  We’ll be gearing up for 7-on-7, Mules In Training (summer program) and before you know it football season we’ll be here which is always great because it’s always better to be in football season.

How to Sum it All Up??

This reporter and his loyal team of crayon toting scribblers have enjoyed bringing you this propaganda each week. We thank all the coaches and staff for the access that they give us and hope you feel you got good value for money.

As I watched the players file out of the Bobcat Stadium locker room on Saturday, some with big ‘ol tears coming down their faces, and parents with lumps in their throats, it brought back a familiar feeling. Somebody with a memory of this reporter’s previous exploits suggested I reprise a little piece that I wrote at the conclusion of the 2009 Alamo Heights season.  After some consideration and consultation with my agent, I concluded that it might still work.  Just know that it has not been altered at all.  It deals with the end of the 2009 season. But these are new eyes on it with the same emotions.

The context was this.  This reporter’s oldest son had just finished his senior season, coincidentally in the same danged stadium and in similar climate conditions (brrr!) against Lake Travis, the eventual state champion.  It was the end of a terrific and exciting season, a close game, and none of us were ready for it to end. But end it did.  Some of us knew we would get another bite at the apple in a few years.  Others knew that was it.  Next chapter starts now.  While the piece was a personal reflection, it was written thinking it would resonate with all parents of seniors.

“The Drawer”

A Reflection by Bob Cohen

While looking in my son’s closet for one of my shirts recently, I opened “the drawer”. Not “a” drawer. It was “the” drawer. After a pause, the realization of what I was seeing hit square. I’ll bet nearly everyone reading this has one of these drawers as well. Folded up inside the drawer, or wadded up to be truthful, were pants, jerseys, sweat bands, belts, 8 ½ inch long shin guards, mouth guards small enough to fit a puppet, socks and more representing the game gear from a career in kid’s sports.

How is it possible that my oldest son has played his last game? All the 8:00 am Saturday soccer games, the nights at the Little League fields, spring afternoons in the batting cage, the weekday fall afternoons watching football practice and then finally those indescribably wonderful Friday nights under the lights in all those stadiums in all those places. Poof-over! Only the intramural fields await but I won’t see any of those contests, not without causing nearly irreparable embarrassment anyway.

Obviously this is a moment that is typically reserved for the parent of a senior, or at least a senior that isn’t moving on to the next level of organized athletics. But most of us are having our own little moments like this right about now. While I watched it all wind down last Friday night in that cold stadium in San Marcos, I struggled hard to put a period on the sentence. Can you be ready for that moment? Those were hard yards…

I stood there silently with all of the other dads, moms, grandparents and friends surrounded by my own emotions and a teary wife. Mentally it felt like being yanked out of that stage of my life into the next (with this kid anyway). I watched him kneeling down on the goal line watching the other team's celebration and wondered what he was thinking. Did he realize that he would probably never again experience the feeling of “team and camaraderie” in quite the same way? Did he recognize that he had shared an experience and a journey that he will always remember with some guys with whom he will remain life-long friends and some with whom he will lose touch? He’ll remember them all and that includes the coaches. It’s a different memory than the one about the guy who sat next to you in biology.

From running up and down a soccer field at the age of 6, right arm thrust in the air shouting encouragement to teammates while staying as far away from the ball as one can and still be in-bounds to the first year of pads and getting into a three point stance that looked like something from a Three Stooges episode to locking up in the biggest game of his life with a defensive lineman with a weight and height advantage and probably a future of playing on Saturdays…these are the images that will be etched in this parent’s memory.

There are people to thank and I’ll leave some out but not mean to do so. You fill in the blanks with your own list as you look into your drawer. Thanks to all the dads who coached him early and gave positive encouragement and constructive criticism. Thanks to the moms who cheered from the camp chairs on the sideline and who car-pooled to practice and who went to Vivroux for the umpteenth time for another batting glove or mouth guard. Wait a minute; come to think of it Vivroux should probably thank me. There was enough merchandise in that one drawer to cover their rent for a month! Thanks to the trainers and docs for keeping him patched up especially for that all-important senior year. Thanks to all the parents and grandparents and other dads for the camaraderie. These are kindred spirits brought together for an experience that is naturally shared from the inside out. To all those people who were sick of the football parents who could seemingly talk about nothing else for four years, thanks for your understanding. It will ease off now we promise. Thanks to the boys for all of the time and effort spent making themselves the best players they could be and for the priceless memories. Yes it sometimes was a hassle to tell us about every syllable that was uttered by the coaches at halftime and after the game. We’re not sorry. It was as close as we could come to a do-over. And finally, thanks to the coaches at the junior high and high school. When we hand off to you, you play a vital role. In my very ordinary high school sports career I had a few good coaches and a few that were dreadful. I remember each of them. I personally am grateful, and I know others are as well, for the experience, skills, values, lessons and confidence that this Mules coaching staff imparted to our kids from junior high on up.

