September 15, 1997
For Immediate Release
Contact: Judy Willson, SID
505.562.4309 or 356-4755

Saturday, September 20
Southwestern Oklahoma State University vs. Eastern New Mexico 6:00 pm
Greyhound Stadium, Blackwater Draw, New Mexico

The Teams...Eastern New Mexico and Southwestern Oklahoma come into this Saturday's game with opposite records. The Greyhounds upped their record to 2-0 on Saturday with a last second win over New Mexico Highlands, 34-31. The Bulldogs come into this week's game with an 0-2 overall record an 0-1 LSC record after last week's 34-7 loss to West Texas A&M. This will be the first Lone Star Conference game of the season for ENMU. It is a crossover game and will count in the conference standings, not in the divisional standings.

The Series...is resuming after an 11-year hiatus. The battle of the Hounds and Dogs began in 1939 with a 16-12 ENMU win. The series continued off and on until 1952 when the battle raged annually with Southwestern Oklahoma dominating the series from 1964 to 1982, 18-1. The Bulldogs lead the series 25-11-2.

1939 - ENM, 16-12
1940 - SWO, 12-0
1946 - SWO, 47-12
1947 - SWO, 33-0
1952 - ENM, 14-6
1953 - SWO, 19-0
1954 - ENM, 13-7
1955 - SWO, 6-0
1956 - SWO, 7-0
1957 - TIE, 14-14
1958 - TIE, 7-7
1959 - ENM, 7-6
1960 - ENM, 27-0
1961 - ENM, 14-0
1962 - ENM, 20-0
1963 - ENM, 14-6
1964 - SWO, 23-20
1965 - SWO, 28-7
1966 - SWO, 21-6
1967 - SWO, 20-0
1968 - SWO, 21-20
1969 - SWO, 66-51
1970 - SWO, 31-20
1971 - SWO, 45-28
1972 - SWO, 6-0
1973 - SWO, 10-7
1974 - ENM, 17-6
1975 - SWO, 48-18
1976 - SWO, 21-8
1977 - SWO, 41-0
1978 - SWO, 24-14
1979 - SWO, 30-6
1980 - SWO, 30-10
1981 - SWO, 43-14
1982 - SWO, 24-7
1983 - ENM, 38-7
1984 - ENM, 14-10
1985 - SWO, 25-14

Against New Mexico Highlands...the Greyhounds saved the best for last. With nine seconds left in the game, the Cowboys kicked a field goal to take the lead 31-28. On the ensuing kickoff, ENMU senior halfback/return specialist Charlie Ragle (Playas) brought the return back 80 yards for the winning touchdown with no time left on the clock. The game was considered an upset because NMHU came into the game ranked seventh in the NCAA Division II West Region.

Sophomore fullback Bruce Hatch (Bloomfield) had the first 100+ yard rushing game of his collegiate career. Hatch had 143 yards on 19 carries. His rushes set up two Cam Sanders' (Sr., QB, Arlington, Texas) touchdowns and a touchdown by senior halfback Craig Williams (Yuma, Ariz.).

Defensively, the Hounds came up with two safeties in under three minutes in the fourth quarter to increase their lead to 28-20. Linebacker Mason Dool (Sr., Temecula, Calif.) caused the first safety with a blocked punt that rolled out the back of the endzone. His linebacking counterpart Michael Walton (So., Earth, Texas) caused the second safety less than three minutes later when he sacked NMHU quarterback Chad Roanhaus in the endzone. Junior strong safety Tony Cavalier (Pampa, Texas) picked off his second interception of the season late in the second quarter for a return of 27 yards to stop a key NMHU drive. Cavalier also blocked an extra point attempt by the Cowboys in the second quarter.

The win gives Eastern New Mexico the unofficial New Mexico small college state championship for 1997. The Greyhounds have won the title three of the four years under head coach Bud Elliott.

About Southwestern Oklahoma State (0-2, 0-1 LSC)...the Bulldogs, under head coach Paul Sharp, come into Greyhound Stadium with two losses to LSC-South Division teams. In the first game of the season SWOSU lost to Abilene Christian, 25-17, then followed it up with a loss this past weekend to West Texas A&M.

