SAN ANTONIO Texas – The 14th-ranked West Texas A&M Buffaloes scored 21 first quarter points en route to pinning a 49-10 defeat on Incarnate Word, Saturday afternoon at Tom Benson Stadium in San Antonio, Texas.
The win sets up a showdown next Saturday, Nov. 6, when WTAMU will host third-ranked Abilene Christian in a contest that will decide the Lone Star Conference South Championship.
The Buffaloes improve to 7-2 on the year, 7-1 LSC, 4-1 LSC South play, while UIW falls to 2-7, 2-5 LSC, 0-5 LSC South.
“We have a mature team and they weren’t looking past today’s game.” Said WT head coach Don Carthel. “We can’t afford to lose another game this season, and UIW is a dangerous team.
“We took care of the ball, were efficient in our offense and our defense played very well today, too.”
The Buffaloes started quickly, driving 69 yards for a touchdown on their initial drive. A 12 yard pass from Taylor Harris (Sr-3L, Whitesboro, Texas) to Trevor Hammergren (Fr-RS, Aztec, N.M.) set up first and goal from the UIW three. From there, Jay Tillman bulled up the middle for a three-yard TD run as the Buffs took a 7-0 lead just 2:23 into the contest. The drive saw WT’s Harris (Sr-3L, Whitesboro, Texas) go five-of-five passing for 63 yards.
The Buffs’ second possession began at the UIW 47 and it also resulted in seven points, with Harris finding Brittan Golden (Jr-2L, Denver City, Texas) over the middle on a 12-yard toss. Golden fought his way into the end zone, giving WT a 14-0 lead just 5:56 into the contest.
The second drive saw Harris complete another four passes without an incompletion.
The Buffaloes’ defense stopped UIW on a third-and-one situation, forcing another punt.
Taking over from their own 29, the Buffs again marched crisply downfield. From the UIW 11, Tillman bulled straight up the middle to the one yard line, setting up first and goal. A Harris pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage, but on second down Tevin Mitchell (So-1L, Quanah, Texas) went over center for the score. The 15 play drive covered 71 yards and, with 2:05 to play in the first quarter, WT held a 21-0 lead.
On their third possession of the game, UIW quarterback Paden Lynch drove the Cardinals, into the redzone. The Buffs held, though, and Shad Baichtal (Sr-1L, Mission Viejo, Calif.) blocked Thomas Rebolds’ 25-yard field goal attempt.
The Cardinal’s next drive was thwarted as Baichtal came around the left side of the IUW line to sack Lynch for a 21 yard loss.
The WT defense took control on UIW’s ensuing drive. DE Kyle Thomas (Sr-1L, Oceanside, Calif.) blocked a Lynch pass attempt on first down, hauled down UIW back Trent Rios for lost yardage on second down, then, on third down, DT Drew Jones (Jr-TR, West Columbia, Texas) batted a Lynch pass up into the air, where DB Maurice Caldwell (Jr-2L, San Antonio, Texas) stepped under the ball a nd took it 18 yards for the score. WT now led, 28-0 midway through the second quarter.
Following another UIW punt, RB Kelvin Thompson (Sr-3L, Mineral Wells, Texas) burst through a hole up the middle for 33 yards to the three yard line. From there, Harris hit Tyson Williams (Jr-2L, Aldine, Texas) for the score, putting the Buffs up, 35-0 with 3:52 to play in the first half. The 10 play drive took 3:52 off the clock.
A 44-yard Sergio Castillo (Fr-RS, Mission, Texas) field goal attempt in the final minute had the distance but was wide to the left, leaving WT with a 3509 halftimme liead.
Taking possession to start the second half UIW drove from their own 20 to the WT 27. From there, QB Lynch scrambled up the middle for 12 yards, but was hit and fumbled the ball with WT’s Drew Jones falling on the loose pigskin.
The Buffs were unable to move the ball and Kevin VanVoris (Fr-HS, Elizabith, Colo.) was forced to kick from his own endzone. VanVoris uncorked a 56-yard punt, giving UIW possession at their own 38.
On the UIW possession, WT’s Zane Farris knifed in from the left side, flushed Lynch from the pocket and stripped him of the ball and Taylor McCuller fell on it at the WT 47.
Starting from there, the Buffs gained two yards on first down at which point Harris connected with Williams on a 51 yard post route. The TD, Williams’ second of the game, gave West Texas A&M a 42-0 lead with 6:04 to play in the third quarter.
By this point in the game, several of the WT reserves were in the game defensively.
Thomas Ribold put the Cardinals on the board with a 32-yard field goal with 2:09 to play in the third quarter.
On the ensuing kickoff, Tommy Hampton took the ball on the far sideline, followed his blocking across the field and outran all would-be tacklers 89 yards to the endzone to put the Buffs ahead by a 49-3 margin.
The Cardinals converted a fourth-and-one midway through the fourth quarter to keep alive a drive which ended when Lynce found Donald ies on a short route at the goal line. The short pass reception made the score WT 49, UIW 10 with 9:42 remaining in the game.
Following the UIW score, Hampton gave the Buff offense great field position, at the UIW 43 with another long kickoff return. Tanner Marsh (So-1L, Carrollton, Texas) came on in relief of Harris at quarterback, but left shortly after with an injury, giving way to Dustin Vaughan (Fr-RS, Corpus Christi, Texas).
Harris finished the game completing 20 of 33 passes for 227 yards and three TDs. Williams had four catches for 75 yards and two TDs, as seven Buff receivers made pass receptions. Kelvin Thompson was the Buffs’ leading ground gainer with seven carries for 60 yards, while Jay Tillman had 12 carries for 52 yards and one TD..
Defensively, Taylor McCuller had six tackles, while lineman Glen Stanley contributed five stops.
Next week, the Buffaloes host #3-ranked Abilene Christian in a battle for first-place in the LSC South Division. Kickoff at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium is set for 6:05 p.m. CDT.
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