Saturday, November 1, 2014

BLACKWATER DRAW — After a bizarre start, which saw West Texas A&M recover their own kickoff and have their opening possession stalled by a bad snap, the Eastern New Mexico University football team (5-4; LSC 3-4) took over and cruised to a 31-21 win over the Buffaloes (5-3; LSC 4-3), Saturday at Greyhound Stadium. The win marked the second straight Wagon Wheel victory for the Hounds and the first at home since the 2004 season.

The win was Eastern's 13th overall in the Wagon Wheel series' 27 games. West Texas A&M holds a 15-13 edge in the overall series, which extends beyond the Wagon Wheel games. The Hounds snapped a seven-year skid in the series last season, with a 39-38 come-from-behind win in Canyon, Texas.

The bad snap came on the first play of the game from scrimmage went for a loss of 17 yards and WT was unable to recover for a first down. The Greyhounds responded with a 10-play, 85 yard drive, which spanned 4:34 and was capped by junior quarterback Jeremy Buurma's (Las Cruces, N.M., Las Cruces HS) eight-yard touchdown run. Buuma capped the next Greyhound drive with a one-yard plunge, and the Hounds got the ball back when Seth Bailey (R-SR., LB, Texico, N.M., Texico HS) stripped the ball from wide Germeny Alridge-Mitchell and it was recovered by Tanner Melson (Bakersfield, Calif., North HS/ Bakersfield College) at the Buffalo 24-yard line. Three plays later, E'lon Spight (St. Louis, Mo., Hazelwood East HS/ Grossmont College) scored his 15th touchdown of the season, to give Eastern a 21-0 lead with 4:33 left in the opening quarter.

The Buffaloes scored on a Geremy Alridge Mitchell 50-yard runearly in the second half, but ENMU responded with Jacob Johnson's (Idalou, Texas, Idalou HS) diving touchdown catch, to retake the 21-point lead. A 29-yard interception return from Julian Yearwood (Las Vegas, Nev., Desert Pines HS/ Mt. San Jacinto College ) late in the third quarter allowed Eastern to take a 31-7 lead on a 40-yard field goal from Mitchell Cox (Kent, Wash., Kentwood Senior HS). West Texas A&M scored twice in the fourth quarter to pull within 10 points, but the Hounds were able to run out the final 4:28 and claim the Wagon Wheel

The Greyhound defense limited West Texas A&M to 266 yards of total offense, which included just 35 in the first half. Eastern finished with 393 yards of offense, with 306 yards rushing. ENMU converted nine of 16 third-down attempts and allowed just one third down conversion. Spight rushed for 161 yards, while Buurma completed six of eight passes. Bailey made six tackles and forced a fumble, while Yearwood had five stops and an interception.

For WT, Preston Rabb passed for 173 yards with a touchdown to Xavier Amey. Alridge Mitchell rushed for 114 yards and two scores. Carter James made 12 tackles.

The Greyhounds will host Texas A&M-Kingsville, next week, while the Buffaloes will host McMurry.