Louisiana College and Texas Lutheran opened their 2012 football seasons with wins on Saturday (Sept. 1). All American Southwest Conference teams except for nationally-ranked Mary Hardin-Baylor were in action. Both victories by LC and TLU came on the road.
 
(Game recaps courtesy of sports information departments)
 
Louisiana College 34, Webber International 16
 
Box Score
 
LAKE WALES, Fla. – The first step in a season full of promise for the Louisiana College wildcats began Saturday with a 34-16 victory over the Webber International University warriors at Legion Field in Lake Wales, FL.

Despite Dennis Dunn's well-known reputation for utilizing the passing game, the wildcats opened the game with six straight running plays on their initial drive. That drive ended with Jamie Bunting hooking up with D'Mario Parker for a 15 yard touchdown to put LC ahead 7-0.

LC quickly lost that lead, however, triggered by two key mistakes. The first, a 35 yard fumble return for a touchdown by Grady Morrell, came off a botched snap by Jamie Bunting. The other came on special teams when the wildcats gave up a 32 yard punt return to Deonte Fielder that put the warriors deep in LC terriotory. That led to a Baylin Trujillo one yard touchdown run to put WIU ahead 13-6.

LC looked to be in danger of letting the game get away from them on WIU's next possession, but a key interception in the endzone by junior defensive back Daniel Hebert shut down the warrior's drive. That proved to be the turning point of the game, as LC's talented "white shirt" defense and punishing ground attack, led by Ryan Montague, would take over.

The wildcats tied the game before halftime with a five yard touchdown from Montague, then followed that with a 55 yard touchdown pass from Jamie Bunting to Cortland Bell to open the third quarter. LC got back on the scoreboard on the first play of the fourth quarter with another touchdown from Montague, this one from 12 yards out.

Senior linebacker Phil Ford put the icing on the cake, recovering a fumble in the endzone in the final minute of the fourth quarter to make it 34-16.

Bunting finished the game 22-42 passing for 278 yards and two touchdowns, while Montague toted the ball 21 times for 152 yards and two touchdowns. The LC defense, which gave up only 133 total yards, was lead by sophomore Preston Thibeaux. Thibeaux, who had his best game so far in a wildcat uniform, finished the game with six total tackles and three sacks.

With the win, LC begins the season 1-0 for the fourth time in the past five season. They take on the Belhaven Blazers next Saturday September 8 at 7 p.m. in Jackson, MS.


Western New Mexico 54, Sul Ross State 44
 
Box Score
 
ALPINE, Texas –  Dominique Carson had 369 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns as the Lobos were defeated by Western New Mexico 44-54 Saturday afternoon at Jackson Field.

After the Lobos' defense stalled WNMU's first drive in the first quarter, Sul Ross would score in two plays as Carson had his first touchdown of the day on an 75-yard run to put the Lobos up 7-0. The Mustangs then answered a few plays later to tie the game 7-7 with 9:25 remaining in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, WNMU moved ahead 14-7 in the opening minute after a  driving 85 yards on three plays with 14:33 remaining in the half. After getting down to the 1 yard-line, the Lobos were unable to get in the endzone. However, on the following play, Sul Ross got a safety to cut the margin to 14-9 with 11:32 to play.  The Lobos then drove 44 yards on 7 plays and took back the lead when A.J. Springer found Cordrick Mobley in the endzone on an 18-yard pass to put Sul Ross ahead 15-14 with 8:58 remaining. The Mustangs would answer again and took back the lead 20-15 with 7:33 left in the half. Sul Ross would start the next drive on their own 33 yard line. Springer would hit Carson on a 67-yard pass and run gave the Lobos a 23-20 halftime lead.

At the start of the third quarter, Sul Ross improved their lead to 30-20 after Springer hit Xaiver Jefferson on a 30-yard pass with 10:50 left in the quarter. The Mustangs then scored on their next two drives to pull ahead 34-30. On the following kickoff, Carson went coast-to-coast, scoring on a 100-yard kickoff return that gave the Lobos a 37-34 lead with 2:11 remaing. Before the quarter was over, WNMU would score once more to take a 41-37 lead heading into the final 15 minutes.

