Mules rout Fishermen to end covid-19 season

The Wahkiakum Mules closed their covid-19 abbreviated football season with a 49-0 shutout over the Ilwaco Fishermen last Friday.

The Mules scored four times in the first quarter, once in the second and twice in the third quarter.

Jake Leitz got the team on the scoreboard early with a 54-yard touchdown run at 11:39; with Elijah Cothren's conversion kick, the Mules led 7-0. Ashden Niemeyer then downed an Ilwaco ball carier in the Fishermen's endzone for a two point safety and 9-0 lead at 9:56. Dominic Curl broke out in a 50-yard touchdown run at 9:45 to put the Mules up 16-0; Chance Cothren scored on a 34-yard run at 5:02, and Leitz scored on a 45-yard run at 2:12 to close out the first quarter's scoring and a 29-0 Mule lead.

Leitz scored on a two-yard run in the second quarter, and the Mules led 36-0 at halftime. Cothren scored on a 12-yard run midway through the third quarter, and Gabe Moon closed the Mule scoring with a 10-yard touchdown run with a minute left in the quarter.

The Mules had 372 yards rushing; Ilwaco managed 83 yards.

Leitz led the Mule ball carriers with 163 yards on eight carries; Dominic Curl gained 72 yards; C. Cothren 65. For a change-up, Coach Eric Hansen put some of the senior linemen in the backfield; Niemeyer gained 28 yards, Eli Moon 20 and Damion Curl 10.

In a wet and windy night, quarterback Brody Carlson threw six passes and completed two to Leitz for 25 yards.

On defense, leading tacklers were Niemeyer with 10 tackles and two assists; Gabe Moon had 5/5, Leitz 5/0, Eli Moon 3/2, and Jerimiyah Johnson 2/5. Niemeyer forced a safety and recovered a fumble, and Jerimiyah Johnson and E. Moon also recovered fumbles.

The victory left the Mules with a 5-1 season record.

Senior players were Brody Carlson, Eli Moon, exchange student Tom Rossi, Chance Cothren, Niemeyer, E. Moon and Damion Curl.