If you haven’t done so yet, approach “the drawer” with caution. Do it because you have to eventually cross over. But give yourself a few minutes and reflect on the importance of the moment. Don’t just open it and shut it like you would the one just above it. Remember the hours in the backyard tossing the football or baseball, tackling the guys in the hallway in their pajamas before bed, hauling the juice boxes and donuts on your snack day, painting their helmets, throwing batting practice, car-pooling to practice, playing H-O-R-S-E, and all the rest. Then close the drawer. Maybe you can use the stuff for the younger brother. If this is truly the end of it, I hope you soaked up every minute of this year and stored the memory in its own special place. I did.

 

A final thought from the Mule Fan…

On behalf of our underpaid editorial staff we want to thank you for your continued support.  Without your subscription, management would not be able to continue drip-feeding us our meager wages.  When we hear the coins drop into the can outside our offices, we leap to it faster than the tongue of a Komodo lizard.  We’re just days away from beginning our now familiar negotiating dance with these senior management dorks who think they know something about this business.  We’ll get through it.  They already missed the renewal date on the contracts of all of the writers.  One staff writer has decided he is going into sheet metal fabrication; another is finally going to pursue being a shepherd, yet another is putting his mobile harpsichord tuning service truck back on its route and yours truly is currently knitting curtains for all of the press boxes in south Texas to support us over the long winter.  Our future with the publication is, as usual, up for grabs.  We’ll see.  Stay tuned. 

Meanwhile, from our emaciated Mule Fan family to yours, we wish you all the best for a happy and healthy holiday season.  Thanks for a fun year and….. 

GO MULES!!!

Bob Cohen

Calallen 13, Alamo Heights 31 November 29, 2013

Mules Kick Over Litter Box on Callallen Cats in 31-13 Victory at Victoria

-       Mules proceed to State Quarterfinals against Port Lavaca Calhoun

-       First trip to State Quarters since 2009

(Victoria, Texas)—Now we can say it.  When your team is playing in December, it has gone, what many consider, “deep” into the playoffs.  As is always the case, the collective feeling from Mule Nation and the community now is; “MORE.”

            The Mules settled their account with Corpus Christi Calallen on Friday in Victoria’s Memorial Stadium 31-13 before an impressive road crowd of turkey-weary fans and tightened down another trip to the 4A Division II State Quarterfinals this Saturday against the Port Lavaca Calhoun Sandcrabs. The Mules decisively dismantled a Wildcats team that came into the game undefeated and averaging 50 points per game and held them to seven points.  A withering defense, which forced four turnovers including one for points, was carefully mixed with a dominating Alamo Heights offense and left the Mules cleaning their swords in preparation for a joyous trip home and looking forward to another week of serious business.

All photos courtesy of Mary Candee
http://dulcedesigns.photoreflect.com

            The Mules were ornery from the beginning.  We at the Mule Fan surmise it began with Coach Norment not allowing the busses to stop at the outlet malls on the way up IH-35 to let the boys out for a little Black Friday shopping.  Just as the guys were settling back down after that idea was rejected, the busses turned south in front of Bucee’s, which of course was jammed with Black Friday shoppers.  This was cruel.  (Editors Note:  To those readers from other parts of the country unfamiliar with this retail brand, there are some who call Bucee’s a big convenience store.  Well, to call Bucee’s a convenience store is the mother of all understatements.  Bucee’s is to convenience stores what DFW Airport is to Kitty Hawk.  Where else in the free world can you get a scorpion encased in Lucite, 12 inch pecan logs, a horseshoe shaped pencil sharpener and 36 flavors of non-dairy creamer including the elusive “asphalt ripple mocha” while gazing at 120 active gas pumps??)  When Coach Norment teased the fellas by turning past this shopping oasis, tempers were white-hot. The Mule Fan believes this was all by design. 

            Alamo Heights jumped to the lead early and only shared it for a few minutes late in the first quarter and then straitjacketed Calallen over three quarters en route to the win.  The Mules defensive line forced the agenda making sure that accomplished quarterback Derek Scheible did not have a heavy hand in the game.  Scheible struggled to reach 53 yards rushing, not familiar territory for him, being forced out of his comfort zone often to attempt to find receivers.  His passing wasn’t enough to overcompensate for a rushing offense virtually stopped cold, as he was 10 for 23 and 98 yards and two interceptions.

The Mules scored on their opening drive when Byron Proctor peeled off 34 yards on an amazing left side run with Calallen holding desperately onto his jersey at one point to put the Mules up 7-0.  It was Proctor’s first of three rushing touchdowns and 34 of his 110 yards on 15 carries.  He was touched on neither of the next two.

