Saturday, September 24, 2016

SAN ANGELO, TEXAS — After a 49-yard missed field-goal attempt by Angelo State Kamal Cass capped an 11-play drive to give the Eastern New Mexico University football team (2-2; LSC 2-1) the lead for good, in Saturday's game at LeGrand Stadium. The Hounds would also score touchdowns after a pair of interceptions on the way to a 25-point halftime lead. The opportunistic Greyhounds held on for a 25-14 win over the Rams (1-3; LSC 0-2) in Lone Star Conference.

The win was Eastern's second in the last three trips to San Angelo, Texas, and improved ENMU to 16-24-1 overall against the Rams. The last time the Hounds earned a road win over ASU, they rallied from a 28-point deficit in the 2013 season. Eastern also emerged from that game with a 2-2 record.

The Turning Point

• Early in the first quarter, Angelo State came up with a stop of fourth-and-two at their own 41-yard line
• A 21-yard completion from Jake Faber to Deontae Scott keyed the ensuing ASU drive, which ended in a missed 49-yard field goal
• After ENMU took possession at the their own 32-yard line, six of the drive's 11 plays were runs by Cass for 42 yards
• Cass capped the drive with a three-yard run for the first score of the game

How the Greyhounds Pulled Away

• ASU had a first-and-10 at their own 33-yard line on the first play of the second quarter
• Desmond Blue stepped in front of a Farber pass and returned it 15 yards for his second interception of the season
• Cass capped the ensuing 22-yard drive with a two-yard touchdown run
• Bailey Hale followed an ASU punt, with a 31-yard field goal
•  Angelo State's next possession ended with a Cory Harris interception at the ENMU 30-yard line, which he returned to the Ram 49-yard line
• After 39-yard pass from Leondre Williams to Aaron Johnson, Wyatt Strand scored from 10 yards out
• Russell Montoya hit Logan O'Brien for the two-point conversion, to allow ENMU a 25-0 halftime lead
• Jason Dixon registered a sack at the end of the first half, with Desmond Blue recovering the fumble

Fourth Quarter

• The Rams managed to score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, but Kolter West recovered a short kickoff which allowed ENMU to run out the clock

In the Numbers

• ENMU held a 262-148 edge in rushing yards
• Eastern's average drive start was their own 40-yard line, while the Rams had an average start of their own 28-yard line
• The Greyhounds time of possession for the game was 38:10
• Todd Countee had an interception, giving the Hounds three for the game, the most since last season's win over Tarleton State (also a road game)
• Hayden Hill led the pass rush with 1.5 sacks
• Cass rushed for 141 yards, while Strand ran for 69 yards
• Brad Hardin made a team-best seven tackles with five solo stops
• Hale averaged 41.2 yards on punts and had two downed inside the 20-yard line
• Carsen Cook passed for two touchdowns for ASU, and ran for 102 yards

 
The Eastern New Mexico University football team will return to action on Saturday, October 1, to host West Texas A&M at Al Whitehead Field at Greyhound Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT.