The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity football team dropped a heartbreaker on Friday to the Muleshoe Mules, 55-51.
With the loss, the Wildcats fall to 5-3 overall, 1-1 in district play.
The Mules got the ball to begin the game, as Davian Sital was tackled at his own 23-yard line by senior kicker, Adam MacDonald. The Mules offense came on to the field for their first possession and after Sital was stuffed for no gain on first down, quarterback, Nathan Martens called his own number on the next play, taking the ball up the middle to their 36-yard line to give them a fresh set of downs.
Martens hit Mauricio Herrera on a short pass to his right to make it second and five, and on the next play, Martens connected with Herrera for a 59-yard touchdown pass with 10:27 to play in the opening quarter. Herrera tossed it to Yahir Quezada on the reverse for the two-point conversion to make the score, 8-0.
Littlefield got a short return from senior, Gabriel Villanueva, as the Wildcat offense took the field for their first possession, at their own 34-yard line. Senior quarterback, Chip Green, missed junior, Zane Champion, on a screen pass on first down, but he swung it out to senior, Major McNeese on the left side on second down, as he picked up eight yards to make it third and two.
Green went back to Champion on third down, who took it up to the Mules 49-yard line to move the chains for the Wildcats, and three plays later, McNeese broke loose around the left side, taking it down the Littlefield sideline for a 42-yard touchdown run with 9:30 to play in the first quarter. The two-point conversion pass to senior, Eizeah Coleman, was no good, leaving Muleshoe in front, 8-6.
Muleshoe took over after a touchback at their own 25-yard line, as Herrera was blown up in the backfield for a five-yard loss on first down. Martens pass fell incomplete on second down, but on third and long, he connected with Herrera on a pass on the right side to move the chains for the Mules, moving the ball up to the 40-yard line.
Marten’s hit Herrera on first down, but the Mules were flagged for a holding penalty, backing them up to first and 18. Marten’s next two passes fell incomplete, but on third down, Martens kept it himself taking it around the right side to make it fourth and manageable. They elected to go for it on fourth down, as Martens dropped back and hit Quezada for a 58-yard touchdown pass with 7:49 to play in the quarter. The PAT by Herrera was good, pushing their lead to, 15-6.
Muleshoe’s kick-off rolled out of bounds, giving Littlefield the ball on their own 44-yard line. The Wildcats were faced with a fourth and one, as senior, Ian Mendez, took a carry up the middle to the Mules 47-yard line to move the chains for Littlefield. Green called his own number on first down, picking up four yards and Mendez carried the ball to the Mules 30yard line on second down to move the chains again for Littlefield.
A combination of runs by Green and Mendez set the Wildcats up with first and goal from the sixyard line, as Mendez carried it up the gut for the touchdown with 5:45 to play in the quarter. The PAT by MacDonald was good, making the score, 15-12.
The Mules got a big return from Sital, as he returned the ball down to the Wildcat’s 26-yard line. However, just four plays into the drive, Muleshoe lined up to go for it on fourth and four, but Martens was picked off by sophomore, Jayden Barrio with just under five minutes to play in the quarter.
Littlefield took over at their own 17-yard line, using a combination of runs from Mendez and Green, moving the ball up to their own 33-yard line. Green hit Coleman on a slant on third down to move the sticks for Littlefield, taking the ball across midfield to the 40-yard line. The Wildcats went back to the ground game with Green and Mendez, as they moved the ball down to the 25-yard line to set up first and 10. Green would keep it on first down, taking it around the right side for a 25-yard touchdown run with 1:54 to play in the first quarter. The handoff on the twopoint conversion was fumbled by Villanueva, putting Littlefield in front, 19-15.
The Mules took over after the kick-off at their own 30-yard line, as their drive spanned into the second quarter. Two plays into the second frame, Herrera would punch it in for a four-yard touchdown run with 11:34 to play in the first half. His PAT was good, putting Muleshoe back in front, 2219.
Littlefield went three-and-out on their next possession, giving the Mules the ball on their own 38yard line, and the Mules wasted no time responding, as Sital broke loose on a run up the middle, taking it 62-yard to the house with 10:13 to play in the half. The PAT by Herrera was no good, leaving the score, 28-19.
Littlefield took over after a return by Champion and was able to take the ball down to the Mules’ 28-yard line, but on fourth and eight, Green’s pass fell incomplete looking for Coleman, as they turned it over on downs with 7:42 to play in the half.
