Big plays and few mistakes were keys to the Wahkiakum Mules' 36-29 football victory over the Toutle Lake Ducks last Friday in Cathlamet.

The result means the Mules finish 7-2 in regular season play, second place in the River Division of the Central League, and host of a cross over playoff game this Friday. The loss dropped the Ducks into a tie for third in the league and on the road to start the playoffs.

The two teams traded touchdowns in the first and second quarters.

The Ducks scored first at 6:15 of the first quarter on an 8-yard run for a 7-0 lead.

The Mules replied with Chance Cothren hitting the endzone on a 33-yard run at 3:50. The conversion failed, leaving the Ducks ahead 7-6.

Toutle boosted the lead to 14-6 on a 17-yard touchdown pass play at 8:36 of the second quarter.

The Mules responded with James Anderson scoring on a seven-yard run with just 59 seconds left in the first half. Lucas Brown passed to K.C. Beery for a two-point conversion that tied the score 14-14.

Then came one of the key moments of the game. Zach Brown recovered a Duck fumble at the Mule 43-yard line with less than 30 seconds left in half.

On first down, L. Brown rolled right to pass and connected with Anderson for a seven-yard gain. Next, L. Brown found his brother running a route across the middle, and Z. Brown collected the pass, eluded the Duck defense, and scored on a 36-yard play with two seconds left in the half. L. Brown kicked the conversion, and the Mules led 21-14 at halftime.

The Mules received the second half kickoff and mounted a scoring drive. Anderson scored on a 16-yard run, and L. Brown kicked the conversion for a 28-14 Mule lead at 8:01 of the third quarter.

The Ducks cut the lead to 28-22 with a short touchdown run at 4:36 of the third quarter.

The Mules mounted another drive with Cothren outrunning the Duck defense on a 48-yard run at 11:48 of the fourth quarter. L. Brown ran the conversion to boost the Mule lead to 36-22

The teams traded possessions as the clock ticked away in the fourth quarter, and Ducks scored on a 15-yard pass play with eight seconds left to make the score 36-29. Their kickoff went out of bounds, and the Mules took a knee to run out the clock and claim the win.

"The fumble recovery by Lucas and the touchdown pass at the end of the second quarter were huge for us," Mule Coach Eric Hansen commented. "And we didn't have any turnovers."

The Mules tallied 260 yards rushing and 101 yards passing for 361 yards of offense. The Ducks gained 180 rushing yards and 185 yards in the air for 374 yards of offense.

Anderson led the Mule running attack with 119 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns; Cothren ran the ball seven times for 101 yards and two touchdowns, and Z. Brown gained 29 yards on nine carries. L. Brown completed seven of eight passes for 101 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. Z. Brown caught two passes for 59 yards and one touchdown; Cothren caught two for 22 yards; Anderson had two receptions for 12 yards, and Berry had one reception for eight yards.

On defense, Tristan Collupy made 10 tackles; Z. Brown and Evan Quigley had nine each; Anderson, L. Brown, Cothren and Casey Wilson all had seven; Beery, Kaden Anderson and Ashden Niemeyer six apiece; Randall Eklund and Daniel Dennison two each, and Isaac Moon one.

The win was the 100th for Coach Hansen, who took over the Mule program in 2002.

Rick Nelson

Wahkiakum's Chance Cothren cuts behind his blockers for a 33-yard touchdown run in the Mules' 36-29 win over Toutle Lake last Friday.

The Mules, now ranked 10th in the Associated Press Class 2B football poll, host the Rainier Mountaineers, ranked seventh last week, in a league cross over game this Friday in which teams play for berths in the state playoffs. The 6-2 Mounties were idle last week, giving them the opportunity to scout the Mule-Duck game.