Athletic Report
October 27, 2001

TURNOVERS PROVE COSTLY FOR GREYHOUNDS IN 35-14 LOSS AT TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE
KINGSVILLE, TX — The Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds played a very competitive game against LSC South power Texas A&M-Kingsville on Saturday, Oct. 27, but five turnovers, including two fumbles returned for touchdowns, led to a 35-14 victory for the Javelinas. With the win, TAMU-Kingsville improved to 7-1 overall and 3-1 in the LSC South.

ENMU fell to 5-4 on the season, including 1-4 in the LSC South. The Javelinas scored first on a 37-yard pass from Abel Gonzalez to Eric Spencer at the end of a 5-play, 76-yard drive. In addition to the touchdown pass, other key plays on the drive were an 11-yard run by Redford Borel and a 15-yard penalty on ENMU.

Kevin Walter kicked the extra point for a 7-0 TAMUK lead with 4:20 remaining in the first quarter. Eastern answered two possessions later with a 6-play, 77-yard drive of its own.

Dennis Beard (Sr., RB, Albuquerque, NM/N.M. Military Institute) scored the touchdown on a 13-yard run with 7:31 left in the second quarter. Mike Trimble (Sr., PK/P, Houston, TX/Adams State) tied the score at 7-7 with the PAT. Eastern’s big play was a 37-yard reverse pass from Cale Sanders (Jr., Roswell, NM/Goddard H.S.) to quarterback Heath Ridenour (Jr., Lovington, NM/Lovington H.S.).

On TAMUK’s second play following Beard’s touchdown, Gonzalez avoided two tacklers in the backfield and raced 60 yards for the go-head score. The Javelinas added another touchdown two plays later, when ENMU quarterback Heath Ridenour (Jr., Lovington, NM/Lovington H.S.) lost control of an option pitch and Nick Jaques returned the ball 31 yards to the end zone.

ENMU drove 61 yards for its second TD following the kickoff. A dead ball 15-yard penalty against the Javelinas started the drive, moving the Greyhounds to the TAMUK 45. Quarterback James Williams (Sr., Earth, TX/Springlake-Earth H.S.) gained 15 yards on the next play.

Sanders almost scored two plays later on a reverse. He was ruled out of bounds at the 2-yard line. Williams followed with a quarterback keeper for the touchdown, and Trimble converted the extra point at the 3:34 mark of the second quarter.

TAMUK led 21-14 at halftime. Eastern moved the ball from its own 30-yard line to the Kingsville 35 to start the second half, but Ridenour was intercepted by Jaques, who returned the ball 24 yards to end the threat.

Later in the third quarter, the Javelinas went on a lengthy 13-play, 92-yard drive for a 28-14 lead Ahmad Carter had a 15-yard carry and Gonzalez added an 11-yard scramble during the drive. Eric Spencer scored his second TD of the game on a 5-yard run with 4:59 left in the period.

Antoine Lacy (Sr., RB, Richmond, CA/Contra Costa College) fumbled the ball on the next play from scrimmage, and Davylyn Nelson picked up the loose ball and dashed 29 yards for the game’s final touchdown. Walter kicked the extra point, as TAMUK increased its lead to 35-14.

ENMU advanced into Kingsville territory three times during the remainder of the game, but failed to score. The Hounds’ best scoring chance game with just over 5:00 remaining, when Eastern achieved a 1st-and-goal at the TAMUK 10-yard line.

Two sacks were offset by an excessive celebration penalty against the Javelinas that returned the ball to the 10-yard line, but did not give the Hounds a first down. Williams underthrew Sanders at the goal line on 4th down, and the Javelinas took over.

Although Eastern’s turnovers were costly, the Greyhounds also had some big plays. The defense stopped TAMUK on 4th-and-an-inch in the second quarter, when Gonzalez was stymied on a quarterback sneak. The defense also forced two turnovers, with Larry Varnado (Sr., LB, Clovis, NM/Clovis H.S.) earning both on a fumble recovery and a 20-yard interception return.

On offense, Lacy gained 82 yards on 9 carries, before leaving the game with an ankle injury late in the third period. Sanders caught 4 passes for 53 yards, and was involved in 115 yards of total offense as a rusher, receiver and passer. Williams completed 4 of 6 passes for 51 yards.

The Javelinas gained 403 yards of offense, while ENMU totaled 343 yards during the game. Both teams ran the ball well, with TAMUK gaining 282 yards on 45 carries, and Eastern achieving 207 yards on 49 carries.

Gonzalez rushed for 128 yards on 11 carries, and Borel gained 101 yards on 18 carries. Kingsville finished the game with 23 first downs, while the Greyhounds amassed 19 first downs. Gonzalez was 8 of 19 passing for 121 yards.

Ridenour, Williams and Sanders combined for 9 completions on 16 attempts, as ENMU threw for 136 yards. Jonathon Solis (Jr., FS, Roswell, NM/N.M. Military Institute) led the ENMU defense with 12 tackles, including 7 solo stops.

Adrian Quigley (Fr., SS, Lubbock, TX/Monterey H.S.) added 10 total tackles for the Hounds, while Varnado earned 5 solo tackles and 2 assists. Nicholas Davis, Terrence Mouton and Kiah Jonnson topped the Kingsville defensive chart with 8 tackles each. Les Brown and Mike Clay both registered two sacks for TAMUK.

The Greyhounds conclude the season next Saturday (Nov. 3) with the 15th Annual Wagon Wheel game against West Texas A&M University. Game time is set for 2:00 p.m. (MST).

Eastern has kept the Wagon Wheel each of the past two seasons, after winning 24-16 at Greyhound Stadium in 1999 and taking a 49-21 victory in Canyon, Texas, in 2000.