Lions take tough loss to Mules

By LPR Staff

Editor/POST-REGISTER

Under dreary San Antonio skies, the Lions took their first loss of the season in a bruising battle with the Alamo Heights Mules on Friday night.

The Mules started the game on the receiving end, and struck early with a 52-yard touchdown scamper on their first play of the game. Early turnovers and er

rors cost the Lions dearly, and the Mules went up, 21-0, before the end of the first quarter.

In the second, the Lion defense started to gain ground, adjusting their game to the Mules’ powerful passing game, making key interceptions and breaking up passes.

Despite their efforts, though, Alamo Heights stacked on another touchdown, and a field goal to go ahead 31-0 at the half.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t win enough individual moments Friday night,” Head Coach Brian Herman said. “We made too many costly mistakes against a very strong opponent.”

In the locker room at halftime, the Lions made adjustments, and were able to come back strong in the second half, putting 20 points on the board in the second half of play.

“We preach that if we win more than we lose we will be successful and that the score will take care of itself,” Herman said. Rather than focusing on what was behind them, the Lions chose to place their second-half focus on what was yet to come.

Turnovers in the third quarter allowed the Mules to pile on two more touchdowns before the Lions finally hit pay dirt with 1:27 left in the quarter.

After a tough scoring drive, Curtis Hawkins powered his way into the end zone to offer the Lions their first score of the night. Unfortunately, the Lions could not make good on the two-point conversion, and went into the final 12 minutes of play behind 45-6.

Junior defensive lineman Darieus Shannon made a key fumble recovery in the early moments of the fourth quarter, putting the Lions in scoring position and allowing the opportunity for Hawkins to barrel through the Mules defensive line for another touchdown. Once again, Alamo Heights was able to prevent the conversion, and they promptly answered with a touchdown of their own, increasing the score to 52-12.

As the clock wound down in the fourth quarter, the Lions proved they did not know the meaning of the word “quit,” driving deep into the Mules’ territory and making first-and-goal with only seconds left on the clock.

To the outrage of the Mules’ and their coaches, the Lions chose to take their shot, sending quarterback Nick Sanchez across the goal line as the buzzer sounded. In the final play of the game, the Lions made good on the conversion and increased their score to 52-20, perhaps a loss, but still a success.

Thus far this season, each win the Mules have put on the books has been by way of a shutout, until they ran across the Lions. Apart from Lockhart, the only teams to score against Alamo Heights have eventually defeated them.

“We haven’t tried to compare ourselves to who Alamo Heights has played,” Herman said. “We are only concerned about how we progress from day to day and week to week.”

This week, the Lions will take their first stand against the Floresville Tigers, who are 3-2 (1-2) on the season, with losses to Boerne-Champion and Kerrville Tivy. The Tigers have logged an average of 31.6 points per game, to the Lions’ 33.2. However, the Tigers went 6-1 in their district last season, finishing as the District Champions.

“Floresville is a very well coached and talented football team,” Herman said. “They have been district champions the last two years and it shows.  They seem solid all around and play good football.  They know how to win so we will have to be sharp in all aspects and put a complete game together.”