Mary Candee Snaps 'em

Calallen replied on the next drive with their only meaningful points of the night as running back Chris Price scored on an off tackle run from the two.  With the score tied at seven, the Mules started the next drive on their own 39 and took seven plays to reclaim the lead for good.  The key play on the drive was a 19 yard pass play from Dalton Banks to Scotty Uhl to get the ball to the Wildcats 31 yard line.  A few plays later, Proctor burst up the middle through a large opening in the line for 19 yards and the Mules second touchdown.

On the first play from scrimmage following the Mules kickoff, Calallen set up shop on their own 33.  Running back Chris Price took a handoff to start off tackle on the right side.  Sophomore tackle Stone Tarver came around Price from behind and knocked the ball loose resulting in what they call in baseball a nice “Sunday hop” and into the warm and loving arms of safety Adam Luna who had come in for an injured Cameron Dawley.  Luna recognized instantly that the color in front of him was a relatively uninterrupted stretch of green and thanks to a sinus-clearing block from the ubiquitous Ben McSween, darted the distance untouched for the Mules third score of the half.

Scotty Uhl demonstrating "ball security." This will come in handy
someday when he is actively involved in late night feedings.

In the second quarter, the Mules stuck one more pin through the Calallen voodoo doll, putting together an eight play drive with Proctor scoring from seven yards out with 2:17 left in the half.  The feature play on the drive was a 36 yard over the shoulder catch by Scotty Uhl on a Banks pass which took the Mules to the Wildcat’s 35 yard line.  With one more short possession in the second quarter, Calallen tried to narrow the gap but were turned away on the last play when safety Adam Luna was able to get another scalp picking off a Hail Mary pass from Scheible as the first half ran out.  The Mules went to the halftime locker room up 28-7.

The Mules completely smothered Calallen in the second half while tacking on one additional score from the leg of kicker Robert Carter who connected on a 32 yard field goal with 1:40 in the third. Alamo Heights’ defense was impenetrable with three enormous defensive stands that helped crystallize the victory.  In all, the defense was responsible for two fumble recoveries including one returned for a touchdown and two interceptions on the night. 

The Mules now take on the Port Lavaca Calhoun Sandcrabs (12-1) in Texas State’s Bobcat Stadium, right off IH-35 in San Marcos, on Saturday December 7^th at 1:00 p.m.  Calhoun upset Cedar Park on Friday in the very same location by a score of 28-27.

“His Inside Voice” 

A weekly discussion with Coach Mike Norment

Mule Fan:  The Mules beat a Calallen team that was previously unbeaten and you held them to less than half of what they had been producing in total offense.  What were you able to do in this big win that others had not up until that point?

Coach Norment:  We played a complete game.  Offense put pressure on them.  We were able to score and get ahead and that always puts pressure on a team if they’re always behind.  They hadn’t played from behind a whole lot this year.  Then our defense probably played one of their best games of the year.  They did a great job of hustling besides that first drive where they allowed them to score.  After that they were able to shut them down.  Also they had two goal line stands and stopped them on fourth down several times. And that was a good team, a well-coached team.  What you want is to be peaking towards the end of the year.  Hopefully this was not our best game.  We’re starting to bring it all together.  We’re starting to get a little healthier and we’re playing really well right now.

Mule Fan:  You mentioned that they had not been behind much during the year. We wondered if they had been behind at all! Suddenly they were behind a bunch. We know you have a lot of respect for their coach but do you think that got to them a little bit?

Coach Norment:  Well I think they really thought they were in the game.  They pinned us on the one yard line and we were able to come out and get a couple of first downs and change the field position.  I think that really got their attention.  I think also when it was third and what, 27, and we were able to convert on a long third down play, I think that took a lot of wind out of their sails.  They were a big play team on offense.  They had some drives but we didn’t give up the big play and I think that was key to our success.

Mule Fan:  The run was a good option for Dalton Banks.  It was the fewest pass attempts he’s had all year.  What was he seeing in coverages that made the run work better on Friday?

Coach Norment:  Early on they were giving us five in the box (Editor’s Note:  This is not a reference to a menu item at Church’s.) and that usually tells us that we think we can try and run the ball and that’s what we did.  And then when we got up 31-7 our whole mindset changed as well.  We just decided we were going to try to bleed the clock and not do anything to give them a chance to get back in the game such as sacks and interceptions.  So that’s one reason why we didn’t throw the ball as much as we have in the past.  If it would have been a closer game we probably would have thrown the ball some more.  But we’re a team that will take what the defense gives us and that’s what they were giving us.

Mule Fan:  The defensive line pressured their quarterback all night long.  You took a tem averaging 50 points and held them to 13. Where does the credit go for that?

Coach Norment:  It goes to the kids and the coaching staff.  The defensive coaches did a great job of coming with a great game plan and the kids went out and executed and flew around so once again it was a team effort.

Photos courtesy of Mary Candee-
http://dulcedesigns.photoreflect.com

Mule Fan:  So Port Lavaca is next. They go into San Marcos last Saturday and beat last year’s defending state champions.  How did they do it?

