Mules dominate third quarter, take down Trenton in lightning-delayed season opener, 31-15

The Lathrop Mules, after holding the football for nearly 4 1/2 minutes on Saturday morning, coming out of a lightning suspension on Friday night, failed to score against the Trenton defense, giving the Bulldogs hope of a road win, as THS went to the locker room down only 10-8, but getting the football to begin the second half.

Unfortunately for Trenton, the Bulldog running attack stalled, and Chris Holt’s Lathrop running attack surged over the third quarter, as the Mules scored 21 unanswered points and won 31-15 at Lathrop High School.

In a contest broadcast on Hot Country Z 101.7 and KGOZ-TV, Justin Burns played a key role for the Mules.  On Friday night, the Lathrop sophomore opened the scoring with a 47 yard field goal.  On Saturday afternoon, Burns made a diving, one-handed 32 yard touchdown catch, and hit the extra point, to give Lathrop a 17-8 lead.  A 57-yard scoring run by fullback Hunter Sloan, followed by a 3 yard touchdown run by sophomore Seth McKnight, his second rushing TD of the game, made the score 31-8 after the third quarter.

Trenton played better in the final quarter, as a long touchdown drive was finished by Burkeybile on a 4 yard plunge with 9:30 remaining, and a Mason Owen extra point, made the score 31-15.

The Mules did not score for the rest of the game, but a time-consuming drive chopped nearly 6 minutes off the clock, and by the time Trenton got the ball back, both field position and time doomed the Bulldogs to defeat.

Trenton, now 0-1 on the season, will host the Lexington Minutemen on Friday night at C.F. Russell Stadium.  Tom Johnson will have the play-by-play call on Hot Country Z 101.7 and KGOZ-TV.  Football Frenzy begins coverage at 5:30.  Lathrop, at 1-0 on the campaign, will travel to Bethany to tangle with the South Harrison Bulldogs next week.

Burkeybile finished with an unofficial mark of 117 yards rushing for Trenton, while Trent Head and Seth McKnight combined for 215 yards rushing for the Mules.

AREA SCOREBOARD (August 19/20, 2016)

Mark Twain 25, Milan 14

Mid-Buchanan 40, Princeton 6

East Buchanan 42, South Harrison 0

Penney 41, Maysville 12

Hallsville 26, Putnam County 13

Gallatin 42, North Platte 6

Polo 60, Orrick 30

Maryville 41, Lawson 15

Holden 14, Plattsburg 0

West Platte 41, Central Academy 18

Chillicothe 63, Marshall 7

Brookfield 14, South Shelby 7

Marceline 27, Scotland County 0

Higginsville 27, Cameron 4

Grain Valley 14, Savannah 10

Bishop LeBlond 25, Pembroke Hill 14

Harrisonville 42, Benton 7

Lafayette 29, North Kansas City 24

Macon 19, Palmyra 7

Clark County 52, Monroe City 0

Centralia 48, Highland 13

Knox County 40, Schuyler County 0

Paris 44, Harrisburg 28

Stanberry 80, Braymer 36

Rock Port 62, DeKalb 0

St. Joseph Christian 52, Pattonsburg 0

Albany 44, Sacred Heart 42

South Holt / Nodaway-Holt 42, Worth County 30

North Andrew 48, King City 0

Southwest Livingston 52, East Atchison 16

Mound City 44, Platte Valley 0

Hardin-Central / Norborne 30, Kansas City East 6

North Shelby 52, Northwest of Hughesville 18

Stewartsville 28, Northwest Nodaway 26