ALPINE, Tex. – Western New Mexico and Sul Ross State combined for 98 points on the gridiron Saturday with the Mustangs coming out with the 54-44 wild victory in the season opener for both teams.
Early on you could tell it was set to be an offensive show. After Western New Mexico University (WNMU) was forced to punt on their opening possession, Sul Ross State University (SRSU) wasted little time breaking the seal on the contest. Carson broke free on the second play from scrimmage and scampered 75 yards for the Lobos touchdown and an early 7-0 lead following a good extra point try four minutes in.
WNMU had some trickery up their sleeves on the ensuing possession. Following a terrific 48-yard kickoff return by
Willie Bobbit (Downey, CA/Downey) that brought the ball near midfield, the Mustangs were only able to move the ball two yards on three plays bringing up a fourth-and-eight at midfield. WNMU lined up in a punt formation, but
Kameron Drawhorn (San Diego, CA/Fallbrook HS) was set to pass as he hit Bernard Williams for 25 yards and a big first down. The Mustangs took advantage of the momentum, as
Donald Byrd (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) broke off a 20-yard run on the next play to set up a first-and-goal at the five in which
Antoine Young (Oakland, CA/Encinal HS) scored on the quarterback keeper and Drawhorn made the extra point to knot the game at seven with still nine minutes to play in the opening quarter.
The teams would then struggle to establish any strings of plays over the rest of the quarter, with WNMU having the best chance to score, but a field goal was missed leaving it a 7-7 game after the first quarter.
The second started with a bang, with
Mitch Glasmann (Temecula, CA/Chaparral) hitting
Marquis Sumpter (Oceanside/Falbrook Union HS) for a 61-yard bomb to the end zone and
Josh McIntire (El Cajon, CA/West Hills) added the point after to give the Mustangs a 14-7 lead 27 seconds into the quarter.
SRSU moved the ball well on their next drive, getting it all the way to the Mustang 1 and were faced with a fourth-and-goal. The Lobos tried to pound it in on the ground, but
Oscar Ceniceros (Canutillo, TX/Canutillo HS) came up with the stop turning the ball over on downs. The Mustangs, though, were backed up and on their first snap on the change of possession, the ball was mishandled in the backfield and WNMU was forced to just fall on the ball in the end zone to avoid a turnover which resulted in a safety and a 14-9 lead.
The Lobos took advantage of the following free kick, starting at the Mustang 44 following a 47-yard return. Seven plays later, an 18-yard pass play from Springer to Mobley had SRSU back on top 15-14 as the two-point try failed with still nine minutes to go before halftime.
WNMU responded, with a big personal foul on SRSU moving the ball just pass midfield which led an 11-yard run by Glasmann placing the ball at the 33. Glasmann then showed off the arm, hitting Byrd for a 32-yard completion putting the ball at the one. After a false start, Glasmann hit
Ronnell Pompey (Los Angeles, CA/Fairfax Senior HS) from six yards out for the touchdown and a 20-15 lead as WNMU missed on the two-point try.
SRSU took just one play to answer back, with Springer connecting with Carson for 67 yards and after the two-point try was good, SRSU was back in front, 23-20, with two minutes to go before halftime.
Both teams would throw interceptions on their final possessions of the first half to leave SRSU in front, 23-20, at halftime.
SRSU began with the ball first in the third quarter and moved down the field from their own 25 finding the end zone nine plays later on a 30-yard pass and after the extra point was good the Lobos had their largest lead of the game at 30-20 with 11 minutes to play in the third.
WNMU looked to answer back, but the drive stalled near the 20 of the Lobos and the Mustangs would end up turning the ball over on downs. That's when the Mustang defense came up big.
Following a four-yard rush, Drawhorn read Springer's pass and intercepted it at the 30 of SRSU setting up WNMU with great field position.
WNMU would cash in just three plays later, with Glasmann completing two passes, one to
Tyler Perez (La Mirada, CA/La Mirada HS) for 11 yards and another to Byrd for five before
Abraham Macias (El Paso, TX/Socorro HS) broke through from 14 yards out for the rushing touchdown. McIntire was good on the point after to trim the SRSU lead to three, 30-27 halfway through the third.
The Mustangs again showed some trickery on the ensuing kickoff going with an onside kick that McIntire recovered at midfield. The Mustangs pushed the ball all the way to the 13 of SRSU, but a fumble turned away any points and was recovered by the Lobos at their own 13.