Coach Norment:  They got after them.  They won their three playoff games by less than a touchdown.  They were able to hang around, hang around, hang around and then somehow at the end of the game they were able to make big plays and come out with a win.  They beat (Corpus Christi) Flour Bluff in overtime. They came from behind and scored to beat Floresville. And then of course they scored late and went for a two point conversion to go ahead (against Cedar Park).  And then they were able to come up with a goal line stand of their own to deny Cedar Park any chance to score at the end of the game.  They’re guys who hang around and find a way to win at the very end.

Mule Fan:  Calallen hung 48 points in a shutout against Port Lavaca in September.  You swap four films with your opponent in these playoff rounds.  Is it safe to assume that that game will be one of them since Calallen is fresh in your mind?

Coach Norment:  Well Calallen really didn’t do a lot that we do offensively so that’s not one of the games that we chose.  We chose the last four games they’ve played.  The Calallen game was early in the year and sometimes you have to look at those early games and take them with a grain of salt.  Obviously they’ve gotten better.  We know that Calallen got after them but they’re also a district rival that get’s after it and that’s like somebody taking our film with Tivy.  That was early in the year and for example Port Lavaca didn’t ask for Tivy even though they beat us.  So that’s just one of those things.  When you start doing the numbers game and say Calallen beat them by a bunch of points, Tivy beat us, Cedar Park beat Tivy and they beat Cedar Park; you just have to throw out some of these comparisons and realize that both teams are very well coached and they’re both good.

Mule Fan:  Again you face a run offense in Port Lavaca although it is more of a run option offense with three strong running backs.  What does your defense have to watch on Saturday?

Coach Norment:  They’ll have to be real disciplined because any time you’re running against an option team, you have to be disciplined and stay and do your assignment.  Because if you take the wrong person then somebody can be untouched on the pitch or something like that.  I feel very confident in the defensive coaches.  We spent the last couple of days watching a lot of film and coming up with a plan. They’re going to teach the kids.  We’ve got a whole week to get ready for them.  I have the ultimate confidence in the defense and the defensive coaches to come up with a great game plan to slow them down.  You can’t really stop them but you can slow them down.

Mule Fan: What were the strengths defensively that you observed in Port Lavaca on Saturday that your offense will have to face?

Coach Norment:  They’re big upfront and give you a bunch of different looks.  They will give up some points but they are also opportunistic in the fact that if you don’t do your assignment, they’ll get a sack or they’ll get an interception or a turnover.  Possessions are also going to be important because they do run an offense that can keep the ball away from you for a lot of time.  We can’t afford to be doing a lot of punting or turning the ball over to them.

Mule Fan: The Mules haven’t been this far in a few years.  How do you put this in perspective for the kids? Do you want them to realize the size of the moment?  What’s your approach to this with them?

Coach Norment:  Well you can’t say it isn’t a big game because everybody knows that it is.  There’s excitement in the community.  Everybody’s talking about it and everything like that.  But at the same time, you can’t worry about it like well if we win this game we’re in the semifinals.  If you take that attitude, you’re going to end up losing and not making it there.  So just like any other game, we have to have great practices. I want them to be excited and intense.  But at the same time you can’t be too excited.  I want the same intensity that we had against Calallen, that we had against Clemens, that we had against Vanergrift, that we had against Boerne.  You can sort of see it.  They’re not jumping around but you can tell they’re serious and that’s what we need to have. 

Port Lavaca Calhoun Notes:  The Sandcrabs toil in District 30-4A and finished second behind Calallen this season with a 5-1 record…they lost a September meeting to Calallen 48-0…they average 46.4 points per game and give up an average of 25.6 ppg…most passes attempted in a game this season was seven and most completed was six…Sandcrabs average 452.5 yards rushing per game and 46.7 yards passing…Three Calhoun running backs have over 1,000 yards rushing this season.  Hunter Boerm averages 123 yards per game and 8.07 yards per carry with 14 touchdowns, Jakorious Williams averages 158.6 yards per game and 9.42 yards per carry with 28 touchdowns, and Brandon Smithwick averages 85.4 yards per game and 14 yards per carry…In the last three years, Port Lavaca has a 33-3 record.

