Mules down Vikings on last second play

Joey Moore caught a 5-yard pass from Gunnar Blix as time expired to give the Wahkiakum Mules an 18-13 win over the visiting Mossyrock Vikings.

The Mules battled adversity all game as steady rain made ball handling treacherous. Mossyrock scored at 5:23 of the first quarter after getting a Mule fumble at the Mules' 20-yard line. The conversion kick gave the Vikings a 7-0 lead.

In the second quarter, the scene repeated as the Mules fumbled away at their own 20 and the Vikings scored at 4:44. The conversion try failed, and the Vikings led 13-0 at halftime.

The Mules moved Gunnar Blix from fullback to quarterback for the second half, and the move paid off. The Mules received the second half kickoff and marched downfield, with Blix scoring on a 9-yard run to cut the Viking lead to 13-6 at 7:07. The conversion failed.

Blix set up the Mules' next score by intercepting a Viking pass mid-way through the fourth quarter. He scored the touchdown on a 5-yard run. The Vikings stopped the conversion run to keep a 13-12 lead with 4:01 left in the game.

Mule noseguard Dylan Ahmed forced and recovered a Viking fumble at the Viking 27-yard line with 3:14 left. The Mules picked up a first down and five to go to score, but penalties knocked them back 10 yards. With two second left on the clock, they stood at the Viking 5-yard line to run their last play, and Blix connected with Moore for the winning score after time had expired.

The 3-5 Mules close out their season next Thursday at Toledo.