The defense remained strong, forcing a quick three-and-out giving the offense the ball back right around midfield. Three plays later after
John De La Rosa (Vinton, TX/Canutillo HS) posted a 19-yard run, Glasmann hit
Brent Courtney (Oceanside CA/Carlsbad HS) for a six-yard touchdown pass and with McIntire hitting another extra point it moved WNMU in front, 34-30, near the end of the third.
SRSU then answered and took the lead for what would turn out to be the last time in the game as Carson caught the ball in the end zone and took it back 100 yards for a kickoff return touchdown and after the extra point the Lobos were back in front 37-34.
After a short kickoff and an eight-yard return by Williams, WNMU was at their own 44. Glasmann immediately went to the air, hitting Courtney in stride for a 25-yard gain. After a penalty, short rush and incompletion followed to set up a third-and-16, Glasmann found Byrd for 15 yards to setup a fourth-and-one at the 22. The Mustangs went for it and
Tyler Jackson (San Diego, CA/Ramona HS) was not to be denied, rumbling all the way in for the 22-yard touchdown and after McIntire was good again on the extra point, WNMU was in front 41-37 at the end of the third quarter.
Each team would punt on their next possessions and after WNMU forced another SRSU punt, the Mustang offense was ready to put the game out of reach. With the ball at the Mustang 42, De La Rosa sprung free for a 44 yard run down to the one and on the next play, Glasmann found Sumpter in the corner of the end zone for a the touchdown and after another McIntire extra point, WNMU had a 48-37 lead with 10 minutes to play.
SRSU was moderately moving the ball on their next possession, but the Mustang defense rose to the occasion again with
Kristian King (Redlands, CA/Redlands East Valley) coming away with an interception at the Mustang 30 and then he returned it 32 yards to the Lobo 38.
That would lead to the final Mustang touchdown of the afternoon, with three big plays leading WNMU down the field, started by a 13-yard run by Jackson and a 15-yard pass from Glasmann to Bobbit which led to the touchdown play of De La Rosa going in from nine yards out to open the lead to 54-37 as the try after was no good with five minutes to play.
The Lobos would answer back with a touchdown, but it would be too late as the Mustangs would run the clock out on their next possession.
WNMU outgained SRSU 577-473, including a 288-170 advantage on the ground. De La Rosa led the Mustangs in rushing going for 102 yards on nine attempts on one touchdown. Macias added 82 yards on nine carries and a score as well. Jackson tallied the most carries with 10 going for 64 yards and a touchdown. Through the air, Glasmann in his first start as a true freshman connected on 18-of-34 passes for 264 yards and four touchdowns. Byrd pulled down five receptions for 61 yards, while All-RMAC wide receiver Sumpter snagged four passes for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Courtney also caught a touchdown pass along with two other passes for 50 yards. Ceniceros led the defense with 16 tackles, including seven solo, he also had half a sack.
Jarret Yargus (Bagdad, AZ/Bagdad HS) and
Zachary Dembrowski (Lake Elsinore/Elsinore HS) tallied 11 tackles each and one-and-a-half sacks apiece as well.
WNMU will stay on the road this coming Saturday as they will play at the University of San Diego with kickoff set for 7 p.m. Mountain.
Western New Mexico vs Sul Ross State (09-01-2012 at Alpine, TX)
WNMU SRSU
Score......................... 54 44
FIRST DOWNS................... 28 20
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............ 40-288 35-170
PASSING YDS (NET)............. 289 303