Other Region IV Result

Port Lavaca Calhoun 28, Cedar Park 27 at San Marcos Texas State University

Remaining 4A-Division II Matchups

Region 1:  Aledo (13-0) vs. Wichita Falls (8-5) 7:30pm Friday at Justin Northwest

Region 2:  Ennis (13-0) vs. Mesquite Poteet (12-1) 7:30pm Friday at Allen

Region 3:  Richmond George Ranch (13-0) vs. Brenham (12-1) 1:00pm Saturday at Tully Stadium

Region 4:  Port Lavaca Calhoun (12-1) vs. Alamo Heights (10-3) 1:00pm at San Marcos Texas State University

Next bracket:  Region 4 plays Region 3; Region 2 plays Region 1

Playoff Brackets

http://www.uiltexas.org/football/playoff-brackets/4AD2

Ticket Information:

The Alamo Heights athletic office will be selling tickets in advance this week beginning Wednesday.  Prices are $8 for adults and $5 for students two years and over. Prices will be a flat $10 at the gate.  There will be a charge for parking this week of $5.  Mule fans will sit on the east side of Bobcat Stadium.  Ticket office hours this week are Wednesday and Thursday 8:30am-noon and 1:30pm-3:00pm. and Friday 8:30pm-4:00pm in the athletic office.  On Friday, you can buy tickets from Patty Juarez at the Muledome from 4:30pm-7:00pm where she will be vending while Gene Philips’ girl’s hoopsters are playing.

 

Playoff Broadcast Information/Note new Streaming Information

This Saturday’s game broadcast will be on KKYX-AM 680 and 104.9 FM.  Dave Parker has informed the Mule Fan that the traditional web stream will not be available this week due to preemptive rights from the UIL.  However, you can hear the live stream on www.kkyx.com and also listen on the iHeart Radio app.  Don’t panic. No big deal.  This week it will be Ed Suarez and Dave Parker bringing you all the action.  Airtime will be about a half hour before game time.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Who’s the Hammiest of them All?

‘Tis the defensive line this week folks.  Now these are big lads and we’ve been informed that the bumbling oafs in management are “preserving cash” (presumably to pay themselves a Christmas bonus while our writing staff keeps this operation held together with clothespins and velcro) so they will not get full sized canned hams but rather canned hamlets.  Juan Alvarez, Ben McSween, Stone Tarver, Ronnie Rogers, Rocky Tips and Micah Dennis will be able to swallow these morsels whole and lick their fingers clean before Saturday.  Congrats to the defensive line for monstering up against Calallen.

Lost and Found

As a service to the community, the Mule Fan occasionally posts lost and found notices.  It is especially important when a Mule Fan staffer has lost something or a child is left at the stadium.  If anyone picked up the canvas back (navy blue version-vintage) off of one of those folding stadium chairs, please let us know here at the Mule Fan World Headquarters.  That pesky little thing slips off and when Mule Fan Mommy went carrying it down out of the stands, it slipped off.  You may well ask why Mule Fan Daddy didn’t carry his own dang chair.  Well he did but he also had to carry the typewriter, the printing press, a mimeograph machine and his trusty 50 watt generator plus 36 different colored markers and he just couldn’t carry hers alright??  When we went back to look for it amongst peanut bags and plastic bottles, somebody had apparently souvenired it.  There is no reward offered and no possibility of a ransom.  Just our warmest personal regards.  Thank you.

 Go Mules!!!  Keep it rolling boys!  Beat Port Lavaca!!!!!

Alamo Heights 24, Austin Vandergrift 21 November 21, 2013

Mules Defang Vandergrift’s Vipers 24-21 at Alamodome and Move On

        -Thanksgiving week preparation underway for the Calallen Wildcats

            -Friday November 29th, 7:30pm in Victoria, Texas Memorial Stadium

(San Antonio)—We like playing in that joint.  The Mules continued their string of successes in the Alamodome by locking down a dramatic 24-21 victory on Thursday over the Vandergrift Vipers to move on to the third round of the playoffs. It is comforting to know that there are defibrillators mounted all over the place because Alamo Heights has had some hair raising games there that cause the heart to flutter.  Count Thursday night’s win over the Vipers in that list as the Mules gutted out a clutch late fourth quarter drive to take a not-so-decisive lead in the game and then rolled skid marks on the Vipers with a breathtaking defensive stop as Vandergrift tried to snatch it back with the clock winking down to the final moments.

Common football knowledge subscribes to the coaching axiom that in a loss or a win one shouldn’t really pin the blame or praise on just one or two plays.  And with Thursday’s game that may resonate more than in other games. Thursday was a rock ‘em, sock ‘em thrill ride of a football game with twists and turns that would make anyone woozy.  There were more big plays than in the New York theater district.  But a few select dandies cut to the front of the line.

All photos have are courtesy of the inestimable Mary Candee-
http://dulcedesigns.photoreflect.com/

Mitchell Abramson Interception
Photo courtesy of Mary

Where do we start?  Wait I know.  Let’s look at the margin of victory and take a glance at a 37 yard Vandergrift field goal attempt with seconds left in the second quarter.  At the end of a grinding Vandergrift drive, highlighted by a 35 yard pass and catch to Viper running back Christian Reyes that made it to the Mules’ 20, the Vipers elected to collect at the pay station with a field goal before the end of the half and try to cut the Mules lead to seven.  Heavy pressure through the middle overpowered the Viper wall and sophomore defensive lineman Stone Tarver got his belly on the kick just after liftoff to keep the Mules’ 10 point first half lead preserved for the break.  Let’s see, two plus one carry the four to the fourth power times the square root of pecan pie equals…..Yep got it.  Three points.  Checking the final score….yes-we can conclude this play can be filed under “HUGE.”   

