A 9-yard touchdown run by Haylon Jacobs midway through the fourth quarter put the Mexico Bulldogs on the scoreboard for the first time since Sept. 19, but it wasn’t nearly enough to keep Devin Brown’s squad from dropping a third straight varsity contest, all on the road, this time a 21-7 final Friday at Warrenton.

“We’re way too inconsistent,” the Mexico High School head coach said. “We’re making too many mental mistakes for this time of the year, and we can’t have that and be successful.”

The host Warriors, Mexico’s third consecutive road opponent celebrating its homecoming, prevailed for the first time since their season opener by scoring once in each of the first 3 periods and keeping the Bulldogs out of the end zone until 6:22 remained in the game. Garrett Test added the PAT for Mexico, which played without regular kicker Nathan Hagedorn (knee) and featured back Kurt Loyd (ankle).

“We played well at the beginning, I thought, but we got into a situation where we had to play catch-up,” the MHS coach noted. “We need our full squad back as soon as possible.”

Three long pass plays by Warrenton quarterback Scott Lathrop set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Colby Turner with 2:10 left in the first quarter. That scoring drive began at the Warriors’ 40-yard line after a Mexico fumble.

A Lathrop punt return to midfield and his 27-yard keeper for a first down at the Bulldog 21 led to a TD pass to A.J. Wallace on the next play and the second Ethan Garcia’s 3 conversion kicks at the 7:10 mark of the second period.

Lathrop’s 66-yard scoring dash on Warrenton’s second snap of the second half put the game out of reach for all intents and purposes. Mexico’s lone scoring drive began at its own 41 and featured 4 completions by quarterback Austin Melvin, plus a 20-yard dash by Melvin, before Jacobs took the ball across the goal line and Test made the PAT from longer than usual distance after a penalty.

Warrenton recovered the ensuing onside kick at its own 37 and ran out the clock. Lathrop, a sophomore, rushed for 101 yards and passed for 110 more, completing 7 of 11 attempts.
Melvin finished with 10 completions in 23 attempts for 94 yards, Jermaine Thompson led Mexico rushers with 47 yards on 11 carries and Jacobs recorded 2 sacks.

The Bulldogs (2-4) will play yet another homecoming contest Friday, but this time it will be their own. Mexico takes on NCMC rival Hannibal, a 41-14 winner overs state-ranked Moberly.
District play starts the following week.