Greyhound Ground and Pound
By Penny Ortega
Eastern New Mexico University concluded a fun-filled week of Homecoming events with an energetic football game against Lone Star Conference (LSC) foe, Texas A&M Kingsville at Al Whitehead Stadium on Saturday night. The Hounds proved to be tough against the Javelinas, as they came out on top with a 48-34 victory, which brings their record to 3-1 with a 1-1 record in the LSC.
The Greyhounds followed their usual winning game plan by running the ball fiercely against their opponents. They stacked up 564 yards of offense with a season-high 515 offensive yards on the ground. Leading the pack was quarterback Wyatt Strand, with 195 yards followed closely by senior running back Paul Terry, with 179 yards. The Hounds showed a great display of defense by only allowing the Javelinas 66 rushing yards.
The first quarter was a great defensive showdown for both the Greyhounds and the Javelinas. With 4:05 left in the first quarter, Strand broke free on an 11-yard run for the first touchdown of the game. The Javelinas responded with a field goal to close the first quarter with the Hounds leading 7-3.
The second quarter was more of an offensive showdown as both the Greyhounds and Javelinas found the end zone on consecutive drives after the Hounds opened with a field goal. Senior running back, Darryl Wiggins, scored a touchdown for the Hounds with another run, notching 32 yards to the end zone. The Hounds and the Javelinas went into the locker rooms at halftime, knotted up with a score of 17-17.
As the Greyhound sound was on the field providing outstanding halftime entertainment to the near-capacity crowd, a light rain started to fall over Al Whitehead Stadium. Within 10 minutes of their show, an announcement rang out for an evacuation of the stadium as lightning was spotted close by. As crowds began to disperse, the rain intensified. NCAA requires a 30-minute delay after lightning clears the area which led to an hour delay.
Upon commencement of play, Texas A&M Kingsville started the third quarter with a bang as the Javelinas scored 14 unanswered points including a 48-yard punt return to put the Javelinas up 31-17. Down, but not out, the Green and Silver offense came alive after the Javelina’s last possession and scored on their next three consecutive possessions to end the fourth quarter with the lead and a score of 34-31.
During the fourth quarter, the Hounds continued their defensive prowess as they limited Texas A&M Kingsville to only a field goal. They also forced their fourth turnover of the game, followed by two more touchdowns including a 10-yard pass from Strand to Junior wide receiver, Zachary Fields. The Gridiron Hounds cruised to their first Lone Star Conference victory with a final score of 48-34.
The Hounds travel to Midwestern State on October 5th for another Lone Star Conference game. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT) in Witchita Falls, Tx.
