The Littlefield Wildcats’ varsity football team won their annual War on 84 rivalry game over Muleshoe on Friday, 50-26, at Wildcat Stadium.
With the win, the Wildcats improve to 6-1 overall, 1-1 in district play.
The Mules got the ball to open the contest, taking over at their own 29-yard line after a short return from Josue Sigala.
Sigala kept it on first down, picking up four yards, before being brought down by Jacob Silvas. He would call his own number again on the next play, picking up three more yards to make it third and three from their own 36-yard line. Sigala would keep it again on third down, taking the ball up to the 40-yard line to move the chains for Muleshoe.
After a two-yard gain on first down by Sigala, Johnny Hernandez carried it for the Mules on second down, picking up two more yards, before he was brought down by AJ Cantu. Sigala would call his own number on three consecutive plays, capping off the drive with a 47-yard touchdown run with 6:35 to play in the opening quarter. The PAT from Ram Regalado was no good, leaving the Mules in front, 6-0.
A delay of game on the kick-off forced the Mules to kick-off from their own 35-yard line and a fair catch by Cooper Price gave Littlefield the ball on their own 42-yard line to begin their first offensive possession.
Blayton Soliz was stopped for no gain on first down and the Wildcats were flagged for a false start on the next play, backing them up to second and 15, as they looked to get the offense going. Sammy Saenz kept it on second down, picking up the penalty yardage to make it third and 10 for the Wildcats.
On third down, Zane Champion drew a defensive pass interference call on Regalado, moving the chains across midfield to the Mules’ 44-yard line. Soliz carried the ball on first down, but the Wildcats were flagged for a holding penalty, backing them up to, second and 14. Saenz connected with Jayden Barrio on a pass to the right, picking up 12 yards to make it third and manageable.
Soliz would pick up a yard on third down and Saenz would plunge ahead on fourth and one to move the chains once more for Littlefield, taking the ball down to the 25-yard line of Muleshoe. Saenz hit Barrio again on a pass to the right to move the sticks and on the next play, Soliz carried it up the middle to set up first and goal for the Wildcats from the fouryard line. Saenz would take it up the middle for the four-yard score, getting a push from his center, CJ Weaver. Barrio nailed the PAT to put the Wildcats in front, 7-6, with 4:16 to go in the first quarter.
Muleshoe took over at their own 32-yard line for their next possession, but after picking up a first down on a reverse by Noah Hernandez, the Mules would go three-and-out, punting the ball away with 1:46 to go in the first quarter.
Gabe Mata returned the ball up to their own 49-yard line, but the Wildcats were unable to capitalize on the good field position, as they went threeand- out, punting the ball away with one minute to go in the quarter.
Davian Sital took a sweep around the right side on first down, but he was stopped for no gain by Silvas. Sigala would take it up the middle to close out the quarter, picking up three yards on the play.
The Mules would open the second quarter with third and seven from their own 22 yard line, as Sigala completed a pass to Blayne Klafka to move the chains for the Mules. Johnny Hernandez carried the ball up the middle for seven yards and Sigala followed it up with another carry up the middle to move the chains for the Mules, taking it across midfield to the Littlefield 49-yard line.
A counter by Johnny Hernandez to the left side and back-to-back runs from Sigala, had the Mules set up with first and 10 from the Littlefield 37yard line, but three plays later, Sigala fumbled the handoff and it was recovered by Cantu, giving Littlefield possession at their own 48-yard line.
Saenz scrambled on first down, picking up nine yards, but his pass on the next play, looking for Champion, fell incomplete. Soliz powered ahead on third down to move the chains, taking the ball down to the Muleshoe 33-yard line. Saenz followed it up with a quarterback keeper up the middle to move the chains once more, taking it down to the 21yard line.
Two plays later, Saenz would keep it, taking it up the middle for a 15-yard touchdown run with 6:59 remaining in the half. The PAT from Barrio was good, making the score, 14-6.
Noah Hernandez returned the next kick-off out to the Littlefield 42-yard line, before he was brought down by Silvas.
Sigala connected with Luis Valles on first down, picking up nine yards, but his pass deep down the left side on second down was dropped by Johnny Hernandez, bringing up third and one, two plays later, Sigala moved the chains for the Mules. Muleshoe would keep it on the ground with runs from Sigala and Sital, taking it down to the two minute warning, where the Mules had the ball first and 10 from the Littlefield 36-yard line.