Photos courtesy of Mary Candee
http://dulcedesigns.photoreflect.com

By the way, this all came one series after the Mules turned away another threat on their end zone and then were stopped on their own drive.  From the Mules 10 yard line, Viper QB threw a fade route to lengthy Viper receiver Luke Peterman in the front corner of the end zone but into a Mules double team of Mitchell Abramson and Cameron Dawley.  Abramson darted in front of the pass to notch the first of two key Alamo Heights interceptions.  Abramson’s stopped a touchdown.

Next hot play? Well, let’s examine a little series of them.  Was it just the Mule Fan’s editorial staff high vantage point in the Alamodome press box or did quarterback Dalton Banks’ passes on Thursday look like something out of Star Wars?? His leading target was Christian “Edward Stickumhands” Lalinde who made catch after catch of bullets that looked as if they would tear Lalinde’s arms out of socket.  On an impressive mid-second quarter drive, the Mules moved the chains racking up one first down after another with Lalinde gathering a big second and 16 pass followed by clutch catches by Scotty Uhl and Jake Osborne along with some great runs by Byron Proctor en route to a seven yard touchdown run by Proctor.  In all, the drive went 74 yards and put the Mules up 17-7.

For the night Banks and Lalinde hooked up eight times for 116 yards. Banks finished the night 22 for 37 and 255 yards and two interceptions.  Banks’ other battery mate was Jake Osborne who had an electric game and hauled in eight passes for 93 yards, many of which had vapor trails coming off of them and a couple which needed some acrobatics and shortstop instincts to collect.

Yes.  Here it is.  We haven’t forgotten and saved the best for last.  Let’s set it up. Following a fourth quarter interception of a Dalton Banks pass and return of 87 yards by Viper senior defensive back Max Regan and an apparent touchdown, the Vipers were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and forced to take it back out to the Mules’ 19 yard line.  They managed a 19 yard scoring drive and in the end scored anyway with a one yard quarterback keeper but paid full retail for it as it took an extra four minutes out of their account. Who knows right?

Still the Vipers had scored 14 unanswered points to take a 21-17 lead.  

The Mules got the ball back with 5:05 on the clock and pounded it down the field 70 yards in 11 plays concluding the drive with a 15 yard run by Byron Proctor who quickly found the edge on the left side, where Mules’ receiver Scotty Uhl made a terrific block on the only Viper defensive back who had a shot at stopping Proctor, allowing number 22 to stroll into the end zone and put the Mules back up 23-21.  Carter’s PAT extended the lead to three. But there was just under two minutes left on the clock.   Following Proctor’s go-ahead TD scamper and Robert Carter’s PAT, which may have come even too quickly leaving adequate time on the clock, the Mules kick off team finished the return off at the 27 yard line.  On the first play of the Viper’s apparent final desperate drive, Viper’s QB Jamie Hudson steamed a pass to a downfield crossing receiver who was apparently open to everyone in the building until linebacker Jay Hargrove laid out every inch of his frame and intercepted the pass leaving Vandergrift with two timeouts and faint hope.

The Mules offense welcomed back Byron Proctor who dashed for 175 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns.  He and running mate Brandon Wasson did the one-two on the Vipers and kept them honest which opened up the passing game.  Wasson contributed nine carries for 37 yards and a TD and also made a huge stop while putting in some defensive time.  And in the last moments of the game with a lot on the line, Wasson had to get off the field again to do his vomiting routine, which we have come to love.  Although this time, he waited until he was comfortably hunched over on the Mules sideline.  We’ve taken a poll among the Mule Fan staff.  And it is our considered opinion that when Brandon Wasson blows chow, we all win. However, AH athletic director Gene Phillips might not agree as he was seen negotiating with Dome staff after the game to try to keep from having to cough up (sorry) the school’s security deposit.  We know that it wasn’t a team chili cheese dog lunch that Wasson could blame this time so we’ll figure it was a hairball. 

Defensively the Mules held Vandergrift to 19 first downs to their 27 along with only 138 yards passing and held big receiver Luke Peterman to four catches and only 55 yards. The Mules (9-3) never punted and piled up 446 yards of total offense in the win.

Everywhere you turned there were big plays. We deployed Mule Fan reporters to monitor the “we want our money back” window at the Alamodome at the end of the game and nobody showed up.  It was good value for money if you were just a casual fan.  But if you are like most readers of this cyber fish wrap, then you were wrung out after it was over.  What a show!

