Miles Gets Big Win Over Storied Program to Close Nondistrict Play

MUNDAY, TX-- The Miles Bulldogs spoiled the Munday Moguls homecoming with a 24-14 win on Saturday night to finish their nondistrict schedule.

"[The win] has a big meaning," said senior running back Mason Bryan. "It gives us confidence going into district. Munday has a lot of tradition. Putting them down is a real confidence booster."

Munday has won three state championships, with their last coming in 2012. After back-to-back losses, Miles was looking to change their fortune against the perennial power.

"We've kind of stumbled on some bad luck the last couple of games," said Miles first-year head coach Charles Boles. "We needed that confidence boost coming into this game. We knew Munday was going to have a lot of fight in them and all that. I felt like our kids persevered pretty well. I'm very very proud of the effort they gave throughout the game."

The Bulldogs posted 227 yards of total offense in the win. Mason Bryan led the Bulldogs offense with 117 yards rushing and one touchdown on 19 carries.

Bryan was held in check in the first half by the Mogul's tough defense. The senior RB then found his rhythm to pick up most of his yardage in the second half, including a 63-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

"He's such a special athlete and a special young man," Boles praised of Bryan. "Like I told him when he had that long run in the third quarter, you can't keep a good man down, an old country-western song. As long as he keeps getting touches, you never know what's going to happen. I'm very proud of him."

Munday outgained the Bulldogs with 292 yards of total offense. However, the Bulldogs forced Munday to fumble four times. Miles recovered all 4 fumbles. The Bulldogs also blocked two punts, one of which went for a touchdown.

"When we get a turnover, it hypes everyone up," Bryan said, "It's a roller coaster game, but on those high points, we really came through."

Those turnovers were "huge, absolutely huge" for Miles, according to Boles.

"We struggled offensively, they did a great job defensively with us" Boles added. "Thank goodness our defense came through, you know. It's a team game for a reason. you know, and our defense created some opportunities for us offensively. Special teams I thought really shined for us in this game with two blocked punts and a field goal. Those things were big for us and I couldn't be more proud of the whole team effort."  

On Munday’s opening drive, Miles held them to a three-and-out. The ensuing punt was blocked by the Bulldogs and returned 30 yards by Davian Martinez for a touchdown to put Miles up 7-0.

Munday answered back with Kobe Ramirez carrying the ball twice for 55 yards and a touchdown on the ensuing drive. A bobbled snap on the 2-point conversion left Miles up 7-6.

Martinez scored once again on a 4-yard run. Alvie Lozano’s extra point put the Bulldogs up 14-6 in the second quarter.

Cameron Thornton then rumbled 55 yards for another Mogul touchdown. Munday converted the 2-point conversion to tie the game at 14. The teams went into the locker room at halftime deadlocked.

The teams stay tied until Mason Bryan exploded for a 67-yard touchdown. Lozano connected on another extra point to put Miles up 21-14. Lozano added a 25-yard field goal to give Miles their winning margin in the fourth quarter.

Miles (3-2) goes into their bye week before hosting Menard in two weeks to start play in District 8-2A Division II.

The Bulldogs, under former head coach Chad Currie, faced Menard twice last season. The Yellowjackets got the better of the Bulldogs in both games. While at Lindsay, Boles' team also met with Menard in the playoffs and came out on top.

"Hopefully [this win] gives us enough confidence to know we can play with them and expect to win that game and win every district game," Boles said. "Obviously, we don't want to get conceited or over confident or anything of that nature. But that's on us as coaches. We've got two weeks to prepare for Menard. Hopefully, we'll be ready for them."

The Bulldogs get some added confidence knowing they're being led by a coach who has beaten Menard in the past.

"This gives us a lot of confidence going into Menard," Bryan said. "And then we also have a coach who's already faced them. So, we should have a bunch of confidence going into that."

Menard (3-2) beat Harper 55-26 on Friday.