Pirates edge Mules 28-20 in two overtimes

The Wahkiakum Mules suited up 18 players last Friday to take on sixth ranked Adna Pirates in a Central League football game, and they gave the Pirates all they could handle in a 28-20 overtime Mule loss.

The two team battled back and forth in regular time. Adna took a 14-6 lead at 2:19 of the third quarter on a safety. The Pirates had punted, and the ball rolled dead on the Mule 1-yard line. The Pirates then tackled the Mule ball carrier in the endzone for two points.

The Mules tied the game when Brandon Budd intercepted a Pirate pitch and raced 46-yards for a touchdown with 2:40 left in the game. Budd then ran the conversion to tie the score at 14-14,

Regular time expired with the Pirates trying an unsuccessful 30-yard field goal, and the game went into overtime.

In the first overtime session, the Mules had the ball first, and Gunnar Blix passed to Budd for a 25-yard touchdown. The conversion failed, leaving the Mules up 20-14.

The Pirates responded by putting the ball in the hands of quarterback David Young, and he tied the game on an 11-yard run. The conversion kick failed, leaving the game tied 20-20 at the end of the first overtime session.

Adna took the ball first in the second session, and Young scored on an 18-yard run. He also ran the conversion to put the Pirates up 28-20.

In their possession, the Mules moved the ball into scoring position, but a hard tackle caused a fumble which the Pirates recovered to end the game.

Overall, the Mules gained 94 yards on the ground and 177 in the air. Adna had 255 rushing yards and 50 yards passing. Young 106 yards for Adna.

Budd led the Mule runners with 69 yards gained; Gunnar Blix gained 14. Blix completed 13 of 18 passes with no interceptions for 129 yards and one touchdown. Budd threw the ball twice with one completion and one interception; the completion to Joey Moore was a 48-yard touchdown. Budd caught six passes for 78 yards and one touchdown; Brown caught three for 35 yards, Moore had two for 10 yards, and Hank Ferguson two for six yards.

On defense, Blix chalked up 27 tackles, including three for losses, and he caused four fumbles.

Budd had nine tacklers and intercepted a Pirate pitch for the 46-yard touchdown return.

Brown had 10 tackles; Trystan Mendez nine; Michael Zurick seven; Moore and Brock Cothren six each, and Ferguson five.

This week, the Mules host a new team, the combined Pe Ell/Willapa Valley Titans this Friday, 7 p.m. The Titan roster totals approximately 40 players.

The Titans opened the season with a 41-21 win over Winlock and then lost 20-14 to Toledo and 34-7 to Napavine.