Tigers pull out 28-14 win over Mules

The Napavine Tigers made their plays in the fourth quarter and snatched a 28-14 Central League football win over the Wahkiakum Mules last Friday at Wahkiakum High School.

The teams entered the fourth quarter tied 14-14. Then the Tigers made the plays they needed and the Mules misfired on the plays they needed. The result was two more touchdowns for the visitors, and the game ended with the Tigers sitting on the ball at the Mule five-yard line.

“The Mules played hard but we paid for our lack of experience,” Mule Coach Erik Hansen said. “We’ll work on that.”

Napavine took a 7-0 lead in the second quarter on a pass to the tight end.

The Mules bounced back quickly: Josh Rongey returned the kickoff 73 yards to the Napavine seven-yard-line; Ty Bain ran it in from there, and Michael Weiler kicked the conversion to knot the score at 7-7.

Just before half, the Tigers caught the Mule defensive secondary playing the run on option play action pass that went 55-yards for a touchdown.

The Mules seemed to have momentum in the third quarter. They scored when Joel Fudge passed to Bobby Helms for a 37-yard touchdown. The conversion kick by Helms tied the game again at 14-14 going into the fourth quarter.

Then the momentum changed. On a third and long, the Tigers made a big gain to put the ball in position for their third touchdown, a two-yard run.

The Mule offense faltered on the next series, and the Tigers rattled off a 37-yard touchdown run with 3:18 to go.

A big defensive play by the Tigers put the Mules in a fourth and long; and the ball went over to the Tigers deep in Mule territory. Napavine ran out the clock to claim the victory.

For the Mules, Bain gained 53 yards on 12 carries, and Fudge passed for 41 yards and ran for 24 more. Hansen complimented the defensive play of Bain, Alex Sealund, Blake Anderson, CJ Bridges and Matt Willette.

The Mules managed only 87 yards rushing and 41 yards passing, 128 yards total. Napavine had 201 rushing yards and 127 passing yards; Tiger quarterback Jason Hunt completed six of six passes.

The Mules fumbled three times, losing two, and made three penalties for 15 yards. The Tigers lost three of five fumbles and were penalized six times for 50 yards.

The Mules travel to Mossyrock this Friday.

“Mossyrock always gets after you,” Hansen said. “The little things, like incorrect footwork on the slant route, are killing us. We’re going to go out and practice until we can do them right. And some of our players will be in new positions.”

The Mules will host the White Pass Panthers in the homecoming game on September 28.