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ENMU arrow Athletics arrow News arrow Press Releases arrow 2002 Archive arrow10/5 ACU Defeats ENMU with Last-Second Field Goal
Wildcats Upset Greyhounds for Fourth Year in a Row
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ACU Defeats ENMU with Last-Second Field Goal
Wildcats Upset Greyhounds for Fourth Year in a Row

PORTALES, NM – Sophomore kicker Eben Nelson of Abilene Christian University kicked a 49-yard field goal on the game’s final play, sending the Wildcats to a 20-19 victory over Eastern New Mexico University, Saturday, Oct. 5 at Greyhound Stadium. Eastern, which entered the game ranked #25 in the NCAA Division II Poll, fell to 4-1 on the season, 0-1 in the LSC South. Abilene Christian, which played a nationally-ranked opponent for the fourth week in a row, improved to 1-3 overall, 1-0 in the LSC South.

It was the fourth consecutive upset victory for ACU over ENMU. The Wildcats defeated the Greyhounds in 1999 (31-28) and 2000 (23-21) in Eastern’s Homecoming game, then surprised the Hounds in 2001 (35-21) at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene, Texas. ENMU entered three of the four games (1999, 2001, 2002) with a 4-0 record.

In the four wins, ACU has committed just one turnover (1999), while Eastern has lost the ball 11 times. Ten of the turnovers came in the first three games. On Saturday, the Hounds were guilty of just one turnover, an interception thrown by Heath Ridenour (Sr., QB, Lovington, NM/Lovington HS) in the second quarter.

The last-second field goal erased the effects of a nine-play, 95-yard drive by the Greyhounds for a 19-17 lead with 1:33 remaining. The drive began deep in Eastern territory after Chase Fishback pooch kicked a 27-yard punt that was downed by ACU at the ENMU 5-yard line.

Taryll Boxton (Sr., RB, Albuquerque, NM/Del Norte HS) caught a low pass on the second play of the drive for a 16-yard gain, giving ENMU a first down at the Eastern 22. Later, Boxton provided a big running play, dashing 36 yards to the ACU 32-yard line.

Running back Dwayne Davis (RS Fr., Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) gained three yards on first down, but the Wildcats sacked Ridenour for a 7-yard loss on second down. Ridenour completed a 6-yard pass to Boxton on third down. On 4th-and-six, Ridenour eluded a tackler in the backfield and fired a 28-yard touchdown pass to Boxton. The extra point kick was blocked. ACU also blocked the extra point following Eastern’s second touchdown.

Eastern kicked short on the ensuing kickoff, with Braughn Curtis taking possession at the ACU 27-yard line. He was tackled for a 3-yard loss, as the Wildcats were forced to take over at their own 24-yard line with 1:28 on the clock and no time-outs.

Junior defensive end E.J. Ume (Lubbock, TX/Estacado HS) and sophomore linebacker Courage Idemudia (So., LB, Glenn Heights, TX/DeSoto HS) sacked ACU quarterback Colby Freeman on the first play after the kickoff, but Freeman completed passes of 10 yards and 11 yards to DaRay Sims on the next two plays to pick up a first down at the ACU 36.

On first down, Freeman threw incomplete. On second down, the Hounds applied pressure in the backfield, forcing Freeman to roll out. He decided to keep the ball, and dashed 32 yards before defensive backs Will Smith (Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) and Ty Touchstone (Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) tackled him at the Eastern 32-yard line. The Wildcats quickly moved into formation, allowing Freeman to spike the ball to stop the clock with 4.4 seconds left.

After ENMU called time-out, Nelson kicked his 49-yard, game-winning field goal as time expired. Nelson successfully booted a 50-yard field goal earlier in the season. He converted a 29-yard field goal and missed a 35-yard field goal earlier in the game with ENMU.

Both teams scored on their first possession. The Wildcats took over first and drove 80 yards on eight plays, with Freeman scoring on a 27-yard run to complete the drive. The Greyhounds answered with a 68-yard drive that lasted just five plays. The key play of the drive was a 50-yard carry by Davis that brought the ball to the ACU 1-yard line. Ridenour scored on the next play on a quarterback keeper.

The score changed quickly once again, when the Wildcats countered with Nelson’s first field goal at the 6:43 mark of the opening quarter. Abilene drove just 20 yards following a 68-yard kick return by Sims. The field goal put ACU in front, 10-7.

Abilene Christian scored the only other first-half points on an 11-yard run by Eric Polk with 11:26 left in the second quarter. Nelson’s extra point gave the Wildcats a 17-7 edge.
Eastern almost scored late in the half, when Ridenour threw a lengthy pass to Derrick Hunter (Fr., WR, Lamesa, TX/Lamesa HS) on the final play from the ACU 45. Hunter outleaped a defender to bring down the pass, but was ruled down inches from the goal line.

The Greyhounds drove 80 yards on 11 plays late in the third quarter to pull within 17-13, with Ridenour scoring on a 1-yard run with 0:43 left in the period. A pass interference penalty on 2nd-and-21 at the Abilene Christian 41-yard line gave the Hounds a first down at the ACU 26. Davis gained three yards on the next play, then Ridenour connected with Hunter on a 22-yard pass to the 1-yard line. Ridenour scored on the ensuing play, but ACU blocked the extra point.

ENMU gained 451 total yards, including 50 rushes for 264 yards on the ground. Davis led the running game with 14 carries for 101 yards. It was his second straight 100-yard game. Boxton added seven carries for 69 yards and also caught three passes for 50 yards. Ridenour was 6 of 19 for 187 yards through the air, and contributed 41 rushing yards on 16 carries. Hunter grabbed three passes for 95 yards, while Artemus Tennison (Fr., TE, Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) caught two passes for 36 yards.

The Wildcats earned 360 yards of total offense. ACU rushed for 158 yards on 40 carries, with Freeman gaining 73 yards on 12 carries and Polk running for 66 yards on 20 carries. Freeman also completed 14 of 23 passes for 202 yards. He was sacked four times. Sims hauled down five passes for 96 yards, while Shay Ratliff was credited with five catches for 62 yards.

Fishback averaged 35.5 yards per punt, while two ENMU punters averaged just 24.6 yards per punt. Sims had the game’s top kickoff return with his 68-yarder. Steven Hinson (So., QB, Olney, TX/Olney HS) gained 64 yards on three kickoff returns for the Greyhounds, including a 39-yard return to open the second half.

Touchstone led the Greyhounds in tackles for the fifth consecutive game. He recorded six solo tackles and four assists for 10 total tackles. Adrian Quigley (So., SS, Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) contributed seven solo tackles and nine total tackles, while Idemudia finished the game with three solo tackles and eight tackles overall. Abilene Christian’s leading tackler’s were linebacker Cliff Compton with 11 tackles, free safety Davis Jones with 10 tackles and linebacker Shawn Taylor with 10 tackles.

ENMU returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 12, at Angelo State University. Kickoff in San Angelo, Texas, is scheduled for 6 p.m. (MST). Last year, ASU defeated the Greyhounds, 28-0, at Greyhound Stadium. It was the fifth consecutive time the visiting team was victorious in the ENMU vs. ASU series.

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