Mules Measure Up Short In Season Opener With Freeburg Midgets

In what turned into a war of attrition, the school with more than 700 students was able to outlast the school with 400-plus on a hot Friday night that featured a lot of penalties and even more cramping taking players out of the game for stretches, or more.

When the dust settled, it was the visiting Freeburg Midgets who stood tall over the Fairfield Mules in the season opener, 28-20.

The game was a late adjustment to the schedule after Vienna and Sparta both dropped their programs late in the summer, setting up the nonconference clash between the 2A Mules and the 4A Midgets.

Fairfield was able to hang with the larger squad for much of the game, with both teams scoring once each in the third quarter, but the Mules wore down in the second half, and could not match Freeburg’s fourth quarter score.

“We knew this would be a battle, win or lose, we were going to find out some stuff about ourselves and I think we definitely did that” Townsend said after the loss. “We had a 4A school with 700 kids from the Metro East coming here. That is a little bit of a different animal than what we are accustomed to. Our kids held their own and battled.”

Fairfield turned the ball over three times in the game, with the Midgets at zero, while also converting just eight first downs in the game. Five of those came in the first half, with the depleted patchwork Mules squad struggling in the late game offense.

“We battled cramps all night. We did not have multiple all-conference guys in the second half. We had freshmen and sophomores out there battling.”

The vaunted wingback duo “Trey and Jay” combined for just eight carries in the game, although both had big moments in the game. Mason, a two-way starter, missed the majority of the second half with cramps. He was not alone in that regard. After a week of scorching heat had southern Illinois teams scrambling for early or late practice times, the game was pushed back to an 8 p.m. start due to heat. The Mules fared okay in that regard in the first half, but the second half was a different story, keeping the Mules’ medical staff busy.

The Midgets scored on their first drive of the game, despite fumbling the ball on their first offensive snap. They were awarded the recovery, then on the very next play quarterback Cole Stuart ripped off a 44-yard run, after nearly getting tackled in the backfield. It was a story that would tell itself several times throughout the night, just missed opportunities for the Mules. The touchdown came on a 22-yard pass from Stuart to Jase Brentlinger for a 7-0 lead.

Jay Snyder came into the game after missing all of last year with a torn ACL suffered on the second series of the season in week one. It took him one offensive snap to remind everyone just who he is. He took the pitch on a power run, sprinted through a hole, then cut right to the Freeburg sideline. Two defenders had an angle to get him…before he found another gear and the end zone for a 56-yard touchdown.

The athletic trainer who spent the last year rehabbing his knee with him cried a little, but she probably does not want that mentioned.

For a follow up act, Snyder completed a halfback pass for quarterback Jaylen Manners for the two-point conversion and an 8-7 lead.

Neither team threatened again in the first quarter, with the Midgets punting before the Mules turned the ball over on downs.

Freeburg would then string tother a “Mules-like” drive on their next possession, marching 53 yards in 11 plays, including five runs by fullback Tucker Murphy. He punched in a two-yard dive for a 14-8 lead with 5:02 to play in the half.

Fairfield was able to answer quickly again, however. Miller Simpson had a 48-yard kickoff return, then two plays later Manners hit Trey Mason for a 45-yard completion. Mason scored two players later for a tie at 14.

The Midgets would get to a first-and-goal on their next possession, but a holding penalty moved them back, then Alek Couch had a big sack to to move them back even further. They missed a field goa attempt just before halftime.

The second half started with a potender of what was to come, fumbling their first offensive snap and the Midgets recovered. It would be the first of three turnovers all in the second half.

Freeburg capitalized by scoring five plays later, another short run by Murphy, for a 21-14 lead.

Fairfield went three-and-out before Freeburg had a drive stall thanks to two penalties.

The Mules answered on their next possession, starting with a 37-yard run by Latrael Snyder, who moved from fullback from wing when Mason left the game. On a fourth-and-six, Townsend trusted his freshman quarterback to deliver, and deliver he did. Manners found J. Snyder in the corner of the endzone for a 13-yard score. Freeburg stopped the two-point play to preserve a 21-20 lead with 3:13 to play in the third quarter.

From there, it got chippy. The Midgets got whistled for two personal fouls, and a hold, on their next possession. The Mules would get two of their own early in the fourth quarter. The first came on a tackle after an interception, then another for a late hit out of bounds on the very next play. Those free 30 yards eventually led to Murphy’s third touchdown of the game, from seven yards out, for a 28-20 lead. The Midgets got another 15-yard penalty on the kick for excessive celebration.

The Mules would throw another interception with 3:31 to play in the game and get another 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. That moved Freeburg out from their own end zone to the 25 and let them comfortably run out the clock with their run game.

“I am proud of the kids’ effort tonight. The mistakes we made were correctable. We will execute much better next week. This game will make us better in the long run and that is all I can think about it right now,” Townsend said. Anytime you have a game like this, a tough loss, you have to bounce back.”

“A big part of how this season goes is how we respond next week,” he concluded.

Freeburg outgained the Mules 345-214. They were able to sustain drives with 18 first downs, while the Mules had just eight. Fairfield’s three biggest plays accounted for 138, while the other 31 plays accounted for 76 yards.

L. Snyder led the Mules with 61 yards rushing, while J. Snyder had 60 rushing and 13 receiving, scoring twice. Manners finished his first high school game 6-of-12 for 64 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. He was rarely given time to throw the ball, as the Midgets won the trench battle and was in the backfield early and often.

On the defense side, end Bronson Rilea was a bright spot for the Mules , finishing with 10 solo tackles and two assists. Reily Titzer was not a starter on defense, but finished with six solo tackles and an assist.

The Mules (0-1) will look to bounce back in conference play Friday, when they travel to Eldorado Friday. The Eagles are 1-0 after beating Edwards County Friday.

Week 1 BDC

Johnston City 32, CZR 12

Carmi 51, Flora 16

Eldorado 12, Edwards Co. 7

Sesser-Valier 34, Hamilton County 16