Muleshoe looking to earn playoff bid

MULESHOE — Coming off two seasons in which they went 1-19, the Muleshoe Mules have made significant strides this year.

True, they’ve won just two games, but four of their six losses have been by 11 points or less, and they were tied at Dalhart last week until late into the third quarter before losing to the Wolves 41-21.

“We played really good for three quarters,” Mules coach Jason Richards said. “They just kind of wore us down.”

At 2-6 (0-3 Class 3A Division I District II), Muleshoe can still earn a playoff bid this week with a win over rival Littlefield at home in the “War on 84” regular-season finale. With at least a 10-point win and a loss by Amarillo River Road to Dalhart, the Mules would earn a No. 3 playoff seed from the five-team district on a three-way tiebreaker.

While both teams are trying to rebuild, in the not-too-distant past the game between the Mules and Wildcats (2-6, 1-2) carried a lot of weight.

“For years, this used to be for the district championship,” Richards said. “I think it’s going to be a great matchup.”

The Wildcats (2-6, 1-2) are dominated by the run game on offense, Richards said, with quarterback Blake Green and running backs Jordan Trevino and Joseph Salinas leading the way.

“We want to force them to throw,” Richards said. “Offensively, we need to maintain our blocks and take our shots (downfield) when they present themselves.”

Littlefield has wins over Dimmitt (56-0) in its season opener and River Road (22-9) in district play. The Wildcats had to forfeit a district tilt at Dalhart in mid-October due to coronavirus concerns, but they are coming off a solid performance in a 35-24 loss to district champion Bushland.

Farwell at Olton — After losing in a battle for the Class 2A Division I District 1 title to Panhandle last week, the Steers (7-2, 3-1 district) are now looking to nail down the district’s No. 2 playoff seed in Friday’s finale against the Mustangs (6-3, 3-1).

Senior quarterback Jack Allcorn leads the way for Olton on offense, Farwell coach Darren Kelley said.

“The like to run the quarterback on counter-traps and quarterback sweeps,” Kelley said. “He’s a big, strong athlete.”

Kelley said Olton didn’t have Allcorn’s services for a couple of games this season due to a broken right hand. Ironically, Steers senior QB Leefe Actkinson also had to sit out a couple of tilts with a broken left hand earlier in the year.

Farwell led Panhandle 21-14 at halftime last week, but was blitzed by the Panthers when play resumed, including a 35-point third quarter.

“It just kind of snowballed,” Kelley said. “But we have to be able to move the ball and take care of it, and with didn’t do a very good job of that.

“We need to play well and finish up good. If you said we’d be 8-2 at the beginning of the year, we’d have been happy with that.”

The Steers and Mustangs are looking at matching up with Sundown and New Deal, who also face off on Friday, in next week’s area playoff round

Bovina — The Mustangs (3-6, 2-2 Class 2A Division II District 2) completed their regular season last week with a 50-31 loss at New Home and are waiting to find out their opponent in next week’s bi-district round.

Bovina is currently second behind district champion Smyer (6-3, 3-0 district), with the other three teams all following at 1-2. Essentially, if Sudan beats visiting New Home on Friday, the Mustangs will take second in the district with the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Hornets; if New Home wins, the Leopards would earn the second-place tiebreaker and drop Bovina to third.