Mules roll over Mossyrock 25-6

"We can't turn over the ball," Wahkiakum Mule football Coach Eric Hansen said last week before the Mules took on the Mossyrock Vikings in the Mule homecoming football game.

On the Mules' first offensive play, a slant pass went high and through the hands of the Mule receiver and into the hands of a Viking defender at the Mules' 35-yard line. The Vikings used the field position to score and take a 6-0 lead at 8:20 of the first quarter.

The Mules didn't panic, however. They responded with four unanswered touchdowns to roll to a 25-6 Central League victory.

"It was big," Hansen said of the win over the Vikings. It appears there will be seven Central League teams fighting for five berths in the playoffs, and the win gives the Mules the tiebreaker advantage over Mossyrock. This Friday's game with the Toutle Lake Ducks is "big" for the same reason. Both teams have 3-2 records in league standings.

The Mules scored their first touchdown through the air. Lars Blix connected with Ryan Helms on passes of 22 and 11 yards, the second was the touchdown play. Blix kicked the conversion for a 7-6 Mule lead at 4:23 of the first quarter.

Blix connected with Wyatt Parker on a 61-yard pass play early in the second quarter to put the Mules in scoring position. Blix scored on a one-yard run at 10:55 to give the Mules a 13-6 lead, which they held at halftime.

Early in the third quarter, Blix and Helms combined for a 32-yard scoring play. Late in the quarter, Cameron Elliott scored on a four-yard run.

Blix completed 14 of 25 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns. He was intercepted once. Helms caught four passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns. Joel Nicolazzi caught three passes for 33 yards, and Zach Pierce had three for 17 yards. Parker had 69 yards on his two catches, and John Chambers caught one pass for eight yards.

On the ground, the Mules gained 65 yards on 15 carries. Parker gained 49 yards; Elliott and Blix each had eight.

Mossyrock showed a powerful running game with 215 yards rushing. They completed five passes for 22 yards.

Elliott led the Mule defense with 15 tackles. Nicolazzi had 12; Helms, Kyle Bergquist, Kohl Bergseng and Tylor Russell each had nine. Parker intercepted a Viking pass.

The Mules entertain the Toutle Lake Ducks this Friday, 7 p.m. The team will recognize senior athletes. The game may be the last home game of the regular season, for Vancouver Christian, who are scheduled for October 29, have had trouble fielding a complete team.