Mules Keep Playoff Hopes Alive With 44-0 Drubbing Of Host Foxes

Justin Townsend’s Fairfield Mules were coming off a running-clock win against CZR, but the Bearcats were a winless team coming into that matchup. On Friday, the Mules once again dominated a conference foe with a running clock win, but this time it was against a team who came into the matchup with a better record than the Mules.

The Foxes were 4-3 coming in against the 3-4 Mules, but the records did not reflect the play Friday, with the Mules winning easily 44-0.

That win keeps the Mules’ playoff hopes alive, as they enter a week nine matchup against Edwards County needing a win to become eligible.

The defense led the way for Fairfield, who held the home team to 75 total yards on 57 plays, an average of just 1.4 yards per play. The Foxes ran for 44 yards, threw for 31 and had just four first downs. One of those four came on a penalty by the Mules.

Fairfield, meanwhile, racked up 427 yards of offense, overcoming three first-half turnovers by averaging 6.9 yards per snap. The ground game carried the bulk of the load, racking 372 rushing yards. That was nearly 100 yards more than their previous season high of 276 against Flora.

Two Mules eclipsed the century mark on the ground, with the duo of Latrael Snyder and Trey Mason combining for 260 yards and five touchdowns, led by 140 and three from the fullback Snyder. Mason also added 34 yards receiving on three catches to lead in total yards.

While they eventually pulled away with 20 points in the third quarter, the game was still contentious at halftime, with Fairfield getting one score in each of the first two quarters. Snyder scored both, with a five-yard score on the first Fairfield possession and an 18-yard romp on their fifth. Iin between, the Foxes forced a punt and picked off the Mules air attack twice. They would get a third interception late in the half to prevent another score. All three of the picks came in Foxes territory, as the Mules’ side of the field was never threatened.

The Mules stopped turning the ball over in the second half, and scored on four straight possessions to kickstart the running clock with 7:46 to play. Snyder got his third score early in the third before Mason scored twice in a row as the hogs up front paved the way for a meticulous ground game. Snyder busted out an 82-yard run in the fourth quarter before getting dragged down at the 10. Eric Locke finished off that drive for the 44-0 final.

Mason and L. Snyder’s big days have moved both of them over 1,000 career total yards, while J. Snyder’s 71 total yards Friday leaves him just 71 yards shot of 1,000. Maners needs just 26 passing yards to become just the eighth Mule ever to have 1,000 passing yards in a season.

Miller Simpson led the defense with six solo tackles and two assists, including three tackles for loss. L. Snyder also added an interception on defense while making three solo tackles and two assists.

Fairfield will close out their regular season Thursday against Edwards County, who is 2-6 coming off a win over CZR. The IHSA playoff pairings will be announced Saturday evening.

In the game of the week in the BDC, the Sesser-Valier Red Devils knocked off Johnston City 30-28 in overtime, ending the Indians’ BDC winning streak. That means the Mules’ record of 35 straight will remain in tact for at least a long while still. Sesser had a pair of two-point wins over the top of the BDC, after also beating Carmi 32-30 in week four. They would clinch the conference outright with a win over Flora in week nine.

Week 8 BDC Scores

Sesser-Valier 30, Johnston City 28 OT

Edwards Co. 28, CZR 20

Carmi 14, Eldorado 8

Dupo 30, Flora 28

BDC Records

Sesser-Valier      8-0

Carmi  7-1

Johnston City     7-1

Fairfield              4-4

Hamilton Co.      4-4

Flora   3-5

Edwards Co.       2-6

Eldorado            1-7

CZR     0-8

Week 9 BDC

Edwards Co. at Fairfield

Eldorado at CZR

Hamilton Co. at West Frankfort

Johnston City at Carmi

Flora at Sesser-Valier