SHEPHERDSTOWN — There was more mud than anything else in Jefferson’s messy 22-0 loss to Musselman.

After Friday’s heavy rain postponed the game to Saturday’s lighter rain, the offenses were mostly hampered by the wet and worsening conditions.

The two teams combined for 11 fumbles as they failed to avoid the slippery-going and bare mud that eventually took control of the field between the hashmarks.

Musselman had a 14-0 lead by halftime. A poor snap on a punt attempt by the winless Cougars gave the Applemen, now 3-0, the field position to notch their first points. Another Musselman score came just after Trevin Carter intercepted a Corbin Pierson pass and returned it from the Cougar 35 to the 15 . . . and a personal foul penalty against Jefferson on the play set the Applemen up at the 8.

Blake Hartman had scoring runs of 4- and 2-yards and Tre Beard’s 4-yard run completed the game’s meager scoring.

Hartman had a pair of 2-point conversion runs.

As the game muddied along, making any offensive progress for either side became more and more difficult.

The field, already burdened by Friday’s near-deluge, became each side’s worst enemy. Wherever the offenses ran any series of more than four or five plays, the bare earth was left and the enduring rain would leave small puddles.

Musselman had the better land-based offense, and finding success with any pass of more than 10 yards became increasingly difficult.

The weather won. The field lost — badly.

And Jefferson was left searching for its first win on another evening.