In the fourth quarter, the Mustangs would lead 54-37 after scoring twice in first ten minutes of the quarter. The Lobos would attempt to rally late after Springer found Lee Carothers in the endzone on a 9-yard pass that put Sul Ross down by 10 trailing 54-44 with 2:23 left in the game. WNMU would then run out the clock on the following drive to end game.

Offensively, the Lobos had a total of 473 yards. A.J. Springer was 25 of 38 for 303 yards with 3 interceptions and 4 touchdowns. Dominique Carson led the rushing attack with 173 yards and one touchdown. Carson also had 7 receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown while Cordrick Mobley had 7 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown and Lee Carothers had 5 receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Jural Hickman, Zach Roberson, and Casey Sonier had 8 tackles each to lead the Lobos. Johnny Stewart had 7 tackles respectfully.

The Lobos are 0-1 on the season and will travel to Portales, NM to play Eastern New Mexico University on September 8th at 7pm MST.
 
No. 3 Wesley 34, East Texas Baptist 14
 
Box Score
 
MARSHALL, Texas – A young team stepped onto the field at Ornelas Stadium for East Texas Baptist University (0-1) and matured quickly facing #3 Wesley College (1-0).  After opening up with a 12-0 lead in the first quarter, Wesley College answered with 28 points for a 14-point lead at the half en route to taking the game, 34-14.
 
The opening excitement of the season and playing on their own field opened up the momentum for East Texas Baptist as Seth Hubbard threw two touchdown passes five minutes apart for the 12-0 lead.  ETBU took a 6-0 lead, missing the extra point, when Hubbard hti Roy Denbow from 15-yards out just under five minutes into the game. 
 
ETBU’s score was set up when Dominique Bailey picked off Wesley’s Justin Sottilare at the 33-yard line and returned it 17 yard to the 16.  Two plays later, ETBU found their first touchdown of 2012.
 
ETBU’s defense stopped Wesley on the ensuing possession and drove the ball 62 yards on six plays for the 12-0 lead.  Hubbard started the drive with a 46-yard pass to Roy Denbow to put the Tigers on the 16-yard line.  After three rushing plays and on a third and goal, Hubbard dropped a pass to Chad Bowers to extend the lead to 12. 
 
“The game didn’t turn out the way we had planned today but it started out exciting.  When you pick on somebody early like that there is a reason why they are ranked #3 in the country,” says head coach Mark Sartain.  “What I told the team after the game is what we need to learn is the ingredient that a championship brings to the table is that they overcome their mistakes and a slow start and to return momentum to their sideline after it has been taken away. “
 
Wesley College answered right back with a drive that took less than a minute to come within five, 12-7, and then took the lead, 14-12, in the second quarter at the 14:23 mark.  At the 8:38 mark, Wesley snapped the ball out the endzone on a miscommunication as the game became tied at 14. ETBU went three-and-out after the safety as Wesley scored on their next two possessions to take over the game, 28-14. 
 
Both teams settled down in the second half as Wesley scored only one time in the third quarter to make it 34-14 missing the extra point. 
 
Hubbard went 17-of-38 in the pocket for 176 yards but threw four interceptions.  Denbow halled in four balls for 82 yards to lead the team.  John Gable finished the day with 15 rushes for 45 yards.  ETBU’s offense netted 310 yards with 215 in the air.  Wesley finished with 321 yards of total offense producing 265 in the air. Justin Sottilare was 20-32 with two interceptions for Wesley.
 
Alex Cloudy wrapped up eight Wesley players on the day to lead the team in tackles while Collin Bieschke and Bailey recorded the interceptions.  Mark Gray also recorded the team’s first sack of the day.
 
ETBU travels to Sherman, Texas, next Saturday to face Austin College at 2:00 p.m. looking for their first win of 2012.
 
Millsaps 23, Mississippi College 17
 
Box Score
 
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi College football team had their three-game "Backyard Brawl" winning streak snapped with a 23-17 loss to Millsaps on Saturday afternoon at Harper Davis Field.

