Voted as the play of the game by KMIL, Brian Scott hauls in a 38-yard Ryan Mullins pass in the 3rd quarter that set up Cameron's 3rd TD.  The play came after Fairfield scored on their first play of the 3rd quarter to cut the lead in half and steal the momentum.

YOEMEN SHOOT DOWN EAGLES, AGAIN

(KILLEEN)  For the Cameron Yoemen, Friday’s Area win was just another day at the office racking up 35 points and holding the opponent in check.  For the Fairfield Eagles, the 2004 season ended much like it started as the Yoemen Maroon dominated both sides of the ball. 

In the opening game of the season, the Yoemen beat the Eagles 31-0.  But that was in August.  The Eagles were much improved, losing only to Marlin in District and compiling an 8-3 overall record heading into the second round of the playoffs.  But the Yoemen showed they are a better team as well, beating the Eagles at their own game…ball control.  The Yoemen racked up 236 rushing yards and all five touchdowns on the ground cruising to a 35-7 Area Championship.

The Eagles played right into Coach Mike Mullins hands. Winning the toss and deferring giving the Yoemen the ball first.  From the 38 yard line, TJ Olivari rumbles 19 yards on the first play from scrimmage to kick-start the opening drive that went 62 yards in 7 plays ending with what would be the first of 3 rushing touchdowns by Quarterback Ryan Mullins, this one from 5 yards out.  (Audio) 

The extra point failed and the Yoemen led 6-0. The Yoemen would stuff Fairfield for negative yardage on their first possession and force a punt deep in their own end of the field.  The Defensive tone was set when on the first play from scrimmage for the Eagles, a pass behind the line of scrimmage was stopped for a 5 yard loss when WR Jose Gallegos was obliterated by DB Kendrick Pinchback.   Rayshon Johnson would field the punt at about the Eagle 38 and take it back to the 24 yard line.  6 plays later the Yoemen would hit pay-dirt again as Mullins sneeks in from 7 yards out.  (Audio)  And with less than 7 minutes off the clock the Yoemen are up 12-0.  A circus catch for the 2-point conversion was good when the ball bounced in the air off the pads of Derrick Evans, and into the hands of Brian Scott, and the Yoemen were up 14-0.

QB Ryan Mullins hands off to RB TJ Olivari as the offensive line explodes off the line of scrimmage.

A Slugfest ensued for the rest of the half as the Yoemen and the Eagles traded punches, including a Byron Majors interception on the first play of the 2^nd quarter.  (Audio)  The Yoemen had the ball at the Fairfield 38, and going for the jugular, on the second play of the drive, Brian Scott slipped while throwing a halfback pass to a wide open Curtis Hoyle, and the ball floated into the hands of the Eagles at the 15 yard line.  Neither team capitalized on the turnovers and the Yoemen had the edge at the half 14-0.

When the 3^rd quarter began, it seemed as thought the Eagles had a new mission.  On the first play from scrimmage at the 28, RB Kyle Lightsey goes 72 yards to cut the lead in half.  Then the Eagle defense and Cameron mistakes looked as if the Yoemen were reeling.  A 24 yard run by Shayne Taylor was brought back on a holding call.  But on 3^rd and 23 from the Yoe 18, WR Derrick Evans goes tall over a defender to make

 a fingertip catch on a strike from Mullins for 25 yards and a first down, and the Eagles Fans and sideline were quiet once again.  On the 7^th play of the drive, from the Eagle 41 yard line, Mullins throws another strike, and sophomore Brian Scott makes a diving catch at the 3.  (Audio)  The play sets up Cameron’s 3^rd touchdown when Shayne Taylor gets the call.  (Audio)  The extra point was good and the Yoemen stole back the momentum.   The Defense shut down the Eagles on their next possession when Andrew Holt  bolted into the backfield to drop Eagle QB David Skinner for a 9 yard loss on 3^rd down.  The Yoemen returned the punt to their own 46 yard line and Mullins and Co. go back to work.   It looked as if the drive would stall after a 26 yard Curtis Hoyle run to the 15 was called back on a holding penalty.  But a big-time scramble by Mullins to buy time, and a throw on-the-run connected with Evans at the 20 yard line to keep drive alive.  The drive was complete on the 9^th play when Mullins scored his 3^rd rushing TD of the night from 7 yards out.  (Audio)  And with 2:20 left in the 3^rd quarter the Yoemen had extended their lead to 28-7. 

Head Coach Mike Mullins checks the scoreboard as the final seconds tick off.

The Eagles would try desperately to respond on a 9 play drive that included a 4^th and 2 conversion and a 19 yard reception by Gallegos.  But the defense stiffened inside the 10 yard line and a 4^th and 8 from the Yoe 9 failed and the Yoemen took over at their own 9 yard line with just under 6 minutes to play.

RB TJ Olivari puts the icing on a 35-7 playoff win with a 30-yard TD run late in the 4th Quarter.

The Yoemen would go 91 yards in 8 plays, including a 15 yard Mullins run, runs of 24 and 26 yards by Curtis Hoyle, and a 30 yard TD run by TJ Olivari to put the nail in the coffin, 35-7. (Audio) The drive consumed almost 4 minutes and left the Eagles with too little time to mount a drive, and the Yoemen displayed they too are a much improved team from week 0. 

On the night, Ryan Mullins, the games MVP, went 8 of 15 for 123 yards through the air.  The General also commanded the ground attack with 80 yards on 16 carries and 3 touchdowns.  With time of possession almost even, the Yoemen racked up 364 total yards of offense while Fairfield had 275 yards; 197 on the ground and 78 through the air. 

Following the game Coach Mike Millins said he was happy to practice on Thanksgiving.  (Audio) 

The Yoemen will face Jasper in the 3^rd round on Friday night at Bowers Stadium on the Campus of Sam Houston State University in Huntsville. Jasper was a 44-13 winner over Liberty in a game played last night in Silsbee. 

Cameron fans out-numbered Fairfield fans 3 to 1 Friday at Leo Buckley Stadium in Killeen