Silver City, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University football team would not back down as they faced off against #9 seed Texas A&M University-Commerce last Saturday but came up short, 38-24.
Statistically, both teams were evenly matched as WNMU came away with 486 yards of offense and 29:59 time of possession while TAMUC brought in 521 yards of offense and 30:01 time of possession.
For the Mustangs, Javia Hall threw for a total of 412 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. Two Mustangs caught for more than 100 yards receiving; Xavier Ayers with 123 and Henry Norman with 117. Leading in tackles was Dominic Barry with 11. Barry also earned himself one tackle for loss.
In the first quarter, Lions (6-1, 4-1 LSC) broke the score open first, 7-0, with a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown.
A failed TAMUC on-side kick gave WNMU great field position on the Lions 42. Mustangs went to work as Hall found a few completed passes that brought them to TAMUC 12. Running back DeAndre Williams would finish the drive off with a 3-yard rush to tie the game, 7-7.
With 4:54 left in the first quarter, WNMU drove the ball down field to TAMUC 19. Instead of attempting the field goal, the Mustangs went for it on fourth-and-one but was stopped short on an Ayers reception for a turnover on downs.
Texas scored a touchdown in the second quarter after capping off a 9 play, 80-yard drive that pushed them in the lead, 14-7.
After an AJ Smith interception, WNMU took advantage of the turnover and drove the ball down field to their own 26-yard line. Hall finished the drive off as he completed a 26-yard pass to Rodney Lawson for a touchdown, tying the game up 14-14.
On the ensuring drive, the Lions quickly answered back with a touchdown of their own that would be the last points of the half, 21-14.
In the opening drive of the third quarter, Texas extended their lead, 24-14, after converting a 44-yard field goal.
The Lions kept momentum rolling as they forced the Mustangs to punt on the ensuring drive and scored on their next offensive possession to make the score 31-14.
WNMU would not go away so easily on the following drive. Hall completed a pass to Norman for 20 yards then to Treydonte Hill for 34 yards and a touchdown making the score 31-21.
After forcing TAMUC to punt on the next drive, Western’s kicker Tyler Vargas successfully made a 40-yard field goal to cut the deficit to just one possession, 31-24.
In the fourth quarter, just as the Lions looked to score, a bad snap led to a Mustangs recovering on WNMU 43. The Mustangs looked to tie the game up but the drive was cut short after a Hall interception on TAMUC 21.
The Mustangs last chance to tie the game came midway in the fourth quarter with 6:44 left to play. WNMU marched the ball to their 40 but the drive was stopped after a Hall interception.
Texas would go on to score one more touchdown before the game ended as they came away with the win, 38-24.
WNMU (2-5, 2-4 LSC) will be on the road this coming weekend as they square off against Fort Lewis this Saturday with the game beginning at noon.
