Athletic Report
November 6, 1999

ENMU DEFEATS WEST TEXAS A&M, 24-16
Greyhounds Pull Within Game of 1st in LSC South
PORTALES, NM — It was Senior Day for the Eastern New Mexico football team as the Greyhound took on archrival West Texas A&M in the annual Wagon Wheel game on Sat., Nov. 6.

As if on command, two seniors had great games for the Hounds, who defeated the Buffaloes, 24-16. The all-time series is now tied, with each team earning 7 victories. Quarterback Bobby Rodriguez (Sr., Santa Teresa, NM/Las Cruces H.S.) and middle linebacker Michael Walton (Sr., Earth, TX/Springlake-Earth H.S.) provided several key plays, helping ENMU improve to 7-3 overall and 5-3 in the Lone Star Conference South Division.

The Greyhounds also pulled within one game of division leader Angelo State, which lost to Texas A&M-Commerce, 14-10. ENMU concludes the regular season at Midwestern State next Saturday, while Angelo State finishes at Texas A&M-Kingsville. West Texas A&M fell to 2-8 overall and 1-7 in the LSC South. The Buffaloes have lost 5 games by one touchdown or less this season.

The first half included several strange plays. West Texas started the game’s first possession at its own 4-yard line and earned two first downs before being forced to punt. The kick hit an ENMU blocker at the WTAMU 48-yard line, and was recovered by the Buffaloes.

Six plays later, Kyle Duncan’s 29-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Walton. Eastern’s Tonmar Johnson (Jr., CB, Vallejo, CA/Henderson State) picked up the ball and dashed 80 yards for the game’s first touchdown. He cut toward the middle of the field after 50 yards to avoid a tackle, then went untouched the rest of the way.

Later in the period, the Greyhounds increased their lead to 14-0 with a 3-play 61-yard drive. Rodriguez completed the quick drive with a 60-yard pass to Cale Sanders (Fr., WR, Roswell, NM/Goddard H.S.). Jeff Wareing (So., PK, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo H.S.) kicked the extra point.

When the quarter ended, ENMU still had a two-touchdown lead despite only 3:37 of possession time. In the second period, West Texas scored its first points on an ENMU penalty. Rodriguez was called for intentional grounding in the ENMU end zone. Asanti Danzie caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Rick Leach with 11:06 left in the half, as WTAMU pulled within 14-9.

A 6-play, 60-yard drive by Eastern led to a 20-yard field goal by Wareing with 8:37 left in the third quarter, as the Hounds increased their lead to 17-9. Early in the fourth quarter, Rodriguez completed a lengthy 15-play, 81-yard drive with a 6-yard pass to Jarrod Fisher (So., TE, Sudan, TX/Texas Tech). ENMU led 24-9 with 13:43 left.

West Texas answered with a 10-play 64-yard drive later in the period. DeWayne Miles, who led all rushers with 22 carries for 106 yards, completed the drive with a 29-yard TD run. Duncan added the PAT, and with 6:14 remaining, ENMU’s lead was cut to 24-16.

The Greyhounds drove from their own 20 to the WTAMU 24, but fumbled with 2:50 remaining and the Buffaloes took over. West Texas reached midfield, but a holding penalty cost the Buffs 10 yards, and on 1st-and-20, Leach’s pass was intercepted by Walton at the WTAMU 47 and returned to the 43. ENMU gained two first downs to run out the clock.

Rodriguez was 8 of 12 passing for 183 yards and 2 TDs. He also gained 25 yards on 13 rushing plays. He has passed for 1,148 yards this year, and has 2,136 career passing yards. Sanders caught two passes for 65 yards for the Hounds. ENMU gained 407 yards of total offense, but started 11 of 13 drives inside its own 40-yard line.

Walton led the ENMU defense with 9 solo tackles, 1 assist, a blocked field goal and the game-clinching interception. He went over the 500-mark in career tackles early in the first quarter (he finished with 505).

Leach was 5 of 25 passing for 107 yards and 1 TD for WTAMU. Miles’ 106 rushing yards were more than half of the Buffs 152 total rushing yards. West Texas finished with 259 total yards. Chaun Thompson was WTAMU’s top tackler. He earned a game-high 17 tackles, including 13 unassisted. Terrence Meeks had 10 tackles for the Buffs.