Box Score Box Score

ALAMOSA, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University football team erased an early 23-point deficit to score 33 unanswered points to take a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter, but Adams State College answered with a pair of touchdowns and held on for the 44-40 victory over the Mustangs on Saturday afternoon at Rex Stadium in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
Quarterback David Ingram (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge HS) throws for 487 yards and five touchdowns, along with one rushing score.


In what appeared to be a defensive game when looking at the stats on paper was anything but in this shootout.


ASC (4-3, 2-3 RMAC) opened the game with a 63-yard rushing touchdown on just the second play from scrimmage to race out to a 8-0 lead 56 seconds in, after James Ackel got in on the two-point attempt.


The Grizzlies moved the lead to 15-0, as they scored on their next drive.


WNMU (4-3, 3-2 RMAC) got on the board near the end of the first quarter, as the Mustangs went on an eight play, 80 yard drive that was finished off on a Ingram pass to Daveon Barner (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Polytechnic) for a 22-yard touchdown. Kameron Drawhorn (San Diego, CA/Fallbrook HS) added the extra point to leave it a 15-7 lead for ASC with 24 seconds to play in the first quarter.


The Grizzlies then controlled the next several possessions, scoring touchdowns on a 26-yard pass play and a six-yard run to move the lead to 30-7, as ASC tallied another two-point conversion on the latter touchdown.


The Mustangs gained some much-needed momentum on the following drive before halftime.


WNMU came through with a pair of big plays on the drive, including a fourth-and-15 at the Grizzly 35, Ingram found Shamone Fletcher (San Diego, CA/Mira Mesa HS) for 21 yards and a big first down.


A couple of plays later, Ingram hit Ronnell Pompey (Los Angeles, CA/Fairfax Senior HS) in the end zone from 11 yards out and after Drawhorn converted the extra point, WNMU went into halftime down by 16, 30-14.


WNMU controlled the third quarter behind the arm of Ingram.


Ingram let loose for three touchdown passes in the quarter to help the Mustangs roar back in front.


The Mustangs had the ball first to begin the second half at their 20 and began to move the ball, with the first big completion coming on a 13-yard pass from Ingram to Barner that moved the ball out to the 37.


A few plays later, Fletcher took the pass from Ingram and hit Barner down the field for a 26-yard gain down to the Grizzly 37.


Ingram went back to the air himself for the next two plays, completing a pass to Brent Courtney (Oceanside CA/Carlsbad HS) for six yards and then a nine-yard strike to Markis Sumpter (Oceanside, CA/Fallbrook High School) placing the ball at the 13.


The Mustangs were just short of a first down and after an incompletion, a holding penalty turned a third-and-short into a third-and-11 at the 23.


Ingram didn't panic, as he hit Donald Byrd (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) in stride for a 23-yard touchdown and after the extra point by Drawhorn, WNMU was within nine, 30-21, with just under 12 minutes to play in the third.


The Mustang defense forced a punt on the next ASC possession, leaving WNMU at their 25.


The drive looked to be stalled, as Ingram made something out of nothing on a third-and-eight at the 27, he found Pompey all alone for a 73-yard touchdown, but a penalty on the Mustangs moved the ball back to the 13 making it a third-and-22.


Ingram followed that with a strike over the middle to Salvador Garcia (Anthony, TX/Anthony HS) for a 25-yard completion and a big first down.


Later in the drive, the Mustangs went back to some trickery when faced with a fourth-and-seven at their 41.


Drawhorn took the snap and instead of punting, threw a pass to Bernard Williams for a 14-yard completion and a first down at the Grizzly 45.


After a rush netted a one-yard loss, Ingram found Barner, who had some open space, as he scooted for 34 yards down to the 12.


WNMU would end up being faced with a third-and-20, but Ingram again wasn't fazed, as he delivered another strike to Fletcher for a 22-yard touchdown in which Drawhorn added the extra point to trim the lead to two, 30-28, with just under three minutes to play in the third.


The Mustang defense forced a three-and-out and after a personal foul penalty came in on the end of the return on the Grizzlies, WNMU had the ball out near midfield.


The next snap, Ingram found Sumpter for a 52-yard touchdown to put the Mustangs in front, 34-30, with a minute left in the third. The Mustangs elected to go for two and the pass by Ingram fell incomplete.


WNMU would end up getting the ball back before the third quarter ran out, as another three-and-out gave the Mustangs the ball at their 26.


The Mustangs would move the ball all the way down to the Grizzly 22, but the drive would stall later leading to a field goal attempt by Drawhorn. The attempt from 36 yards out was blocked, giving ASC the ball back at their 27.


The Grizzlies would end up punting following another three-and-out, giving the Mustangs the ball at their 39 following a 15-yard punt return by Garcia.


The drive didn't take long, as Ingram used his feet this time to go 61 yards for the touchdown and a ten-point Mustang lead, 40-30. This time, Drawhorn's extra point try failed leaving WNMU still ahead by ten with 11 minutes to play in the game.


The next drive and ensuing punt ended up being the biggest play of the game for both teams.


