CANYON, Texas – The Wagon Wheel is home.
Eastern New Mexico football beat West Texas A&M in a thrilling 24-21 victory at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium.
Down by 4 points with 1:39 remaining in the game, the Greyhounds drove 75-yards and scored on a 37-yard pass from
Kason Martin to
Tyree Cherry with 14 seconds remaining.
Â
"It was the greatest feeling alive," said
Tyree Cherry on the game-winning catch. "We're bringing it (the Wagon Wheel) back to where it belongs."
The win marks three straight victories in the annual rivalry game when played in Canyon and it is the first victory at WT's new stadium built in 2019.
The Greyhounds and Buffalos traded back-and-forth scoreless drives throughout the first quarter.
The second quarter was a different story. On the first play in the period,
Cooper Hamilton gave Eastern the 3-0 lead with a 36-yard field goal.
On the following drive, WT scored a touchdown and took a 7-3 advantage into the half.
ENMU began the third quarter with favorable field position, but a turnover in the endzone gave the Buffs the ball. From there, the home side marched down the field in 1:34 for an 84-yard scoring drive.
Eastern answered back with a lengthy 7:51 14-play drive ending with a 2-yard
Kiante Stoker touchdown run. It was his first career touchdown.
The senior running back carried the ball 13 times for 49 yards.
The Greyhounds forced a three & out and senior defensive end
Aseli Finau blocked WT's punt giving ENMU the ball at WT's 33-yard line.
Eastern took the game into the fourth quarter and scored a touchdown in the early moments of the frame off a one-yard pass from Martin to
Asa Wondeh to take the 17-14 lead.
Wondeh reeled in a career-best 15 catches for 147 yards. The junior wideout tied the program record for catches in a game set last season by Justin Manyweather against Western New Mexico (10/2/21).
The Greyhounds got an interception on the next drive courtesy of
Zerrian Meander with 8:35 left.
The two teams traded possessions before WT took the lead late in the final quarter with 1:39 setting up the drive of the game for the Hounds.
On the game-winning drive, Wondeh caught three passes for 31-yards out of the five positive yardage plays, but it was Cherry who reeled in the moment that sealed the victory for the Greyhounds.
"It's great for our kids," said Head Coach
Tye Hiatt. "I thought they did a great job and they battled until the end."
With the Wagon Wheel on the bus heading back to where it belongs (Portales), Hiatt and the Hounds prepare for a battle with Western New Mexico next week at Greyhound Stadium with kickoff set for 2 p.m. The football team will host Senior Day festivities before kickoff.
