SE Oklahoma QB Leads Savages to 45-21 Win over ENMU
Beard Accounts for 526 Yards in Victory

Box score

DURANT, OK — Senior quarterback Drew Beard, a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy in 2003, threw for 295 yards and ran for 231 yards, leading Southeastern Oklahoma State University to a 45-21 victory over Eastern New Mexico University in the Savages’ season-opener, Saturday, Sept. 4, at Paul Laird Field. Beard’s 526 yards of total offense set Lone Star Conference and SE Oklahoma records. He accounted for all but 42 of SOSU’s 568 yards during the game.

Beard ran for 231 yards on 13 carries, including touchdown runs of 5 yards and 53 yards in the fourth quarter. He also completed 13 of 22 passes for 295 yards and 3 touchdowns on throws of 8, 45 and 9 yards. He tossed one interception, which ENMU’s Corey White (Jr., CB, Lubbock, TX/Estacado HS) returned 47 yards, but the turnover did not lead to points for the Greyhounds.

Last year, Beard was one of eight national finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which goes to the top NCAA Division II player each season. His performance against ENMU puts him toward the front of players under consideration for this year’s award, which will be presented in December.

Beard’s performance overshadowed a solid running effort by ENMU quarterback Steven Hinson (Sr., Olney, TX/Olney HS), who ran for 131 yards on 20 carries and scored two touchdowns on a 17-yard run in the first quarter and a 45-yard scamper in the fourth quarter. Hinson has rushed for 183 yards on 34 carries this season.

Hinson was just 5 of 18 passing for 54 yards and two interceptions. One interception was returned 24 yards for a touchdown by SOSU’s Lenell Lawrence, as the Savages took a 31-7 lead with 4:50 left in the third quarter. ENMU fell to 0-2 on the season.

SE Oklahoma scored first on a 28-yard field goal by Pete Cuva with 9:43 remaining in the first period. Later in the quarter, ENMU put together a lengthy drive following a punt that went out of bounds inside the Hounds’ 1-yard line. Hinson took Eastern 99 yards on 9 plays and completed the drive with his first touchdown run at the 1:49 mark. Lee Price (So., PK, Holliday, TX/Holliday HS) converted the extra point, giving Eastern a 7-3 lead.

The Savages answered on their next possession, as Beard led SOSU on an 81-yard drive. Beard’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Michael Mooney came with 13:04 left in the half and put SOSU in front, 10-7.

Eastern took over later in the quarter at its own 14-yard line after a punt. The Hounds did not gain a first down, so senior punter Steven Todd (Lubbock, TX/Frenship HS) kicked a 44-yarder to the SOSU 45. Tank Boulware returned the punt to the ENMU 45. On the next play, Beard threw a mid-range pass to Boulware, who jaunted into the end zone untouched.

Price barely missed wide left on a 54-yard field goal that would have set a new ENMU record on the final play of the second quarter. SE Oklahoma held a 17-7 halftime advantage.

ENMU stopped the Savages after one first down to start the second half. The Hounds took over at their own 9-yard line following another solid punt by Cuva, then drove 63 yards to the SE Oklahoma 24-yard line. On 2nd-and-14 at the 28, Hinson threw a pass that was intercepted by Lawrence at the 18 and returned 15 yards.

Two plays later, Beard connected with Michael Mooney on a 62-yard pass to the ENMU 3-yard line. Jeff Howard (Sr., LB, Portales, NM/Portales HS) tackled running back Terel King on the next play for a 6-yard loss, but Beard followed with a 9-yard scoring strike to Maurice Gardner with 5:55 left in the third quarter. Cuva’s extra point increased SOSU’s lead to 24-7.

Lawrence recorded his second interception for the Savages on Eastern’s third play and returned the ball 24 yards for a touchdown. The Greyhounds, who just a few minutes earlier were driving toward a potential score to pull within three points, suddenly found themselves trailing by 24 points, 31-7.

The Hounds scored with 21 seconds left in the third period, with Jason Tezeno (Jr., RB, Levelland, TX/Levelland HS) crossing the goal line on a 5-yard run to complete a 9-play, 78-yard drive. The key play was a 33-yard scamper by Hinson that brought the ball to the SOSU 23-yard line. Also important were an 8-yard pass from Hinson to Derrick Hunter (Jr., WR, Lamesa, TX/Lamesa HS) and a 14-yard run by Fide Davalos (So., RB, Portales, NM/Floyd HS), as the Hounds wiped out a 2nd-and-14 after back-to-back illegal procedure penalties moved the ball to the SOSU 27.

White recorded his interception for ENMU on SE Oklahoma’s next possession. His 47-yard return allowed ENMU to take over at the SOSU 46. Eastern was unable to pick up a first down, and on 4th-and-6 Ty Touchstone (Sr., FS, Lubbock, TX/Monterey HS) was tackled after only two yards on a fake punt. Beard ran 52 yards to the ENMU 8 on SOSU’s third play following the change of possession. He later scored from 5 yards out with 9:47 left in the game. Cuva’s conversion increased the lead to 38-14.

Hinson drove the Greyhounds 72 yards on 9 plays for their final touchdown. He provided the scoring play, as he cut upfield off right tackle and outraced the SE Oklahoma defense for a 45-yard TD. Price kicked the extra point with 4:35 remaining.

Beard added a 53-yard touchdown run at the 3:34 mark to complete the scoring. Overall, Beard was involved in five touchdowns, as he threw for three scores and ran for two. SE Oklahoma gained 568 total yards, with 273 yards on 31 running plays and 295 yards through the air. Beard’s 231 rushing yards accounted for most of the ground game, with Brian Odom adding 35 yards on 7 carries and King earning 10 yards on eight carries. Boulware caught three passes for 90 yards and Gardner hauled in three passes for 60 yards. Mooney had two receptions for 70 yards.

ENMU piled up 277 rushing yards on 55 carries, with Hinson’s 131 yards leading the way. Davalos tacked on 63 yards on 15 carries, while Christian Coronado (So., RB, Levelland, TX/Levelland HS) gained 30 yards on four carries. Hunter caught three passes for 43 yards and Davalos grabbed two passes for 11 yards.

Cuva averaged 40.0 yards on three punts, including a 49-yarder. He placed three punts inside the 20-yard line. Todd averaged 36.5 yards per punt for ENMU. His four punts included a 44-yarder, plus one punt inside the 20.

Royal Bell (Fr., FS, Albuquerque, NM/Albuquerque HS) topped the Eastern defense with 9 total tackles, including 5 assists. Howard recorded 6 total tackles, while Touchstone and Brandon Wickware (Sr., DT, Floyd Co., TX/Floydada HS) registered 5 tackles each. White earned 4 unassisted tackles to go with his interception.

Chris Sawyer led SE Oklahoma with 9 total tackles. He made 6 unassisted tackles and had 2 tackles for losses. Lon Langley contributed 8 total tackles for the Savages.

ENMU will be at Greyhound Stadium for its next contest on Saturday, Sept. 11, when the Hounds take on Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Kickoff in the LSC crossover game is scheduled for 6 p.m. MDT. Last year, ENMU gained 337 yards and allowed SWOSU just 164 yards, but the Bulldogs won the game, 17-14, at Greyhound Stadium. ENMU is at home against SWOSU this season due to a revamped LSC schedule that increases crossover game from two to three.