Muleshoe took over at their own 28-yard line, as Sital and Martens carried the ball on the ground, taking it up to the 42-yard line. On second and seven, Martens hit Quezada on a pass to the right, taking the ball into Littlefield territory at the 32-yard line. The Mules went back to the ground with Sital, but he was stuffed for a loss of six yards.
Martens pass for Quezada fell incomplete on third down, and the Mules elected to go for it on fourth and 16, as Martens dropped back and hit Herrera on a pass to his right for a 38-yard touchdown with 4:28 to go in the first half. The PAT by Herrera was good, making the score, 35-19.
The Wildcats got a good return from senior, Bradyn Redman, starting their next drive at their own 46-yard line.
Green called his own number on first down, taking it across midfield to the Mules’ 37-yard line for a fresh set of downs. McNeese carried the ball on back-to-back downs for the Wildcats and an offsides penalty on the Mules on third down, moved the ball down to the 36-yard line to give the Wildcats a new set of downs.
Two plays later, a holding penalty would back the Wildcats up to second and 20 from the Mules 34-yard line, however on the next play, the Mules were called for pass interference, moving the ball down to the 15-yard line, giving Littlefield a first down. After Green missed Villanueva on first down, back-to-back runs by Mendez set the Wildcats up with second and goal from the three-yard line.
Green would punch it in on the short touchdown run with just under two-minutes to play in the half. The two-point conversion pass fell incomplete looking for Redman, leaving the score, 35-25. The score would stand going into the locker room at halftime.
Cooper Price covered a short kick- off by the Mules as the Littlefield offense took over at their own 44-yard line to start the second half. Green hit senior, Caden Reyes on a pass for two yards on first down, before a second-down run by Mendez moved the chains, taking it across midfield to the 44yard line. On first and 10, Green rolled out to his left taking it 44yards to the house for the touchdown with 11:23 to play in the third quarter. The PAT by MacDonald was good, trimming the lead to, 35-32.
A short kick by MacDonald was downed by Brayton Butler at their 33-yard line, as the Mules came out for their first offensive possession of the second half. The Mules capped off an 11-play 67yard drive with a nine-yard touchdown run by Martens with 6:53 to play in the third. The PAT by Herrera was no good, leaving the score, 41-32.
The Wildcats took over on offense at their own 28-yard line, as the Mules were called for a chop block on first down, taking it up to the Littlefield 46-yard line. The Wildcats used a combination of runs from Mendez and Green to march the ball down the field, as Green scored on a six-yard touchdown run to his left with 4:39 to play in the quarter. The PAT by MacDonald was no good, leaving the score, 41-38.
With 30 seconds to play in the half, the Mules answered on second and four, as Herrera took a sweep around the right side for a seven-yard score. The PAT was no good, leaving the score, 47-38.
After a Littlefield punt to start the fourth quarter, Martens broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown run and rushed for the two-point conversion with 10:59 to play in the game, stretching their lead to, 5538.
Littlefield would not go down without a fight, as they took over at midfield for their next drive. After going backwards on first and third down, the Wildcats went for it on fourth and long, as Green hit Champion on a pas to his right, taking it down to the Mules’ 39yard line to move the chains. Green went back to Champion again on first down, before calling his own number, taking it up the middle for a 24-yard touchdown run with 9:31 to play in the game. The PAT from MacDonald was good, trimming the lead to, 55-44.
The onside kick by Mendez was recovered by Champion at the Mules 49-yard line. The Wildcats marched the ball down the field, capping off the drive with a oneyard touchdown run by Green with 7:31 remaining, making the score, 55-51, after the failed two-point conversion try by Barrio.
The Mules recovered the kickoff, but on fourth and nine from the Littlefield 43-yard line, Martens’ pass fell incomplete looking for Ryan Dominguez for a turnover on downs with 2:42 remaining in the game.
Littlefield’s offense took over at their own 43-yard line. On third and nine, Green hit Redman with a pass to the right to move the chains, taking it down to the Mules 39-yard line. Back-to-back runs by Green moved the sticks again for the Wildcats and two runs by Mendez had the Wildcats facing fourth and one from the 20yard line, as they took a time out with 34 seconds to play in the game.
The Wildcats lined up to go for it on fourth down, but Green was sacked by Aaron Morales and Octavio Arias for a turnover on downs with 26 seconds to play in the game.
Muleshoe would take a knee to kill the clock, as Littlefield came up short in the War on 84, 55-51.
The Wildcats will host Idalou on Friday for senior night.
Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m.