Greyhounds Rout New Mexico Highlands, 70-28

LAS VEGAS, NM – Senior quarterback Heath Ridenour (Lovington, NM/Lovington HS) completed 6 of 10 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns, and ran 10 times for 60 yards, in just three quarters of action, leading Eastern New Mexico University to a 70-28 rout of New Mexico Highlands University, Sept. 14 at Perkins Stadium. ENMU improved to 2-0 with the win.

NMHU dropped to 0-2 following the loss.

Ridenour accounted for 254 yards of total offense, giving him 484 total yards in Eastern’s first two games. He led the Greyhounds on a 94-yard drive to open the scoring, then put together a 70-yard drive for a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second period, he threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to senior running back Taryll Boxton (Albuquerque, NM/Del Norte HS) and a 64-yard scoring strike to Derrick Hunter (Fr., WR, Lamesa, TX/Lamesa HS), helping Eastern tally 28 points during the stanza for a 42-14 halftime lead.

The Greyhounds added two touchdowns in each of the final two periods to close out the 42-point victory. New Mexico Highlands scored once in all four quarters.

Eastern’s 70 points tied for the second highest score in the history of Greyhound football. ENMU also scored 70 points against Southern Colorado on Oct. 6, 1984 (70-13) and against Western New Mexico on Sept. 1, 2001 (70-7). The all-time scoring record at Eastern is 74 points, set against Omaha University on Oct. 11, 1958 (74-6).

Ridenour led a balanced rushing attack that gained 350 yards on 54 carries. Randy Montoya (Sr., FB, Roswell, NM/Goddard HS) ran for 52 yards on 10 carries. Dwayne Davis (Fr., RB, Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) picked up 49 yards on 6 carries, and Jason Tezeno (Fr. RB, Levelland, TX/Levelland HS) rushed for 44 yards on 3 carries. Montoya scored on a 17-yard run, Davis reached the end zone on a 19-yard run and Tezeno scored on a 31-yard run. Overall, seven ENMU players each gained at least 39 yards on the ground.

The Eastern passing attack also was effective against the Cowboys. Ridenour averaged 32.3 yards per completion, with Hunter leading the receiving corps with two catches for 90 yards. Tight end Artemus Tennison (Fr., Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) caught two passes for 46 yards. Kenny Mitchell (Fr., WR, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo HS) earned his first collegiate reception, a 35-yarder in the third quarter.

Freshman place-kicker and punter Joe Barnes (Andrews, TX/Andrews HS) provided solid kicking for the Hounds. He converted 10 of 10 extra point attempts and averaged 40.0 yards on three punts. He did not have to punt in the first half, as Eastern scored on all but one of its possessions (lost fumble).

Both teams amassed significant offensive totals. The Greyhounds finished with 544 yards of offense. NMHU gained 533 total yards, but fumbled at the ENMU 1-yard line on the opening drive and finished the game with three turnovers. Highlands scored twice on trick plays.

One of NMHU’s turnovers was an interception thrown by quarterback Nick Higgs and returned 33 yards for a touchdown by Will Smith (So., FS, Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS). The Cowboys also had a punt blocked, which set up Eastern’s last touchdown of the first half.
Jimmy Hamilton (Sr., LB, Artesia, NM/New Mexico State University) topped the ENMU defense with 5 unassisted tackles and 3 assists for 8 tackles overall. Mitchell Grider (Jr., SS, Amarillo, TX/River Road HS) recorded 7 total tackles off the bench, while starter Jeremiah Johnson (Sr., DE, Clovis, NM/University of New Mexico) added 6 total tackles.
The win provided ENMU Head Coach Harold “Bud” Elliott with his 50th victory at ENMU. He is now 50-36-2 (.580) in nine seasons at Eastern.

Highlands was led by running back Deshon Mason, who gained 89 yards on 11 carries. He scored the Cowboys’ first touchdown on a 52-yard run with 6:18 left in the first quarter. Running back Darius Hodges earned 9 carries for 73 yards. Overall, the Cowboys achieved 264 rushing yards on 43 carries.

Higgs was 11 of 28 passing for 225 yards. He threw a 63-yard flea-flicker pass to Bysil Moore with 6:24 left in the second quarter. Back-up quarterback Jermaine Rodgers was 4 of 5 for 44 yards, helping NMHU accumulate 269 total passing yards. Moore and five other Cowboy receivers each caught two passes.

Defensively, Highlands received 10 tackles each from defensive lineman Seth Morris (8 UT, 2 AT) and linebacker Aaron Jaramillo (4 UT, 6 AT). Defensive back Adam Martinez provided 8 tackles, all unassisted.

The Greyhounds are scheduled to host Northeastern State University on Saturday, Sept. 21. Game time at Greyhound Stadium is set for 3 p.m. (MST). It will be only the second meeting between the two teams. Eastern won the first meeting, 20-14, in Tahlequah, Okla. in 1999.