Athletic Report
September 2, 2000

GREYHOUNDS OPEN SEASON WITH 41-6 WIN OVER WESTERN NEW MEXICO
PORTALES, NM — Eastern New Mexico University scored 21 first quarter points, including a school record 81-yard punt return by senior cornerback Tonmar Johnson (Vallejo, CA/Henderson State Univ.), as the Greyhounds defeated Western New Mexico University, 41-6, in the season opener for ENMU, Sept. 2 at Greyhound Stadium. Western New Mexico, which lost at West Texas A&M 50-0 on Aug. 26, fell to 0-2 on the season. It was ENMU’s seventh consecutive victory over the Mustangs.

Eastern’s last four wins over WNMU have come in the season opener. The Greyhounds put the game’s first points on the scoreboard on a 45-yard run by Taryll Boxton (So., RB, Albuquerque, NM/Del Norte H.S.) with 5:49 left in the opening period. The touchdown came on second-and-5 and completed an 80-yard, 3-play drive.

Eastern’s other big play on the drive was a 30-yard pass from quarterback James Williams (Jr., Earth, TX/ Springlake-Earth H.S.) to tight end Josh Lynn (Sr., Eunice, NM/Eunice H.S.). Place-kicker Mike Trimble (Jr., Houston, TX/Adams State College) converted the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Johnson’s record-setting punt return came less than three minutes later, with 2:59 on the clock. He followed his blockers down the middle of the field, then cut toward the right sideline on his way to the end zone. Johnson has set three ENMU return records in the Greyhounds’ last three games: 80-yard blocked field goal return against West Texas A&M on Nov. 6, 1999; 100-yard interception return versus Midwestern State on Nov. 13, 1999; plus the 81-yard punt return against WNMU. He was named Second Team All-LSC South at cornerback last season.

Western New Mexico returned the ensuing kickoff to their own 49-yard line. The Mustangs scored five plays later on an 8 -yard run by Carl Richardson. Marc Powers missed the extra point, leaving ENMU in front, 14-6.

The Greyhounds squeezed in one more touchdown before the first quarter ended. Dennis Beard (Jr., RB, Albuquerque, NM/N.M. Military Inst.) took a pitch toward the right sideline and dashed 60 yards for the score. Beard, who did not play in 1999 for personal reasons, scored 12 touchdowns in 1998.

Trimble made his third PAT of the night, as the Greyhounds achieved a 21-6 advantage. Trimble added a 24-yard field goal with 3:48 remaining in the second quarter to finish the first half scoring. Trimble, in his first game since transferring from Adams State College, connected on 5 of 5 extra points and was 2 of 2 on field goals for 11 points. His second field goal, which covered 32 yards, came with 2:06 left in the third period.

Randy Montoya (So., FB, Roswell, NM/Goddard H.S.) scored on a 17-yard run just under five minutes into the second half, giving ENMU a 31-6 lead. Williams initially kept the ball, but after gaining seven yards lateraled to Montoya, who had maintained pitch relation. Montoya took the ball the final 10 yards to the goal line.

The game’s final touchdown was scored by reserve running back Richard Stevens (Fr., Smyer, TX/Smyer H.S.). Stevens scored on a 31-yard run, and Trimble added the extra point. It was the first career TD for Stevens, who redshirted in 1999. Beard led all rushers with 104 yards on 13 carries. Boxton provided 68 yards on 6 carries, and Williams gained 49 yards on 12 carries. The Greyhounds rushed for 346 yards overall on 46 running plays.

Meanwhile, the ENMU defense limited Western New Mexico to 104 rushing yards on 32 carries. ENMU achieved 428 total offensive yards, while limiting WNMU to 264 yards. The Mustangs gained half of their yards (132) in the final 13:09 of the fourth quarter.

WNMU’s top offensive threat was Richardson, who gained 64 yards on 13 carries and caught 3 passes for 12 yards. Richard Angulo caught 2 passes for 50 yards.

Five players each caught one pass for ENMU, as the Hounds completed 5 of 15 passes. Williams was 1 of 8 for 30 yards , but several of his passes were dropped. Heath Ridenour was 4 of 7 for 52 yards.

WNMU quarterbacks Les Courtmanche (6 of 12) and Coby Crouch (5 of 13) combined to complete 11 of 25 passes for 160 yards. Top tacklers for ENMU were Michael Garvin (Sr., FS, Salinas, CA/Hartnell C.C.), with 5 tackles and 4 assists, and Jimmy Hamilton (So., LB, Artesia, NM/N.M. State), with 5 tackles and 2 assists. James Stewart (Sr., DE, Anton, TX/N.M. Mil. Inst.), Larry Varnado (Jr., LB, Clovis, NM/Clovis H.S.) and Marcus Rivers (Jr., CB, Vallejo, CA/Solano C.C.) each made 5 tackles.

The Greyhounds travel to Las Vegas, N.M. this coming Saturday (Sept. 9) to take on in-state rival New Mexico Highlands University. Kickoff at NMHU is set for 7:00 p.m. (MST). Last year, ENMU defeated the Cowboys, 54-7, at Greyhound Stadium.