Game balls for Mullen in Week 3

Facing a top-five ranked team at home in a rivalry game, the Mullen Mustangs proved tough and played a great game with Regis Jesuit, but the Mustangs would come up short 35-21 and fall to 1-2 on the season. Despite the loss, the Mustangs look like a team that can challenge for a playoff spot and still be a dangerous threat for opposing team. That was on display Friday night with a number of players having a big night. Here are the game balls handed out to Mullen for its Week 3 game in the Holy War. <h3><strong>Hunter Lay, 2023, 6’3, 205, DE</strong></h3> Lay was perhaps the MVP for Mullen in the game. He had a huge night from his defensive end spot and wreaked havoc all night long. He did a good job getting up the field and rushing the quarterback, and even if he did not get to him for a sack, he thrived getting his hands up and batting the ball for a pass deflection. There were a couple of those from Lay in the game. And despite being a smaller lineman for the team, he showed he can get off blocks and stuff a run heading his direction. His play against the run and the pass made Lay a player hard not to notice in the game, and he is a player who could become a rising prospect based on his performance in Week 3. <h3><strong>Michael Brouilette, 2022, 6’0, 190, WR/DB</strong></h3> When it appeared momentum was getting away from Mullen early they found a spark with Brouilette. He got the first spark for the team on a kickoff return when he hit the seam and went for more than 30 yards to set up Mullen with decent field position on its opening drive. When the team had to punt and allowed a second touchdown shortly after, he got the team right back in the game with a kickoff return to the end zone on his second attempt. If anything, Brouilette showed he can be a factor in the special teams. He is also a good defender who made a number of stops in the secondary for the team. Because his returns on special teams provided life, Mullen was able to stay in the game and not let it get out of reach. <h3><strong>Owen Hearty, 2022, 6’4, WR/K</strong></h3> Hearty certainly has the build for a wide receiver to contribute, and he flashed that ability in the second half of the game. When targeted, he showed he had sure hands to haul in a pass. He can go down the field and take the top off the defense with a deep route, but he can also work over the middle in the short passing game. His biggest highlight came in the fourth quarter when he faced a cornerback one-on-one and was able to high point the ball with his 6-foot-4 frame for a tough touchdown reception. The combination of speed, size and his hands means that Mullen has a good receiver in Hearty to target in the passing game. <h3><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="22710" first="Jaxon" last="Heil"], 2022, 5’9, 190, RB/LB</strong></h3> Heil, a team captain this season, was productive on both sides of the ball in Week 3. He caught a touchdown pass and got to run the ball a couple of times on offense, but his biggest impact was from his linebacker spot. He delivered some big hits and was able to get in the backfield to disrupt some runs and passes in the game. And he plays with a high motor, so he was around the pile for some gang tackles as well. The productive linebacker is drawing interest from a number of small colleges so far, and it is no surprised based on the activity and level of play he showed in the game Friday.