Well, the Brownfield Cubs football team punched their ticket to the Class 3A Division I playoffs and they get the chance to meet up with Muleshoe for the third time in a year. So to say that this Bi-District Championship game is not that important… think again. Brownfield is itching for a win over the Mules and they will get that chance one more time. The Cubs have lost to the Mules twice since November 11, 2021, and those losses were by a combined score of 6 points. In the 2021 Bi-District game the Cubs fell 21-17 and earlier this season the Cubs came in with a 5-0 record and went home with their first loss of the season to the Mules 39-37.
The Cubs did have a turn-around season from last year when they finished 3-7, (3-2 District) and this year finishing 8-2, (3-1 in district). The last time the Cubs won a Bi-District trophy was eight years ago in 2014 when they took on the Childress Bobcats beating them 35-28. They fell the next week to Wall in the Area Round, and Brownfield was in District 2-3A DI which at that time could’ve arguably been the toughest 3A district in the state.
How did the Cubs get to this point? The Cubs traveled over to Post where Brownfield had their way in their season opener winning 45-12, next they hosted Tulia who they lost to last season, but this year was a bit different moving to a 2-0 start beating the Hornets 35-7. The third game of the season would be a huge one since it was against last year’s 3A DII State Semi-finalist team Lubbock Roosevelt. The Cubs went into eagle country a won 49-34. Next, the Cubs hosted Dimmitt and took care of business pretty well winning 61-10.
The Cubs would have three games in a row away beginning with Littlefield. The Cubs showed up at Wildcat Stadium 4-0 and the same with Littlefield, and it was hard fought game until the fourth quarter where they sealed the win 28-14. Next, they traveled a little further up US Highway 84 and took on the Mules of Muleshoe. Brownfield came in 5-0 and Muleshoe was 4-1, plus the Cubs were looking for some payback from last season’s Bi-District loss. Unfortunately, the Cubs would travel home with their first loss of the season 39-37.
The next week the Cubs had their district opener against the Mustangs at Denver City. The rain came down, there was lighting, the field was very wet, and the Cubs with the Mustangs had to wait to play their game two hours later. With a high octane offense that Brownfield has, a wet football is not a good football. So, DC ran the ball and won by a touchdown 28-21. Now sitting at 4-2, and the by-week not coming until the 10th week, the Cubs needed a victory. That they did by knocking off Lamesa 30-22, beating Kermit in high fashion 34-0, and in the final game, after a much-needed break, taking down Slaton 20-6.
So here are the Cubs to take on the Mules one more time. The Mules finished the regular season 7-3 and took the 3rd seed out of District 2-3A DI in the playoffs. Their losses in district came from Bushland 34-0, and Shallowater 48-20, and they barely escaped Dalhart taking 3rd seed by winning 27-23. The Mules posted 251 points in ten games and allowed 251 points in ten games meaning they average 25 points a game and allowed an average of 25 points a game. Like Brownfield, the Mules know the Cubs inside and out and vice versa.
The Cubs, on paper, look to be ahead of the curve. Brownfield averaged 36 points a game throughout the regular season and allowed 17 points on average. Ironically only one team scored over 35 points on the Cubs this season, and that is the Mules. Coach Flores and company have worked hard over the past few years to get to this point and be poised to win a Bi-District Championship. Obviously, this is no walk-in-the-park game, because Muleshoe has already shown they can hang with the Cub’s fast-paced offense. That means Brownfield’s defense will need a stellar performance.
