Mules Even Record With Road Win At Eldorado; Sesser Clash On Deck

Despite jumping out to a 24-6 halftime lead, the Fairfield Mules struggled to put away the host Eldorado Eagles Friday night. The Eagles outscored the Mules in the second half, but when push came to shove, the Fairfield defense made the stops they needed to preserve a 32-18 Fairfield win.

The Mules came into the week two matchup with an 0-1 mark, while the Eagle were 1-1. The decision evened the record of both teams in the early going. The Mules were playing their first conference game of the year.

The Mules got two rushing touchdowns from fullback Latrael Snyder, while freshman quarterback Jaylen Maners took advantage of his limited throws to the max potential. He threw the ball just three times, but two went for touchdowns and the third was a 44-yard completion.

A week after struggling to sustain drives against Freeburg in the season opener, Justin Townsend’s Mules showed early on they had shored some things up by marching 63 yards in 13 plays. They ran the ball 12 straight times to start the drive. On the 13^th play, Maners hit senior tight end Landon Harrelson in the back of the end zone for a 12-yard touchdown. Maners then caught a halfback pass on the two-point play for an 8-0 lead.

The Eagles hit a big play on their first offensive possession, getting a 29-yard completion from Coltin Patrick to Ryne Cox. Eldorado would get to the Mules’ 10-yard line before turning the ball over on downs when Trey Mason broke up a floater into the endzone on fourth-and-10.

The Mules were again methodical with the ball on their second possession, taking over at their 12 and scoring 11 plays later, all from the ground game. Jay Snyder had a big play on the drive, scampering 43 yards. His brother, Latrael, got his first touchdown from three yards out to put the Mules up 16-0 early in the second quarter.

Eldorado answered with a scoring drive, getting their ground game going. They had three runs of 11 yards or more on the drive to get to the Fairfield four. They then tried two sneaks up the middle, getting stuffed twice, before a toss sweep to Maddex Rash on third down got the job done for a 16-6 score.

Fairfield got the ball back with 2:40 to play in the half but did not settle for the 10-point lead. After four runs to open the series, Maners went to the air to Trey Mason for a 44-yard completion. He was tackled at the three, with L. Snyder punching it from there again for a 24-6 halftime lead.

The Eagles got the ball to start the second half and showed the first half offensive success was not an aberration putting together a 15-play scoring drive. Fairfield had four tackles for loss on the drive, but a facemask penalty kept the drive alive for the Eagles and Jake Phelps eventually found the endzone from eight yards out. They again missed the extra point for a 24-12 Mule lead.

The Mules offense made it four straight possessions to score a touchdown when Mason took another wheel route to the house for a 48-yard touchdown completion from Maners with 15 seconds left to play in the third quarter.

It looked like that might have been the body blow to take out the Eagles when the Fairfield defense finally forced a three-and-out from Eldorado, but a short, wayward punt hit a Mule who did not get away from the ball and the Eagles recovered the loose ball. Eight plays later, Patrick hit Cox for a 16-yard touchdown completion to pull the Eagles back within 14.

“We just could not close them out,” Townsend admitted after the game. “They just kept battling. I felt like we were in control of the game, but we could not put them away.”

Fairfield was finally stopped on offense and had to punt for the only time on the night with five minutes to go in the game. Facing the prospect of having their lead cut to one score, the defense responded. After a five-yard completion and two two-yard runs, the Eagles were facing a fourth-and-1 near midfield. L. Snyder blitzed from his middle linebacker spot and made the stop in the backfield to give the Mules the ball back on downs. Fairfield converted two first downs to run out the clock.

Fairfield outgained the Eagles, 320-234, despite the Eagles holding a significant advantage in time of possession. The Eagles had more first downs than the Mules, 19-18.

“It was not the cleanest game, but it was better than last week. We have to keep taking steps forward and make the adjustments to get better each week,” Townsend added.

Maners finished the game 3-for-3 throwing the ball with 104 yards and two touchdowns.

“Each week he gets more comfortable,” Townsend said of his young signal caller. “We are just scratching the surface with him. He is only going to get better.”

J. Snyder led the ground game with 79 yards on 11 carries, while L. Snyder had 75 yards and two scores.

Mason had a combined 158 yards rushing and receiving, with one score and three two-point conversions.

L. Snyder also led the defense in tackles with seven solos and three assists. Up front, Vega Stanley was disruptive with four tackles for loss and 5.5 tackles total.

Fairfield (1-1) will host Sesser-Valier Friday. The Devils are one of the conference favorites this year, with the Mules looking to insert themselves into that picture once again. Sesser won the game last year against the Mules.

“That game is going to be a really big test for us early in the conference season,” Townsend said. “We want to play for a conference championship and that is a game we have to win.”

Week 2 BDC Scores

Flora 20, CZR 14

Johnston City 52, Edwards Co. 6

Carmi 18, Hamilton Co. 8

Sesser-Valier 50, Pinckneyville 21 (nonconference)

Freshmen

The Fairfield Mules freshmen got their season started Thursday, traveling to Murphysboro. The Devils knocked off the Mulies, 24-12.

SCORING PLAYS

First Quarter

F—Landon Harrelson 12-yard pass from Jaylen Maners (Maners pass from J. Snyder), 5:45

Second Quarter

F—Latrael Snyder 3-yard run (Trey Mason run), 9:11

E—Maddex Rash 2-yard run (pass failed), 2:40

F—L. Snyder 3-yard run (Mason run), :29.

Third Quarter

E—Jake Phelps 8-yard run (run failed), 2:50

F—Trey Mason 48-yard pass from Maners (Mason run), :15

Fourth Quarter

E—Ryne Cox 16-yard pass from Coltin Patrick (run failed), 5:43.

F                                                                                  E

18                               First downs                           19

42-216                           Rushes                       45-180

3-3-0                         Pass-Att.-Int.                     4-8-0                                            

104                           Passing yards                         54

320                           Total Offense                       234

7.1                            Yards Per Play                       4.4

1-36                             Punts-Ave                        1-15

3-1                             Fumbles-lost                            0

1                                  Turnovers                              0

3-25                              Penalties                         2-10

19:44                   Time of Possession               27:16

INDIVIDUAL STATS

RUSHING

F –Jay Snyder 11-79, L. Snyder 15-75-2, Mason 12-66, Miller Simpson 1-(-3), Maners 2-(-7). E—Patrick 11-56, Ashton Robinson 13-36, Phelps 5-25, Rash 7-24, Jameson Molinaralo 5-18, Levi Miller 2-12, Kaiden Henson 1-9.

PASSING

F—Maners 3-3-104 (2 TD). E –Patrick 4-8-54 (1 TD).

RECEIVING

F –Mason 2-92-1, Harrelson 1-12-1. E—Cox 2-44, Oliver Burtis 1-5, Rash 1-9.

Tackles (solos-assists)

F—L. Snyder 7-3, Cale Milner 6-1, Vega Stanley 5-1, Miller Simpson 4-2, Reily Titzer 4-0, Bronson Rilea 4-0, Mason 4-0, Israel Sargent 2-2, Nick Tribe 1-0, Alek Couch 1-2, Eric Locke 1-1, Logan Tullis 1-0, Landis Ellinghausen 1-1, Jayden Wilson 1-0, Chris Graver 1-0.

Tackles For Loss—F—Stanley 4, L. Snyder 2, Simpson 1.

Pass Breakups—F—Mason 1, Sargent 1.