Hounds host Midwestern in LSC opener

PORTALES — It figures the Eastern New Mexico University football team might be running into a bunch of angry Mustangs this week.

Midwestern State, ranked 24th in NCAA Division II coming into the campaign, was summarily thumped by visiting Colorado State-Pueblo 59-27 on Saturday in its season opener at Wichita Falls, Texas. The Mustangs will provide ENMU’s opening home competition in a 6 p.m. kickoff on Saturday at Greyhound Stadium in what will also be the Lone Star Conference opener for both squads.

The ThunderWolves racked up 574 yards of offense and had a 45-point lead early in the fourth quarter in dealing the Mustangs only their third season-opening defeat — and first at home — in Bill Maskill’s 21 campaigns as coach. Meantime, the last team to beat Midwestern in its home opener was Northwest Missouri State in 1997.

MSU is 61-11 in September in Maskill’s tenure, including 25-2 since 2014.

“It was a complete shocker,” second-year ENMU coach Tye Hiatt said of MSU’s loss. “I don’t think that game against Pueblo is an indication of who they are.

“Coach Maskill is one of the best coaches in the conference — he’s a six-time LSC coach of the year — and I think he’ll have his guys ready to play.”

On Thursday, the Greyhounds won their opener at New Mexico Highlands 34-18 as junior quarterback Kason Martin went 24-of-31 for 331 yards. On Monday, ENMU landed two All-LSC player of the week selections in junior wide receiver Asa Wondeh on offense and sophomore place-kicker Cooper Hamilton on special teams.

Hiatt knows his charges will have to come down from the win at Highlands against the team picked to repeat its LSC title this fall. To that end, he was happy with Monday’s practice.

“I really thought we were dialed in and ready to go,” Hiatt said. “That doesn’t guarantee you’ll win, but I liked the players’ mindset.”

Among the top players for Midwestern are senior quarterback Dillon Sterling-Cole and senior wide receiver Kylan Harrison on offense, and senior end Melik Owens and junior cornerback Dylon Davis on defense.

Hiatt said the Mustangs have a bevy of talented receivers.

“We have to be able to control their offense,” he said. “On defense, we did a good job of controlling Highlands’ offense. We’ve got to play well on the back end this week for us to find success.

“From an offensive standpoint, we’ve got to take care of the football, and when the opportunity presents itself, we’ve got to finish.”

While going 1-6 in the LSC last year, the Hounds played one of their better games in absorbing a 31-24 overtime loss to the Mustangs in Wichita Falls.

“I really think every team in this conference can beat anyone on any given day,” Hiatt said. “The team that comes out the most prepared and is excited to play is probably going to win the football game.”

It could help ENMU’s cuse to have a couple of extra days to get ready for MSU and heal up from the opener, Hiatt said.

“Having two extra days to prepare for Midwestern and two extra days to rest, I think that should benefit our kids,” he said.