ETBU, HSU and UMHB 2015 Tri-ASC Champions
11/14/2015 9:07:15 PM
No. 10/13 Mary Hardin-Baylor 67, No. 23 East Texas Baptist 20 – Box Score
BELTON, Texas – Mary Hardin-Baylor blew open a tight game with 60 consecutive points as the Cru rolled to a 67-20 victory over No. 23 East Texas Baptist Saturday afternoon in Belton. UMHB clinches a share of the American Southwest Conference title by handing the Tigers their first conference loss and sets up a tri-championship with UMHB, ETBU and Hardin-Simmons.
UMHB grabbed a 7-0 lead when Zach Anderson threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to DeNerian Thomas on the Cru's first offensive play. UMHB forced a punt on ETBU's ensuing possession but fumbled the ball away to the Tigers on the Cru's 13-yard line. Kendall Roberson scored on a nine-yard run three players later, but ETBU missed the extra point to leave UMHB with a 7-6 lead. Wykeyhe Walker hauled in a 23-yard TD pass from Anderson, Malcom Miller scored on a one-yard run on the next Cru possession and Anderson hit Jaron Dykstra with a 17-yard scoring strike the next time UMHB had the ball to make it 20-6 at the end of the first quarter. Blake Jackson threw a 17-yard scoring strike to Thomas and added a 33-yard TD scamper in the second quarter to give UMHB a 34-6 halftime edge. Miller sandwiched touchdown runs of one and eight yards around Jacob O'Neill's 42-yard field goal and UMHB added a safety to make it 60-6 at the end of three quarters. Jackson added a 15-yard touchdown pass to Trevion Medlock early in the fourth quarter before ETBU tacked on two touchdowns in late going to cut it to the final margin.
The Cru rolled up 644 yards of total offense and threw for 439 yards in the victory to help overcome four first half turnovers. UMHB's defense limited ETBU to 307 yards of total offense, but more than 100 of those yards came in the fourth quarter. The Tigers managed just 49 rushing yards in the loss and turned the ball over four times.
Anderson finished 20-28 for 344 yards and three touchdowns through the air. Jackson threw for 94 yards and two scores and added 52 rushing yards and a TD. Miller had 54 yards to go with his three touchdowns. Walker had eight catches for 152 yards and Thomas added five grabs for 100 yards. Matt Cody led the Cru defense with 11 total tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss and Baylor Mullins had ten tackles and two interceptions.
Roberson finished with 86 yards and two scores on 26 carries. Josh Warbington was 28-41 passing for 258 yards, but he was sacked three times and intercepted three times. Tyler Bates caught 15 passes for 179 yards for the Tigers. Xavier Davis had a team-best nine tackles and Sam Williams intercepted two passes for the Tigers.
UMHB closes out the regular season at 9-1 overall and 4-1 in ASC play with the victory. The loss ends ETBU's season at 7-3 overall and 4-1 in the ASC. The game was the final regular season home game for 16 UMHB seniors.
The Cru has now won at least a share of 11 straight ASC Championships and 13 of the last 14 league titles. ETBU wins a share of the conference title for just the second time in program history. This is only the second tri-championship in ASC history. UMHB, ETBU and Hardin-Simmons also shared the title in 2003.
UMHB will now have to hope for an at-large bid to the NCAA Division III National Championships. The 32-team field for the postseason will be announced at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. You can watch the Division III Football Selection Show on www.ncaa.com.
No. 12/15 Hardin-Simmons 82, Louisiana College 21 – Box Score
ABILENE, Texas – Hardin-Simmons claimed a share of the American Southwest Conference football championship with a convincing 82-21 win over Louisiana College on Saturday afternoon at Shelton Stadium.
HSU rolled from the opening kickoff when the Wildcats became the first team all season to kick a kickoff deep to Jessie Ramos. The result was an 88-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff. It was his seventh career kickoff return for a touchdown.
HSU quickly forced a punt and Ramos returned the punt 40 yards to set up a short field. The punt return made Ramos the all-time American Southwest Conference leader in all-purpose yards. Luke Bishop scored on a quarterback run four plays later from 15 yards out and the rout was on.
Ryan Breton hit Ramos on a 44-yard touchdown pass on the next possession and Ben Hill’s PAT made it 20-0 6:54 into the game.
Jeremy Harris scored on a 3-yard run early in the second half before LC answered with a 55 yard pass from Easton Melancon to Lawrence Williams. HSU the scored on a 4-yard pass from Breton to Reese Childress and Breton later hit Ramos from 41 yards out to make it 47-7 with 3:48 to play in the first half. HSU forced another stop and Breton hit Alex Bell on a 4-yard touchdown pass with 1:29 to play in the half.