The Majors (1-0) got on the scoreboard first in the first quarter when Mike Barthelemy scored on a one-yard run to cap off an eight-play 35 yard drive.  Garrett Pinciotti was intercepted by junior Darren Watts on the two-point conversion and Millsaps led 6-0.

Senior Chris Campbell put the Choctaws (0-1) on the board in the second quarter with a 31-yard field goal.  Sophomore Jonathon Redd completed a 30-yard pass to sophomore Jacob Becker to highlight the drive.

After Millsaps pushed the lead to 9-3, freshman Therion Robinson gave MC the lead with a 19-yard, bruising touchdown run.  Neither team managed to score the rest of the first half and the Choctaws went in with a 10-9 advantage.

In the second half, the Majors took the lead back with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Pincotti to Kegan Joplin.  Pinciotti would extend the lead to 23-10 in the fourth quarter with a 28-yard scoring throw to Jonathan Moore.

The Choctaws would not quit, however, as junior transfer Les Lemons caught a 15-yard pass from Redd and scampered into the end zone to make the score 23-16.

The MC defense would force a stop on the next Millsaps drive, but the Majors' defense came right back with a three-and-out to get the ball back with just 2:45 remaining.

Barthelemy would ice the game on the next drive with a 10-yard run on second down to run out the clock.  The sophomore running back led a Millsaps rushing attack that tallied 258 yards on 49 carries.  Barthelemy rushed for 150 yards on 29 carries.

Redd helped the Choctaws outgain the Majors through the air with 210 passing yards and one touchdown.  Lemons led the receivers with seven catches for 81 yards and the score.

Junior Baylor Blanchard led the Choctaws with 11 tackles, while junior Drew Dennis had 4.0 tackles for loss and was second on the team with nine tackles.  Junior Stephen Miner had four tackles and two fumble recoveries in the game.

Jeb White paced Millsaps with seven tackles.

The Choctaws will open their home schedule next Saturday when they host Webber International at 6:00 p.m. at Robinson-Hale Stadium.
 
Texas Lutheran 38, Austin College 16
 
Box Score
 
SHERMAN, Texas – The Texas Lutheran Bulldogs overcame a 16-3 first-half deficit and scored 35 unanswered points to win 38-16 Saturday at Austin College.

At Jerry Apple Stadium, the Bulldogs started slowly but closed in a flurry. TLU scored 28 second-half points, held the Kangaroos scoreless in the second half, and rushed for 246 yards.

The Bulldogs put up 562 yards of total offense and held Austin College to 309. The TLU defense recovered a pair of fumbles. Both fumble recoveries were made by junior linebacker Bradley Snowden (Houston/Seven Lakes).

Bulldog junior quarterback Brent Peavy (Houston/St. Pius X) started his first game and threw a pair of TD passes to freshman fullback Trey Enterline (Arlington/Martin). Peavy finished the day 22-for-34 with two scores, two interceptions, and 293 yards.

Cameron Peavy, twin brother of Brent, led TLU with 104 receiving yards on five catches, with a long of 44.

TLU also had a 100-yard rusher in Therron Jerome (New Orleans, La./Marble Falls). Jerome made his first career start and rushed 17 times for 110 yards.

DeMarcus Boyd (Houston/Dobie) rushed eight times for 61 yards and a touchdown, and Jo Jo Epps (Houston/Atascocita) added two rushing TDs on five carries.

The Bulldogs fell behind 7-0 less than three minutes into the game when Nathan Packard scored on a 68-yard interception return. The Kangaroo lead hit 16-3 after a Travis McClinton touchdown grab in the first quarter and an Andrew Klink 37-yard field goal in the second quarter.

TLU cut the lead to 16-10 before the half with the first Peavy-to-Enterline TD hook-up. The play covered 11 yards.

The first Bulldog lead of the contest came on an Epps one-yard run. Epps, a sophomore, added a two-yard run to close out the TLU scoring.

TLU returns to Seguin for next week's home-opener with Trinity University. Game time is set for 6 p.m. in Seguin's Matador Stadium. TLU will have live video and live stats on tlubulldogs.com and a radio call on KWED 1580 AM and seguintoday.com. Pre-game coverage begins at 5:30 p.m.
 