Passes Att-Comp-Int........... 39-19-1 38-25-3
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS..... 79-577 73-473
Fumble Returns-Yards.......... 0-0 0-0
Punt Returns-Yards............ 2-31 0-0
Kickoff Returns-Yards......... 4-106 4-193
Interception Returns-Yards.... 3-32 1-0
Punts (Number-Avg)............ 2-54.0 7-40.4
Fumbles-Lost.................. 1-1 0-0
Penalties-Yards............... 9-86 8-79
Possession Time............... 27:16 32:44
Third-Down Conversions........ 2 of 11 6 of 15
Fourth-Down Conversions....... 2 of 4 0 of 1
Red-Zone Scores-Chances....... 6-7 2-4
Western New Mexico Sul Ross State
Rushing No Yds TD Lg Avg Rushing No Yds TD Lg Avg
John De La Rosa (Vinton, TX/Canutillo HS) 9 102 1 44 11.3 D. Carson 17 173 1 75 10.2
Abraham Macias (El Paso, TX/Socorro HS) 9 82 1 33 9.1 Otis Edwards 3 13 0 8 4.3
Tyler Jackson (San Diego, CA/Ramona HS) 10 64 1 22 6.4 Brian Thomas 2 5 0 3 2.5
Antoine Young (Oakland, CA/Encinal HS) 5 21 1 12 4.2 A.J. Springer 13 -21 0 9 -1.6
Passing AttCmpInt Yds TD Lng Passing AttCmpInt Yds TD Lng
Mitch Glasmann (Temecula, CA/Chaparral) 34-18-1 264 4 61 A.J. Springer 38-25-3 303 4 67
Antoine Young (Oakland, CA/Encinal HS) 4-0-0 0 0 0
Receiving No. Yds TD Long Receiving No. Yds TD Long
Donald Byrd (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) 5 61 0 32 D. Carson 7 96 1 67
Marquis Sumpter (Oceanside/Falbrook Union HS) 4 88 2 61 Cordrick Mobley 7 56 1 26
Brent Courtney (Oceanside CA/Carlsbad HS) 3 50 1 25 Lee Carothers 5 66 1 28
Bernard Williams 1 25 0 25 Jerome Fellows 4 55 0 21
Punting No. Avg Long I20 Punting No. Avg Long I20
Kameron Drawhorn (San Diego, CA/Fallbrook HS) 2 54.0 55 2 Edward Mendez 7 40.4 58 2
Punt returns No. Yds TD Long Punt returns No. Yds TD Long
Willie Bobbit (Downey, CA/Downey) 2 31 0 25
Kick returns No. Yds TD Long Kick returns No. Yds TD Long
Willie Bobbit (Downey, CA/Downey) 2 90 0 48 Jural Hickman 3 93 0 47
Dante Sellers (Phoenix, AZ/Deer Valley HS) 1 8 0 8 D. Carson 1 100 1 100
Tackles UA-A Total Sacks Tackles UA-A Total Sacks
Oscar Ceniceros (Canutillo, TX/Canutillo HS) 7-9 16 0.5 Jural Hickman 7-1 8 0.0
Jarret Yargus (Bagdad, AZ/Bagdad HS) 4-7 11 1.5 Casey Sonier 4-4 8 0.0
Zachary Dembrowski (Lake Elsinore/Elsinore HS) 4-7 11 1.5 Zack Roberson 4-4 8 0.0
Wesley Bates (Panorama City, CA/William Howard HS) 2-3 5 0.5 Johnny Stewart 5-2 7 0.0
Team Qtr Time Scoring play Conversion Plays-Yards TOP WNMU - SRSU
---- --- ---- ------------ ---------- ----------- --- -----------------
SRSU 1st 11:03 D. Carson 75 yd run Edward Mendez kick 2-80 1:15 0 - 7
WNMU 1st 09:25 A. Young 5 yd run K. Drawhorn kick 6-52 1:25 7 - 7
WNMU 2nd 14:33 M. Sumpter 61 yd pass from M. Glasmann J. McIntire kick 3-85 0:39 14 - 7
SRSU 2nd 11:14 TEAM safety 14 - 9
SRSU 2nd 08:58 Cordrick Mobley 18 yd pass from A.J. Springer A.J. Springer rush failed 7-44 2:16 14 - 15
WNMU 2nd 07:13 R. Pompey 6 yd pass from M. Glasmann M. Glasmann pass failed 5-65 1:44 20 - 15
SRSU 2nd 02:16 D. Carson 67 yd pass from A.J. Springer Lee Carothers pass 1-67 0:15 20 - 23
SRSU 3rd 10:50 X. Jefferson 30 yd pass from A.J. Springer Edward Mendez kick 9-75 4:10 20 - 30
WNMU 3rd 06:39 A. Macias 14 yd run J. McIntire kick 3-30 0:35 27 - 30
WNMU 3rd 02:26 B. Courtney 6 yd pass from M. Glasmann J. McIntire kick 3-49 0:40 34 - 30
SRSU 3rd 02:11 D. Carson 100 yd kickoff return Edward Mendez kick 34 - 37
WNMU 3rd 00:01 T. Jackson 22 yd run J. McIntire kick 5-56 1:58 41 - 37
WNMU 4th 09:56 M. Sumpter 1 yd pass from M. Glasmann J. McIntire kick 4-58 1:33 48 - 37
WNMU 4th 05:02 J. De La Rosa 9 yd run J. McIntire kick failed 5-38 1:32 54 - 37
SRSU 4th 02:23 Lee Carothers 9 yd pass from A.J. Springer Edward Mendez kick 8-75 2:39 54 - 44