And so we get to enjoy Mules high school football on Thanksgiving week, which is a delicacy your humble scribe has sampled a few times before and can put hand on heart and say it DEEELICIOUS.  Let’s gather up all the family and friends, go buy some tickets from Patty Juarez and show them a hard working and exciting football team, make them scream their heads off for the guys who still have to sit at the kid table and keep this train rolling down the track.

Calallen Wildcat Notes:  The Cats come in undefeated with an 11-0 record…Playoff wins so far for Calallen include a 49-6 first round win over Medina Valley and a 42-0 pounding of Alice last Friday night…The last meeting between Calallen and Alamo Heights was also Thanksgiving weekend November 26, 2010 at Harry B. Orem stadium where the Wildcats ended the Mules season 27-20…Calallen averages 50.3 points per game and gives up only 8.25 points per game…This will be the second consecutive week where the Mules will face a dual-threat quarteback in Calallen’s Derek (“I Pledge Allegiance to the Band”) Scheible.  He is definitely the meal ticket for the Cats but defaults to the run...Scheible rolled out 160 yards rushing last week in the win over Alice in 13 carries and three rushing scores. Year to date he's totaled 900 yards rushing and averages 6.62 yards per carry.  Passing has been limited to 12 attempts per game. Scheible also averages 43.5 yards per kick as the team punter.  (The Mule Fan is chasing down the rumor that he is entering the city's mayoral race in the spring)…Calallen's leading tackler is Kade Young with 133 and 24 solos.

Last Week’s Division II Region IV-4A Playoff Results

Cedar Park 43, Kerrville Tivy 21

Port Lavaca Calhoun 27, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff 21

Corpus Christi Calallen 42, Alice 0

Alamo Heights 24, Austin Vandergrift 21

This Week’s Other Regional Finals Matchup

Cedar Park (11-1) vs. Port Lavaca Calhoun (11-1) at Texas State Bobcat Stadium Saturday 2:00 pm

Playoff Ticket Information

Straight from Patty “The Mule Whisperer” Juarez:  Tickets are on sale from Monday through Wednesday from 9:00am-12:00p.m. and 1:00pm-5:00pm at the Alamo Heights Athletic office. Tickets will be $8 at the gate for adults/students/butcher/baker/candlestick maker/ambassador to Paraguay. Advance purchase prices are $8 for adults (Not a typo-no discount for you! We haggled for the customary dollar off but they must be made of stronger stuff down there.) and $4 for “students” age 2 through 12^th grade.  Editor’s Note:  There are possibilities where this little qualifier from enemy territory could cause a little confusion.  As an example, if you happen to have a 6 year old who is in his or her freshman year in college, then you’ll just have to work out your deal at the stadium.)

Parking and Location

Parking at the stadium is value priced at $2 per car.  The stadium address (for easy GPS use) is 3001 Miori Lane, Victoria, Texas 77902.  If you show up at the Calallen Stadium in Corpus Christi you’re going to be upset with yourself or whoever was in charge of reading this carefully.

Busses (Time Sensitive)

Arrangements have been made for some bus transportation to Victoria.  Anyone who wants to book a seat has until 10:00am on Tuesday morning November 26 to bring the cold, hard cash to the Alamo Heights athletic office.  It’ll cost you $20 per person to ride in luxurious upholstered seating.  The Athletic Office is open at 9:00am but Patty J. thinks she’ll be there even earlier.  Busses will depart from out in front of the big blue AH band truck and athletic office right after team sendoff on Friday at 2:30 p.m.  So figure wheels up around 2:45p.m.

Link to Playoff Brackets

Division II 4A UIL Playoff Brackets

“His Inside Voice” 

A weekly discussion with Coach Mike Norment

Mule Fan:  Coach the Vandergrift win was a night of big plays.  We know you were proud of your guys on a lot of levels. But how about their ability to put their heads down and go get it done when they had to?

Coach Norment:  Vandergrift had gotten a turnover and basically went down and scored and we were behind.  So we had to go down and score.  We went 70 yards and put a score up and then the defense had to get a stop and got the interception and we were able to run out the clock.  So that was huge.   We won the game but it was how we won the game that was big for the program.

Mule Fan:  When you got the ball back with 5:05 left in the game and you knew you had to make the long march down the field to go ahead you gathered the offense up around you like you always do.  What did you say this time?

Coach Norment:  We said we just have to get a score right now.  We reminded them to protect the football.  We didn’t say anything really special because everybody knew what was going to be required and knew we were going to have to go down and score a touchdown.

Mule Fan:  How big of a lift was it to get the blocked field goal just before the first half ended?

Coach Norment:  That was huge.  We had messed up and didn’t get a score like we should have at the end of the half.  That would have been huge but then the defense came in and slowed them up and they got one big play but they had to use one timeout and had to kick a field goal.  We almost got another one on a point after on the touchdown earlier.  They were thinking they were going to get some momentum and they didn’t go in with any momentum. And that was huge especially since they were going to get the football to start the second half.  So that was a huge play.

