Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Tyler Vargas kicked a 23-yard field goal with 3:21 to go, and the Eastern New Mexico defense got a three-and-out to help secure a Lone Star Conference road upset, 27-24 over Midwestern State Saturday night.
The visiting Greyhounds (4-1, 2-1 LSC) led for much of Saturday's contest following Justin Manyweather's 70-yard punt return midway though the first quarter, but needed some heroics on defense to claim what could be considered a mild upset in conference play. The Mustangs, knocked out of the American Football Coaches Association poll after their loss at Angelo State, were the top team in the poll's receiving votes category this week.
The grind-it-out Greyhounds dominated the time of possession, keeping the ball for 35:11 due in large part to 391 yards rushing, a 200-yard game from Paul Terry and a 100-yard outing for Johnny Smith.
Terry had 40 carries for 225 yards and a 3-yard score late in the second half to establish a 17-3 lead, while Smith rushed 15 times for 105 yards and a 2-yard score to knot things up with 10:14 to go in a second half the Mustangs had up to that point dominated.
The Green and Silver, trailing 24-17 after Lazarus Fisher's second 1-yard touchdown run late in the third, got the boost they needed from the defensive side when D'John Burns stripped the ball from Mustang signal caller Triston Williams on a sack. Jamar Claibourn picked up the fumble, and the Greyhounds needed just three plays to score with the 9-yard field.
Vargas was 2-for-3 on field goals, connecting on a 47-yarder in the second quarter after missing a 33-yarder in the first, and made all three extra-point attempts.
Williams was 13 of 23 for 181 yards with a a 7-yard touchdown toss to Xavier Land early in the third quarter, but threw an interception to Charles Countee that gave the Greyhounds a 41-yard field. The Greyhounds couldn't capitlaize, however, as Matthew Roach recovered a first-and-goal fumble at the 1 three minutes later.
The Greyhounds return home to take on Tarleton State on Saturday, with kickoff set for 6 p.m. The Mustangs will visit Texas A&M-Commerce in a game scheduled for broadcast on ESPN3.
