Hounds come up short in OT

WICHITA FALLS, Texas - In no way did it look like Eastern New Mexico University's football team would make a game of it after the first quarter of Saturday's Lone Star Conference clash against 15th-ranked Midwestern State.

The Mustangs, playing their home opener, put together three early scoring drives and led 17-0 before period's end. Then, the tide slowing turned and the Greyhounds jumped in front with three touchdown passes from freshman quarterback Nate Valencia to senior wide-out Zachary Fields in a three-minute span early in the fourth - the first points allowed by the Mustangs in the fourth quarter this season.

MSU (4-0, 3-0 LSC) quickly regained the lead on a 73-yard pass from senior quarterback Dillon Sterling-Cole to senior wide receiver K'Vonte Jackson. The Hounds moved into position for freshman Cooper Hamilton's game-tying 38-yard field goal in the closing seconds.

Midwestern State, though, scored on the first possession in overtime on a 10-yard TD toss from Sterling-Cole to senior wide-out Kylan Harrison, and held on for a 31-24 victory.

First-year ENMU coach Tye Hiatt said he was proud of his squad's spirited comeback, but noted the Hounds (1-3, 0-2) left some points on the field which proved costly in the end. ENMU botched snaps on a field goal and an extra point, and ended up unsuccessfully going for 2-point conversions after their other two tallies.

"It was one of those things where we battled after getting off to a slow start," Hiatt said. "About the second quarter, I think we finally realized we could play with them. Now the challenge for us is we need to be able to do for four quarters what we did (at MSU) in the second half."

Valencia bounced back from a rough outing the week before against Texas A&M-Kingsville, going 17-for-31 for 154 yards. Fields, filling in for the injured Justin Manyweather, caught eight passes for 81 yards, while sophomore running back Isaiah Tate saw easily his most extensive action of the season and carried 27 times for 132 yards.

"We were excited to see that with Zach (Fields) because he's a senior," Hiatt said. "I told our team after the game that, in football, there are no moral victories. But after we made some adjustments at halftime, we put ourselves in position to win the game."

Despite two interceptions, Sterling-Cole threw for 300 yards and three TDs for the Mustangs, who had already posted wins this season over No. 7 Texas A&M-Commerce and No. 17 Angelo State. A transfer from Arizona State, he tossed to of his scoring strikes to Harrison, including one for 80 yards in the first quarter.

This Saturday, the Hounds face a first-year program in Oakland, Calif.-based Lincoln University. The Oaklanders (1-3) are coming off a 63-14 shellacking at Division I-AA Stephen F. Austin, but also own a 34-9 win at Willamette (Ore.), a traditional NCAA Division III power.

Lincoln is starting its entire athletics program this season, and hopes to eventually become a member of NCAA Division II. Of note, the Oaklanders have hired former NBA star Gary Payton as their men's basketball coach.

"They've got some athletic kids," Hiatt said. "It's one of those games for us that we feel like if we prepare well and do the things we should, we'll have some success."