Kylon Mills then returned an interception 45 yards for a touchdown to make it 61-7 at halftime.
The Cowboys went into cruise control mode in the second half and most of the offensive starters didn’t play.
Chris Carter returned a fumble 25 yards for a score early in the third quarter. Bishop then found his fellow freshmen Devonte’ Walker and Childress on back-to-back touchdown throws. Walker was from nine yards out and Childress from 25 yards out.
Chris Silva closed the Cowboys scoring with 5:38 to play in the fourth with a 9-yard touchdown pass from J.J. Elkins. Brett Sylve had a 38-yard TD run to setup the final score of 82-21.
The Cowboys rolled up 680 yards of offense and another 303 yards in punt, kickoff and interception return yardage. LC was held to 256 total yards on the day.
HSU’s quarterbacks combined to go 32-of-39 for 415 yards and seven touchdowns. Breton was 21-of-25 for 292 yards and four TDs, all in the first half. HSU had 265 yards on the ground with Silva leading the way with 78 yards on 14 carries.
Ramos had another big day with six catches for 118 yards and two scores and he also had 128 yards in returns, giving him 246 all-purpose yards and he didn’t play in the second half.
Defensively, again it was a group effort. Korey Zavala led the way with eight tackles, 3.5 for losses and 2.5 sacks. Cory Ward had seven tackles and a sack. Ryne Lewis added a sack to move within one-half sack of the school record. Conlan Aguirre had four pass break ups in the game.
The Cowboys finish the regular season with a record of 9-1 and 4-1 in ASC play. HSU shared the ASC title with East Texas Baptist and Mary Hardin-Baylor. The Cru beat the Tigers in Belton 67-20. The NCAA selection show is set for tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. on NCAA.com.
Sul Ross State 35, Howard Payne 23 – Box Score
BROWNWOOD- James Davis threw for 235 yards and three touchdowns as Sul Ross State wrapped up the 2015 season with a 35-23 victory over Howard Payne Saturday in Brownwood.
Davis connected on 11-of-19 attempts for the afternoon while Steven Savedra grabbed five of those passes for 105 yards and a score. On the ground Williton Grear posted a team best 21 carries netting 113 yards and a score.
Both teams combined for 896 yards of total offense as Sully pounded out 446 of those yards. The Lobos outran their Howard Payne counterparts 211-165 in yards on the ground. The Yellow Jackets won the passing battle outpacing the Lobos 285-235.
Defensively Fernie Gonzalez totaled a team high 12 tackles while Mike Quinonez and Zack Roberson recorded 10 stops in the victory. Roberson had a sack for a loss of ten and an interception which was returned for four yards. Jermaine Stevens saddled four breakups against HPU.
The Lobos dominated the first half putting up 21 unanswered points.
Following a dormant first quarter, Sul Ross turned up the heat just seven seconds in the second period as Davis connected with Jeremy Reed on a 23-yard touchdown pass following nine plays and 80 yards. Eddie Oakley, who was perfect on PAT kicks for the afternoon, nailed the first of his five extra point tries giving Sully a 7-0 advantage.
Davis then scored at the 1:21 mark on a 14 yard rush capping five plays and 76 yards. Oakley's kick was good as the Lobos posted a 14-0 lead.
Davis then found Byron Jones on a 24-yard scoring strike. Oakley converted the PAT with 21 seconds to spare before the break and Sully up 21-0.
The Yellow Jackets lit the board at the 10:37 mark in the third quarter as Ja'Von Dickson reached pay dirt on a nine-yard run. Eric Martinez booted the extra point kick as HPU narrowed its deficit trailing the visiting Lobos, 21-7.
Sul Ross spread the gap at 6:15 as Davis found Savedra from 11 yards out topping a nine-play, 66-yard drive. Oakley's kick cleared the uprights as the Lobos sat with a 28-7 favor.
HPU's Richard Young then went deep as the Jacket quarterback hit Blayne Parisher for a 67-yard touchdown pass. Martinez's PAT was good as Howard Payne crept closer and cut the SRSU lead in half down 28-14 with 11:46 left in the closing quarter.
The Lobos scored for the final time of the afternoon as Grear entered the HPU end zone on a 10-yard run. Oakley finished the day with his fifth converted PAT kick and gave Sul Ross a commanding 35-14 lead with 8:44 remaining in regulation.
HPU caught the Lobos in their own end zone for a safety at 2:28 then recovered a fumble also in the Sul Ross end zone at 1:11. Martinez's extra point kick sailed through but it was too little, too late as Sul Ross ran out the clock to claim the 35-23 victory.
Sul Ross finishes the season at 3-7 and 1-4 in conference play while the Yellow Jackets end up at 1-9 and 1-4.
The Lobos have won two out of their last three outing against Howard Payne.