Athletic Report
November 5, 2000

DENNIS BEARD NAMED LSC SOUTH OFFENSIVE PLAYER-OF-THE-WEEK FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE GAME
PORTALES, NM — Eastern New Mexico University running back Dennis Beard (Jr., Albuquerque, NM/N.M. Mil. Inst.) has been named Lone Star Conference South Division Offensive Player-of-the-Week for the second consecutive week. Beard earned this week’s award for his efforts in ENMU’s 49-21 victory over West Texas A&M on Saturday, Nov. 3.

Beard rushed for 168 yards on 21 carries, and scored 5 touchdowns on runs of 14, 21 26, 11, and 1 yards as ENMU won the annual Wagon Wheel game for the second straight year. Beard’s 5 touchdowns were one short of the ENMU record (6), set by Charlie Painter against Western New Mexico University in 1951. Beard’s 168 yards were a personal high.

Beard scored the Greyhounds’ first 5 touchdowns against West Texas A&M. He scored the first on a 14-yard run in the opening quarter, but Eastern New Mexico trailed 14-7 at the half. He tied the score, 14-14, on a 21-yard run with 5:44 left in the third quarter.

WTAMU pulled ahead, 21-14, with 2:54 left in the third period, but Beard led a powerful ENMU rally that put 35 points on the scoreboard in the final 15:06. He scored on a 26-yard run with 0:06 left in the third quarter, then provided the go-ahead score on an 11-yard scamper with 14:19 left in the game. He added a 1-yard TD run with 6:53 remaining.

The Greyhounds, playing in their final game of the season, improved to 6-4 overall and to 4-2 in the LSC South, while clinching their second straight LSC South co-championship. Which team, or teams, will finish tied with ENMU, will be determined over the next two weekends. Last year, ENMU and Angelo State tied for the LSC South title.

Beard was Eastern’s top rusher during the season. He gained 781 yards on 142 carries, an average of 5.5 yards per rush. He scored 9 touchdowns, and was ENMU’s second leading scorer with 54 points. Beard has rushed for 1,649 yards and scored 21 touchdowns in 21 games with the Greyhounds.