With time winding down in the half, facing third and goal from the five-yard line, Sigala dropped back scrambling backwards, be found a wide open Klafka for the score with 0:00 on the clock to make it a two-point game. The Mules went for the two-point conversion, but Sigala was stuffed by Silvas, as the Wildcats took a, 14-12, lead into the locker room at halftime.
Muleshoe’s opening kick-off in the second half rolled out of bounds, giving Littlefield the ball at their own 42-yard line. Back-to-back runs from Saenz and Soliz moved the chains for the Wildcats, and Saenz connected with Champion on a two-yard pass to make it second and eight. Saenz kept it himself on second down and on the next play, he connected with Mata on a pass to the left to move the sticks and give the Wildcats a fresh set of downs at the Muleshoe 27-yard line.
A few plays later Saenz connected with Barrio for a 30-yard touchdown pass and the Pat from Barrio was good, stretching their lead to, 21-12.
The Mules took over after the kick-off and the drive was dominated by Sigala, who carried the ball four straight times, capping off the drive with a 45yard touchdown run with 6:27 to play in the third quarter. The to point conversion run by Sigala, though, was stopped by Uriel Ibarra, leaving the score, 21-18.
Barrio called for a fair catch on the kick-off, giving the Wildcats the ball at their own 35yard line.
The Wildcats were faced with a third and 11 early in the drive, but Saenz hit Barrio for 10 yards, bringing up fourth and one. Littlefield would elect to go for it, as Saenz carried it up the middle to the Mules 45-yard line for a first down. Daniel Rojas got three consecutive carries for the Wildcats, taking the ball down to the Mules 42yard line to set up second and 10.
Saenz hit Champion on a sixyard pass and Rojas carried it again on third down, drawing a facemask penalty on the Mules, taking the ball down to the 20yard line to set up first and 10. Afew plays later, Saenz would hit Barrio for a 23-yard touchdown pass with 2:55 to go in the quarter. The PAT from Barrio fell short of the goal post, leaving the score, 27-18.
After the kick-off, just two plays into the drive, the snap went off of the legs of Nehemiah Sanchez and it was recovered by Barrio with 2:23 to play in the third, giving the Wildcats the ball at the Muleshoe 42-yard line.
The Wildcats would capitalize on the turnover, finishing off an eight-play drive with a 21yard touchdown pass to Barrio, making the score, 34-18, after the PAT, with six seconds remaining in the third quarter.
The Mules would go fourand- out to open the final quarter of play, turning the ball over on downs with 9:46 to play in the contest.
The Wildcats took over at their own 47-yard line, and they wasted no time finding the endzone, capping off a fiveplay drive with a 56-yard touchdown pass to Mata with 8:16 left to play, making the score, 41-18, after the PAT from Barrio.
The Mules would strike back on their next drive, as Sigala got loose around the left side for a 52-yard touchdown run. The two-point conversion pass was successful, cutting the lead to, 41-26, with 8:04 left to play.
The Wildcats would find the endzone again with 2:50 to play, as Soliz punched in a one-yard touchdown run, leaving the score, 47-26, after the missed PAT by Barrio.
On the following kick-off, Muleshoe had the ball stripped out by Camacho and it was recovered by the Wildcats with 2:42 to play in the game.
Littlefield would end up settling for a field goal, as Barrio booted it through the uprights, pushing their lead to, 50-26, with just over a minute to play in the game.
The score would stand, as Littlefield went on to take the contest, 50-26, over Muleshoe.
Offensively, Saenz finished the game 15-21 passing for 213 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 19 carries for 105 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
In the rushing game, Soliz tallied 12 carries for 51 yards and a score, while Rojas added four carries for 16 yards.
In the receiving game, Barrio caught six balls for 105 yards and three scores, while Mata hauled in four catches for 85 yards and a touchdown. Champion caught four passes for 13 yards and Cooper Price tallied one catch for 10 yards.
Defensively, Silvas led the team in tackles with 14, six solo, while Cantu added 12 tackles, five solo, one for loss, and a fumble recovery. Barrio also added 12 tackles, nine solo and a fumble recovery, while Castillo chipped in 11 tackles, seven solo and Uriel Ibarra tallied nine tackles. Jonas Camacho chipped in eight tackles, three solo and a forced fumble.
Saenz and Mata each finished with eight tackles a piece.
The Wildcats will be on the road on Friday to take on Idalou.
Kick-off is slated for 7 p.m.