Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Members of the Green squad celebrate their first of two touchdowns in Friday's Green & Silver game at Greyhound Stadium, a 37-yard pass from quarterback Mario Sanchez to running back Nick Harper. Green defeated Silver 13-3.
Eastern New Mexico University's spring football drills came to an end on Friday night with coach Kelley Lee and his staff getting a look at players in game situations in the program's annual Green and Silver intrasquad game at Greyhound Stadium.
The Green squad defeated Silver 13-3. Lee said he and his staff were pleased with how the spring drills went.
"It was really good," Lee said. "We were able to evaluate our kids. Our young kids got a lot better."
Nearly 80 players took part in the 15 spring sessions, Kelley said, adding that around 120 prospects are expected for the start of fall drills on August 4.
"You always want to get the right guys on the bus and get them in the right positions," Lee said.
He said he saw good things on both sides of the ball during the scrimmage.
"I think we only had one turnover," Lee said. "We had some big plays and had some nice drives.
"What I liked was we weren't sloppy. We had a few more penalties than I'd like, but it was a good game and we got out of it without any injuries."
The Green defense was able to hold Silver scoreless on three penetrations into the red zone. Silver's only points came on a 48-yard field goal by sophomore-to-be Kaden Bell.
The touchdowns for the Green side came on a 37-yard pass from incumbent quarterback Mario Sanchez to running back Nick Harper and a 1-yard quarterback sneak by Logan Howell.
Sanchez, who will be a junior, started all 11 games for last year's squad, which finished 5-6 overall and 2-6 in the Lone Star Conference. He tossed 13 touchdown passes to just one interception and completed 66-of-107 passes (62 percent) for just shy of 1,200 yards.
Lee said going into camp that Sanchez has the inside track to start.
"Mario's in the driver's seat," Lee said. "(Backup) Rashad Carter had a good scrimmage, too."
The conference will include 10 teams this season with Sul Ross State moving up from the NCAA Division III level. The Greyhounds, in fact, will face the Lobos twice – in non-league play at Greyhound Stadium on Sept. 7, and in a conference tilt on Nov. 2 at Alpine, Texas.
ENMU opens the season with a Thursday non-league tilt at New Mexico Highlands on August 29. After the Sul Ross game the following week, the remaining nine contests are in LSC play, beginning with a trip to Angelo State on Sept. 14.
