Saturday, October 18, 2014
BLACKWATER DRAW — The Eastern New Mexico University football team (4-3; LSC 2-3) used a 100-yard kick return from
D'Maujeric Tucker (So., RB, Lubbock, Texas/Frenship HS), an interception from
Seth Bailey (R-SR., LB, Texico, N.M./Texico HS) and an on-side kick from
Mitchell Cox (So., K/P, Kent, Wash./Kentwood Senior HS) in a furious second-half rally against Tarleton State (3-3; LSC 3-2). The Texans picked up a 59-42 win over the Hounds in a battle of last season's Lone Star Conference co-champions, Saturday night at Greyhound Field.
E'lon Spight (Sr., FB, St. Louis, Mo. / Hazelwood East HS / Grossmont College) and
Aaron Johnson (So., WR, Colorado Springs, Colo./Vista Ridge HS) both turned in strong performances for ENMU. Spight rushed for a career-high 193 yards and crossed the goal line three times, while Johnson caught four passes for a career-best 117 yards along with two scores. Tarleton State's Colin Strahan registered an incredible performance with 386 passing yards and five touchdowns and had 157 yards on the ground along with a pair of touchdown runs.
On the first play of the game from scrimmage, Strahan ran up the middle for a 49-yard touchdown. After tossing an 11-yard touchdown pass to Clifton Rhodes III, Strahan added an 89-yard touchdown sprint to put TSU ahead, 21-0 with 6:28 left in the opening quarter. On the fourth play of the ensuing drive, Spight broke a 46-yard touchdown run, to get the Hounds on the board. The Texans responded with another big play, and regained the 21-point advantage on a 75-yard touchdown run from Jabari Anderson.
Early in the second quarter, the Texans drove into the Greyhound redzone, but had to settle for a 33-yard field goal from Blake Barnes. Tarleton added one more touchdown in the final seconds of the half, on an 11-yard grab from LeNard Meyers, to take a 38-7 lead into the locker room.
Eastern took the second-half kickoff and capped a 75-yard drive with Spight's tackle-breaking 16-yard touchdown run. After the Texan's ensuing possession stalled after a sack from
Michael Cowden (Jr., DL, Aztec, N.M./Aztec HS) and
Joshua Bounds (R-Jr., Dripping Springs, Texas/Dripping Springs HS), the Greyhounds drove to the TSU 13-yard line, before Devin Figures forced a fumble, which was recovered by Chase Varnado. Tarleton State took advantage with a 91-yard drive to extend its lead to 45-14, but Tucker sprinted down the visitor's sideline on the kickoff for a 100-yard touchdown.
On the second play of Tarleton State's next possession, Bailey grabbed a pass from Strahan and returned the interception 16-yards to the Texan 26-yard line. It took one play for
Jeremy Buurma (R-Jr., QB, Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces HS) to find Johnson in the right corner of the endzone, to pull ENMU to within 45-27. After another touchdown Tarleton State, Buurma connected with Johnson again, this time for a 70-yard touchdown pass and followed with a two-point conversion pass to
Myles Johnson (Sr., RB, Los Angeles, Calif./Carson HS/Santa Monica Junior CC). Each team had a touchdown in the fourth quarter, with Tarleton State holding on for the win.
After giving up 457 yards of total offense including rushing yards 236 yards in the first half, the Hounds limited Tarleton State to 206 yards with 41 rushing yards in the second half.
For the game, Eastern held the ball for 39:26 and rushed for 294 yards. Tarleton State's 277 rushing yards were the most for any opponent this season. Buurma passed for 179 yards and two scores and had 58 rushing yards. Bailey finished with 10 tackles with 2.5 for a loss, an interception and a blocked field goal. Cox averaged 44 yards on five punts, with four being downed inside the Texan 20-yard line. LeNard Meyers had six catches for 124 yards and four scores for Tarleton State.
Next Saturday, the Eastern New Mexico University football team will visit Angelo State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT.
NOTES Tucker's 100-yard kick return marked the fifth time a Greyhound has gone endzone to endzone. The last time came on September 11, 2004 on Corey White's return against Southwestern Oklahoma State
The return also marked the second Tucker has taken for a touchdown. His first came last season at West Texas A&M
