Athletic Report
November 9, 1998

FOOTBALL (7-3, 5-3 LSC)
Eastern New Mexico held 15th-ranked West Texas A&M to 23 points below its scoring average, but the Buffs edged the Greyhounds, 13-10, in the annual Wagon Wheel game, Nov. 7 in Canyon, Texas. Eastern, tied for 19th in NCAA Division II, fell to 7-3 overall and 5-3 in the Lone Star Conference. West Texas improved to 8-2, 7-1 in the LSC.

West Texas A&M entered the game averaging 36.2 points. Eastern limited the Buffaloes to one touchdown and two field goals, and did not allow WTAMU to score in the second half.

Eastern put the game’s first points on the scoreboard following a fumble by West Texas running back DeWayne Miles at the WTAMU 23-yard line. Danny Cummings (Sr., SS, Raton, NM/Raton H.S.) caused the fumble, and Tony Cavalier (Sr., FS, Pampa, TX/Pittsburg State) recovered the ball and returned it to the WTAMU 18-yard line.

The Greyhounds took over with 9:02 remaining in the first quarter and scored quickly. On the first play, Todd Wallis (Sr., FB, Lewisville, TX/Marcus H.S.) scored on an 18-yard carry. Jeff Wareing (Fr., PK, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo H.S.) converted the extra point for a 7-0 ENMU lead.

West Texas tied the game by driving 76 yards in 10 plays. Running back Patrick Strambler finished the drive with a 1-yard run with 3:43 left in the opening quarter.

Two more lengthy drives led to West Texas field goals, as the Buffaloes built a 13-7 halftime advantage. The first drive covered 46 yards in 10 plays, and resulted in a 45-yard field goal by Kyle Duncan. The second drive began at the ENMU 46, with West Texas eventually earning a 1st-and-goal at the ENMU 5-yard line.

Strambler gained 2 yards on first down, then was tackled for a 6-yard loss on second down. The Greyhounds sacked quarterback Gary Thomas for a 13-yard loss on third down. Michael Becker kicked a 39-yard field goal.

ENMU put together a solid drive at the end of the third quarter. The Greyhounds marched 75 yards in 8 plays.

A blitz on 3rd-and-goal at the West Texas 5-yard line put pressure on quarterback Bobby Rodriguez (So., St. Teresa, NM/Las Cruces H.S.), and his pass to tailback Dennis Beard (So., Albuquerque, NM/N.M. Mil. Inst.) fell short in the front corner of the end zone.

On fourth down, Wareing pulled the Greyhounds within three points by kicking a 22-yard field goal. The score came with 14:50 left in the fourth quarter.

ENMU battled poor field position all day. The Greyhounds began 10 of 11 possessions on Eastern’s side of the field, including 7 inside the 25-yard line. After pulling within 13-10, Eastern had two possessions — starting at the ENMU 16 and the ENMU 10.

On the final possession, Eastern moved the ball to the ENMU 26-yard line. The drive ended on an incomplete pass on fourth down.

The game’s top offensive player was Strambler, who gained 170 yards on 27 carries. Beard led the Greyhounds with 112 yards on 15 carries for his fourth 100-yard game of the season.

For West Texas, Thomas completed 13 of 27 passes for 177 yards. Justin Schantz caught 6 passes for 64 yards and Antonio Harrison had 3 passes for 66 yards. WTAMU gained 330 total yards. ENMU achieved 265 yards.

Rodriguez was 5 of 13 passing for 103 yards. Two passes — including a 34-yarder — were caught by wide receiver Brian Weimer (So., Clovis, NM/Clovis H.S.) for a total of 58 yards.

DEFENDERS PROVIDE BIG PLAYS
Against West Texas, the ENMU defensive recorded many key plays. Floyd White (Jr., LB, Pampa, TX/ Pampa H.S.) and Tony Cavalier (Sr., FS, Pampa, TX/Pittsburg State) each had 13 tackles. Danny Cummings (Sr., SS, Raton, NM/Raton H.S.) added 10 tackles, and Michael Walton (Jr., LB, Earth, TX/Texas Tech) had 9 tackles.

Walton recorded the game’s most memorable defensive play by leap- ing over the line of scrimmage and tackling Strambler — all in one motion — on 3rd-and-one. White led Eastern with 6 tackles for losses and 2.5 sacks.

Cavalier recovered a fumble to set up Eastern’s TD. He also intercepted a pass and broke up one pass.

BEARD PROVIDES SOLID RUNNING
ENMU tailback Dennis Beard (So., Albuquerque, NM/N.M. Mil. Inst.) has rushed for 100 yards in 3 of the last 4 games. He gained 125 yards against Tarleton State (Oct. 17), then rushed for 147 yards versus TAMU-Kingsville (Oct. 31). He added 112 yards against West Texas (Nov. 8). Overall, he has four 100-yard games, and leads ENMU with 805 yards on 133 carries (11 TDs).

UP NEXT FOR THE GREYHOUNDS
The Greyhounds conclude their 1998 schedule on Sat., Nov. 14, when they host Midwestern State University. Kickoff for the LSC South Division game is set for 1:00 p.m. (MST). If the Greyhounds win, they will finish the season with an 8-3 record, ENMU’s best record since going 9-2 in 1987. Eastern has already clinched its 8th winning season in the last 13 years.