Pirates stop Mules 14-6

The Adna Pirates edged the Wahkiakum Mules 14-6 in a hard-fought, defensive Central League football game last Friday.

The loss knocked the Mules out of the hunt for one of the league's three berths in the post-season playoffs. With Napavine's victory over Toutle Lake the same night, Adna, Napavine and Toutle Lake were set to finish in a three-way tie for first. Napavine has finished league play, and if Adna and Toutle post victories over Morton and Vancouver Christian this week, they'll flip a coin to determine to determine the berths.

The Mules scored in the first quarter and held a 6-0 lead at halftime. The Pirates posted two second half scores and held on as the clock ran out on the driving Mules at the end of the fourth quarter.

Defensive tackle Ben Doumit set up the Mules' touchdown by breaking through the Pirate line, knocking the ball away from Adna quarterback Kyle Grosshans and pouncing on the fumble to give the Mules ball possession deep in Pirate territory. Joel Fudge used a good surge from the Mule line to score the touchdown. The conversion kick was wide, leaving the Mules up 6-0 in the first quarter.

The Mules received Adna's kick to start the second half and mounted a good drive that ended on downs at the Pirate 18-yard line. The Pirates responded with a touchdown drive, capped by an eight-yard run by Jeremy White. Grosshans kicked the conversion to give the Pirates a 7-6 lead with 1:17 remining in the fourth quarter.

The teams entered an exchange of punts with Adna gaining good field position, starting drives at midfield while the Mules found themselves back to the goal line.

Late in the fourth quarter on fourth down, Mule Coach Eric Hansen called lateral and pass, but the flanker touched his knee to the ground while making the first catch and ended the play before he could throw downfield. That gave the Pirates the ball on the Mules three-yard line, and R.J. Brunoff, a lineman who lined up at fullback, scored from three yards out. Grosshans's conversion kick put the Pirates up 14-6 with 4:21 left.

On their last possession, the Mules went to the air and moved into Adna territory, but the clock ran out before they scored.

"It's a game of inches," Hansen said. "Our receivers dropped couple passes that were in their hands. On the flanker lateral pass play, the backside receiver coming across the middle was wide open. We missed a block on another fourth down play and turned the ball over to them."

Bryce McClain gained 50 yards for the Mules on nine carries. Blake Anderson had 47 on 15 carries; Zach Schneider gained 44 yards on seven runs, and Fudge had 28 yards on 11 carries.

Fudge completed five of 14 passes for 76 yards. McClain caught two, and Anderson, Zack Pierce, and Ryan Helms each caught one. Anderson, Mitch Moonen and Ty Bain were leading tacklers; Moonen made three tackles for loss, and Bain, Stian Vik and Doumit all had one tackle for loss.

The Mules end their season tonight (Thursday) at Mossyrock.

Scoring

First quarter

Mules--Joel Fudge, 1-yd. run; kick failed, 0:33.

Third quarter

Pirates--Jeremy White, 8-yd. run; Kyle Grosshans kick, 1:17.

Fourth quarter

Pirates--R.J. Brunhoff, 3-yd. run; Grosshans kick, 4:21.

Mules

Pirates

First downs

9

8

Rushes/yards

44/436

34/135

Passes/yards

5/76

8/61

Total offense

212

196

Punts/average

2/36

3/48.6

Fumbles/lost

1/1

1/1

Penalties/lost

2/5

7/45

Passes/complete/intercepted 14/5/0 16/8/0

Rushing: Mules--Bryce McClain 9/50; Blake Anderson 15/47; Zach Schneider 7/44; Joel Fudge 11/28. Pirates--Jeremy White 20/98.

Passing: Mules--Fudge 14/5/0, 76 yds. Pirates--Kyle Grosshans 16/8/0, 61 yds.

Receptions: Mules--McClain 2/26 yds.; Zack Pierce 1/39; Anderson 1/9; Ryan Helms 1/2. Pirates--Tony Tatum 4/21; Colby Fitgerald 3/39,

Tackles/assists/sacks: Mules--Anderson 6/3; Mitch Moonen 5/4; Pierce 5/2; Ty Bain 4/2; Schneider 3/3; McClain 3/2; Jeff Vik 2/3; Helms 2/1; Fudge 2/1; Ben Doumit 2/1; Stian Vik 1/4; Jared Fudge 1/2.

Tackle for loss: Moonen 3; Doumit, Vik, Bain one each.