Mule Fan:  The passing game seemed to be really clicking on Thursday.  Banks was throwing hard and guys were getting open in space and moving the ball around.  Was there anything about their secondary that gave you that indication you were going to have that success?

Coach Norment:  We feel confident that we go into every game and take what the defense gives us.  They took away our outside receivers and opened up the middle so that’s the reason why Christian Lalinde and Jake Osborne had big games because they were fighting over top so much to help out on the outside receivers.  We didn’t know exactly what they were going to do but we had some ideas so Dalton was able to find some receivers.  We put some wrinkles on just like we do every week and those wrinkles worked out well for us.

Mule Fan:  After you scored to go ahead at the end, it left the Vipers with some time.  Was there anything special about how you had planned to defend their last drive or did Jay Hargrove just make a play on that interception?

Coach Norment:  He made a great play.  Now we figured they were not going to be able to run the ball as much as they were going to have to throw. But we had to also make sure that they didn’t run a draw like they did earlier and sneak some yards up there because all they needed was a field goal to tie it.  But the defense just played good realizing what they needed to do with the time constraints that they had.  But it helps us out also knowing what they can and can’t do in that situation.

Mule Fan:  Calallen is a familiar opponent for Alamo Heights and even perhaps a rivalry because Heights has had some very big games against them.  They come in undefeated at 11-0 having rolled up a lot of points in the process.  What have you seen that has allowed to total up that kind of point production.

Coach Norment:  They’re well coached year in and year out.  Their coach, Phil Danaher just won his 400^th game. There’s only one other coach in the history of high school football that’s done that before in Texas and that guy’s name is G.A. Moore so he’s in elite company.  So what they have is a very explosive offense.  They have a quarterback that can make you pay and he can also distribute the ball by throwing and hands off to the running back.  So they’re very explosive on offense. Then they’re very well coached and fly to the football on defense so they give the ball back to their offense and get a lot of turnovers so that’s the reason why they’re able to put the points on because they’re well coached in all facets of the game.

Mule Fan:  Statistically, it appears the Calallen quarterback is similar to the one we faced with Vandergrift.  He is also among their leading rushers and the offense centers around him.  What did you observe?

Coach Norment:  Yes, he’s going to hurt you more times than not with his feet instead of his arm. But he can throw it to make you pay once you start coming up and trying to stop the run.  That’s what makes him very dangerous.

Mule Fan:  What has to happen this week against their defense to repeat the kind of offensive performance you got last Thursday night in the Alamodome?

Coach Norment:  Boy, I don’t know. We were throwing the ball around really well.  They’re very similar.  They run a 3-4 defense just like Vandergrift.  They’re not real big but they fly to the football much like Vandergrift.  They probably won’t blitz as much at least from what we’ve seen so far.  But they will move around and are very athletic on defense.  So we’re going to have to stay on our blocks and make sure we give Dalton some protection.  They’re going to jam our receivers and we’re going to have to get off that.

ALERT!!!!  RADIO BROADCAST CHANGED AGAIN FOR THIS WEEK

The Mules road game will be beamed back to San Antonio via a complex array of cabling and electronic and digital modulation at 36,000 megacycles via a 10 kilowatt back haul line.  What does that mean? If you are not going to be able to make the trip to Victoria, listen to the game on KLUP-AM 930 or www.TSRNsports.com.  Ed Suarez, Dave Parker and Albert Gonzalez will call the action.  Pre game programming begins at 7:00p.m. (The change is due to a conflict with UTSA Roadrunner basketball.)

Porksgiving

You’d think we’d give Porky the week off since it is Thanksgiving after all.  But no such luck.  As you may know, when the Mayflower arrived at Plymouth Rock, it was loaded with pigrims. So it is business as usual and we’ve got two of the canned trophies to award this week.  This week’s Canned Hams go to tight end Christian Lalinde and linebacker Jay Hargrove for extraordinary efforts in the Mules playoff win.  As you read above, Lalinde led all receivers with eight receptions for 116 yards including some clutch first down conversions on scoring drives.  And Hargrove effectively ended any hopes of Vandergrift last second heroics with a breathtaking interception with under two minutes to play.

Thanksgiving Poetry

There once was a Mule Fan named Craig,

Who with Thanksgiving turkey typically went for a leg

But Friday in Victoria was where he was at

Thus deciding he would switch over to feast on cat.

The Mule Fan is thankful for Mary Candee for all the great photos throughout the year.  Without Mary, we would have to draw all these by hand.  Our earlier drafts of stick figures catching passes just don't get it done.  Thanks again to http://dulcedesigns.photoreflect.com/.

Happy Thanksgiving from the Mule Fan!  Thanks for paying the subscription.


  Go Mules!!!! GO MULES!!!! Go Mules!!!!