ASC had their drive stall at the Mustang 49 and rather than going for it on fourth-and-five, they elected to punt and try to pin the Mustangs deep in their own end.


Dustin Bolt did just that, as his punt was downed at the Mustang one.


WNMU failed to move the ball from the one, as a running play gained no yards and then two incomplete passes forced a punt from the end zone.


Drawhorn's punt landed out-of-bounds at the WNMU 40, giving the Grizzlies good field position with eight minutes to play.


On the third play of the drive, ASC found the end zone on a 23-yard pass play and after the extra point, it was a three-point game, 40-37, with under eight minutes to play, as the drive took only 35 seconds.


The Mustangs moved the ball out to their own 43 on the ensuing drive, but were then forced to punt.


The punt sailed out-of-bounds at the Grizzly 37, leaving ASC just under four minutes to tie or take the lead.


ASC wasted little time again, chewing up big yards on big plays, including a 12-yard run and a 34-yard pass that placed the ball all the way down to the WNMU six. After a five-yard run moved the ball to the one, the Grizzlies found the end zone on a third-and-goal run and after the extra point held a 44-40 lead with 1:33 to play.


WNMU still had time and began their next drive at their 20, as the kickoff sailed through the end zone for a touchback. Ingram started the possession with a 15-yard completion to Garcia to move the ball to the 35.


The drive then stalled, as a pair of incomplete passes and then a three-yard completion to Pompey left the Mustangs with a fourth-and-seven at their own 38.


Forced to go for it, Ingram tried to find someone to keep the drive going, but his pass was knocked down ending the game and giving the Grizzlies a wild victory.


Ingram did all he could on the afternoon, as the senior completed 29-of-48 passes for 487 and five touchdowns to zero interceptions. He also had 85 yards rushing and one touchdown.


Barner caught eight passes for 128 yards and one touchdown, while also rushing 15 times for 40 yards.


Sumpter added five catches for 126 yards and a touchdown, while Fletcher pulled in five for 94 and a score and Pompey with five catches for 44 yards and a touchdown. Donald Byrd (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) added the other receiving touchdown, while pulling in three passes for 49 yards.


Jacob Cross (Bakersfield, CA/Centennial HS) led the defense again in tackles with nine, while Ryan Cummings (Carson, CA/Lakewood HS) added eight.


The Mustangs had 669 yards of offense to 469 yards for the Grizzlies. WNMU had 501 yards through the air to 267 for ASC.


WNMU also controlled the clock, holding the ball for 35 minutes to just under 25 minutes for ASC.


WNMU will be back in action at home this coming Saturday when they will play Chadron State with kickoff set for 12 p.m. at Ben Altamirano Field.

                         
     Box Score (Final)
  Score by Quarters     1  2  3  4   Score
  -----------------    -- -- -- --   -----
  Western N.M.........  7  7 20  6  - 40       Record: (4-3,3-2)
  Adams State......... 15 15  0 14  - 44       Record: (4-3,2-3)
 
  Scoring Summary:
  1st 14:04 ASC - Terjean Saffold 63 yd run (James Ackel rush), 2-68 0:50, WNMU 0 - ASC 8
      10:24 ASC - Terjean Saffold 13 yd run (Dustin Bolt kick), 7-13 2:00, WNMU 0 - ASC 15
      00:24 WNMU - D. Barner 22 yd pass from David Ingram (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge HS) (K. Drawhorn kick), 8-80 4:19, WNMU 7 - ASC 15
  2nd 13:06 ASC - Delton Prescott 26 yd pass from T. Eggleston (Dustin Bolt kick), 6-52 2:11, WNMU 7 - ASC 22
      04:51 ASC - Isam Pegues 6 yd run (James Ackel rush), 7-79 3:39, WNMU 7 - ASC 30
      00:39 WNMU - R. Pompey 11 yd pass from David Ingram (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge HS) (K. Drawhorn kick), 14-80 4:12, WNMU 14 - ASC 30
  3rd 11:51 WNMU - Donald Byrd (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) 23 yd pass from David Ingram (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge HS) (K. Drawhorn kick), 8-80 3:09, WNMU 21 - ASC 30
      02:47 WNMU - S. Fletcher 22 yd pass from David Ingram (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge HS) (K. Drawhorn kick), 12-75 5:01, WNMU 28 - ASC 30
      00:56 WNMU - Markis Sumpter (Oceanside, CA/Fallbrook High School) 52 yd pass from David Ingram (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge HS) (David Ingram (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge HS) pass failed), 1-52 0:10, WNMU 34 - ASC 30
  4th 11:14 WNMU - David Ingram (Irvine, CA/Woodbridge HS) 61 yd run (K. Drawhorn kick failed), 1-61 0:11, WNMU 40 - ASC 30
      07:30 ASC - Dustin Bolt 23 yd pass from T. Eggleston (Dustin Bolt kick), 3-40 0:35, WNMU 40 - ASC 37
      01:33 ASC - James Ackel 1 yd run (Dustin Bolt kick), 7-63 2:15, WNMU 40 - ASC 44