Willamette 58, Hardin-Simmons 34
 
Box Score
 
ABILENE, Texas – Willamette University had been known for its fly offense, but with a new coach and a new quarterback the Bearcats opened up the attack and rolled up 727 yards in a 58-34 win over Hardin-Simmons in the season opener on Saturday night at Shelton Stadium.
 
The 727 yards and 58 points allowed were the most given up by a Hardin-Simmons team in the non-scholarship era.
 
Josh Dean was impressive for the Bearcats as he completed 31-of-47 passes for 468 yards and six touchdowns. He opened the scoring in the first quarter when he hit Jake Turner on a 26-yard touchdown pass to cap a 10-play, 82-yard drive on the opening possession.
Willamette made it 14-0 in the second quarter when Dylan Jones got free on a screen pass for 63 yards and a score, but the Cowboys Jessie Ramos returned the ensuing kick 96 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-6 after Scott Newberry's PAT was blocked.
 
On the next series, Jonathan Petty picked off Dean and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-13. The Bearcats then scored on a 7-yard Jones run with 4:15 to play in the half and then Devin Carver fumbled for the Cowboys putting the Bearcats right back in scoring territory and Dean hit Mike Hernandez on a 5-yard touchdown pass with :26 to play in the first half to make it 28-13.
 
Willamette scored on two possessions early in the third quarter. Dean hit Benny Weischedel on a 37-yard touchdown pass and then hit Jake Knecht on an 11-yard score to make it 41-13.
 
That is when the Cowboy offense, which had struggled up to that point, came to life. HSU went 73 yards in five plays and Tevin Mitchell capped the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run. Tyler Tennerson then intercepted a shovel pass and HSU scored two plays later on a Mitchell 5-yard run to cut the deficit to 41-27.
 
Kyle Derby capped a 61-yard drive with a 27-yard field goal to make the score 44-27 with :21 to play in the third quarter.
 
HSU quarterback Logan Turner then hit Trei Lewis on a 40-yard touchdown pass on fourth down and Willamette fumbled on the ensuing possession at their own 25 and the Cowboys only trailing by 10 looked to be back in the game.
However Mitchell fumbled the first play of the HSU possession. Willamette went 86 yards in nine plays and Dean hit Turner for a 23-yard touchdown to make it 51-34. Terrell Malley scored on a 45-yard touchdown run with 5:54 to play to setup the final score.
 
Turner was 21-for-36 with four interceptions and was sacked four times in his starting debut. Mitchell had 18 rushes for 94 yards and two touchdowns. Corey Jones had five catches for 89 yards.
 
The Cowboys did set a school record with 307 yards of kickoff returns. Ramos had five returns for 199 yards.
 
Freshman free safety James Place led the Cowboys with 11 tackles, Brandon Phillips had 10 tackles a forced fumble and two pass break ups and Undra Hendrix had a pair of sacks for HSU. Cody Pastorino led Willamette with seven tackles (2.5 for loss) and an interception.
 
The Cowboys are now 0-1 and will play at Linfield next Saturday.
 
No. 16 Trinity 56, Howard Payne 7
 
Box Score
 
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Four Howard Payne turnovers led to 28 Trinity University points as the Tigers defeat the Yellow Jackets 56-7 to open the 2012 season.

The Yellow Jackets fumbled the ball three times in the first half leading to three consecutive Trinity touchdowns. Trinity added another TD and led 28-0 at halftime.

The Jackets would throw an interception to open the second half leading to another Trinity TD. HPU got on the scoreboard in the last drive of the game when Thomas Head found Matt Melendez in the endzone for the 10-yard TD Reception. The catch capped a 13 play 66 yard drive that took 4:47 off the clock. Trinity would throw seven total TD passes and post a 56-7 win.

Head was 18 of 28 passing for 136 yards and the TD. Tyson Swanner was the Jackets leading receiver with 6 catches for 44 yards.

Jonne Warnstaff led the HPU defense with seven tackles, one for loss, followed by J.D King with six, one of loss.

The Jackets will be at home next week versus Southwestern Assemblies of God University at 6:00 pm.
 

Idle: No. 4 Mary Hardin-Baylor
 
 
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