PHOTOS BY CHERI JAY-WIENECKE Lometa Hornets Colter Burr (27) and Cody Brister (6) attempt to block Richland Springs' path to make way for Ramiro Hernandez (17), who is headed toward the goal line. The Hornets fell to the Coyotes 48-0. Next up for Lometa is a contest against Cherokee on the road. Game time is at 7:30 p.m. Small mistakes on the field can make a big difference on the scoreboard.

At Richland Springs last Friday night, the Hornets shot themselves in the foot on several occasions and the home team knew exactly what to do when they did. The Coyotes pounced on the opportunities and won their home game in convincing fashion, earning a mercy rule victory, 48-0.

Despite the final score, Hornets' head coach Wendell Bradley was excited about his squad's performance against the state powerhouse.

"It was three or four good plays and then one mistake and, boom, you get punched in the mouth," Bradley said. "It's not like we laid down and rolled over. We just made mistakes and let the game get away from us, and before we had time to recover, it was over."

Hornet Charlie Wagner (above) attempts to pull down the Coyotes' ball carrier in a contest last week at Cherokee. Below, The Hornets are swarmed by Cherokee players in the 48-0 Lometa loss. Lometa certainly had opportunities to change the final outcome early in the contest.

The Hornets' defense was staunch during the Coyotes' opening series, forcing them to fight for their first first down and then picking up a sack. But, on second-and-long, Lometa made a mental miscue and gave up a 61-yard touchdown.

The mistakes continued on offense as the Hornets picked up a penalty, and then Richland Springs scored on a safety.

On the ensuing Coyotes' possession, the Hornets' defense held its ground once again and it took the opposing offense eight plays to drive into the end zone.

With an opportunity to trim the Coyotes' lead to eight points, the mental errors crept into play once again as an easy touchdown pass was dropped after Lometa marched down the field and into scoring range.

"We had a chance to make it 16- 8, and we dropped a 12-yard pass," Bradley said. "It wasn't like it was a long bomb or a hail Mary, it was just a little 12-yard pass."

PHOTOS BY CHERI JAY-WIENECKE Richland Springs' offense immediately capitalized, increasing its lead to 24 points, and Lometa responded with another error, turning the ball over off a fumble after advancing down the field.

"At that point, it could have been 24-16," the coach said. "If we could eliminate those miscues, then we're going to be rolling.

"Against a good team like Richland [Springs], they're just going to punish you when you make a mistake like that."

And they did until the mercy rule was evoked.

The outcome evens both teams' records at 2-1, but elevates the Coyotes from No. 15 into the state's top 10 to No. 9, according to SixManFootball.com. The loss drops Lometa seven spots in the rankings to No. 39.

Tonight, the Hornets play the third game of their four-week road stint at Cherokee. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m.

The Indians (2-1) are ranked No. 104 and come into the contest as a 40-point underdog, but Bradley puts little faith in the spread after Cherokee upset the Hornets 38-36 in Lometa last year.

"We talk about that all the time," Bradley said. "[We can't] leave the door open for them to come in and steal another ball game from us like they did last year.

"That was just one we gave away for really no good reason, other than not taking care of our business."