Offensively they are led by senior quarterback and LSC-North Division pre-season MVP Brad Woodard. Woodard is averaging 116.0 yards passing per game. His favorite targets are tight end Charwick Reed and split end Damon Willis. Reed has 6 receptions for 96 yards, while Willis has 4 catches for 50 yards.

Defensively free safety Landon Curtis leads all tacklers with 25 over two games. Curtis had 10 tackles against West Texas, followed by linebacker Brian Stansberry with nine.

SWOSU was the 1996 NAIA Division I national champion. This is their first year competing in the Lone Star Conference and NCAA Division II.

Grounded Hounds...linebacker James Perez (Jr., Albuquerque) will be out for this week's game with a soft tissue injury to his back that he suffered in the first quarter on Saturday. Senior quarterback Andy Cavalier (Pampa, Texas) will still be out for the next 1-3 games following orthoscopic knee surgery in late August. Cavalier has had several knee surgeries throughout his career. Three players will be out for a while following surgery - defensive lineman Dan McNally (Carrollton, Texas) had shoulder surgery last week, while defensive back Adrian Adams (Clovis) will have shoulder surgery some time next week; defensive lineman Jeremy King (Clovis) is also out for this week's game following knee surgery several weeks ago.

Quotes from Bud...About the Highlands game - "I am happy with the win. I'm pleased that our football team found so many ways to score (rushing, safeties, field goal, kickoff return). The difference in the game was definitely in the special teams play."

About Southwestern Oklahoma State - "They are bringing in a good passer (Woodard) with a lot of good help. Defensively, they have a few good players at linebacker and defensive back. We still have a ways to go but have already reached several goals."

Coaches Awards for NMHU Game...
Leader of the Pack (offense) -- Bruce Hatch, FB, So., Bloomfield
Mean Green (defense) -- Tony Cavalier, SS, Jr., Pampa, Texas
Hungry Hound (special teams) -- Brian Cocking, K/P, Sr., Los Alamos; Charlie Ragle, HB, Sr., Playas; Tony Cavalier, SS, Jr., Pampa, Texas; Mason Dool, LB, Sr., Temecula, Calif.
Hustler -- Michael Walton, LB, So., Earth, Texas; Kobie Lewis, CB, Jr., Union City, Calif.; Carson Joachim, SE, So., Richmond, Texas
Pride (scout team) -- Cliffton Coffee, CB, So., Chicago, Ill.; Damian Norris, K/P, Jr., Albuquerque; Jerrick Huckaby, P, Fr., Artesia; Brian Cocking, K/P, Sr., Los Alamos
Big Hit -- Jason Swindle, FS, Sr., Albuquerque

The New LSC...the 1997 season begins expanded conference competition with 15 schools competing for the Lone Star Conference title. ENMU will compete in the South Division with Abilene Christian University, Angelo State University, Midwestern State University, Tarleton State University, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas A&M University-Kingsville and West Texas A&M University. The Greyhounds were picked sixth in the 1997 LSC-South Division Pre-season Football Poll with 136 points behind Texas A&M-Kingsville (334), Angelo State (274), Texas A&M-Commerce (248), Abilene Christian (210) and Tarleton State (144). They will play each team in the South Division once, with two crossover games thrown in against North Division opponents. Each division will name a champion with the conference champion being determined on a combined divisional and crossdivisional record.

Hounds on the Airwaves...107.5 KSMX-FM will carry all the Greyhound football games at home and on the road. Don Elder will call the play-by-play as the "Voice of the Greyhounds" for the 1997 season. He will be joined on broadcasts by color man Travis Barger. Elder will also host the weekly Coaches Show on Thursday evenings at 6:30 pm from Juanito's Restaurant in Portales. The Coaches Show will be a weekly interview with Greyhound Head Football Coach Bud Elliott and special appearances by other ENMU and Portales High School coaches. KSMX is a member of Bergman Broadcasting, Inc.

Hounds on the Tube...the weekly television sports show, Sports Look, begins broadcasting this week at 9:00 pm on KENW-TV, Channel 3. Dallan Sanders will host the program that takes a look at all the college and high school sports action in the eastern portion of New Mexico. Tentatively scheduled for this week will be special guest ENMU's new Director of Athletics Rosie Stallman.

Coming Up for the Hounds...ENMU will travel to Durant, Oklahoma on Saturday, September 27 to take on LSC-North Division opponent Southeastern Oklahoma State University for the Savages Homecoming at 1:30 pm