Redshirt senior running back Luis Lopez hit pay dirt three times in the Javelina’s road victory over the Mustangs of Western New Mexico (WNMU). The visiting team’s efforts at Ben Altamirano Field provided them with their first victory in Lone Star Conference action.
Western New Mexico jumped out to a 14-0 lead after scampers from C.J. Fowler and DeAndre Williams, but the Blue and Gold would respond answer back with an 18-yard strike from quarterback Koy Detmer Jr. to Kingsville-native Ryan Martinez.
On the next drive, the home team would extend their lead when Fowler flung one to teammate Isaac Crichton. With just under 5 minutes to play in the half, WNMU placekicker Ignacio Correa split the uprights from 29 yards out to increase the deficit to 23-7.
The Javelinas would get the final say in first half play from a 15-yard touchdown jaunt from Lopez.
At the end of first half play, the Mustangs held the lead at 23-14.
In an interview with Javelina athletics, Head Coach Daren Wilkinson conveyed pride in the team’s ability to bounce back from the early struggles.
“I’m proud of the way our guys battled,” Wilkinson said. “We buckled down near the end of the first quarter, got that touchdown at the end of the half, and we really felt like they couldn’t stop us from there.”
TAMUK kept the momentum rolling in the third quarter, capping the opening drive with a 29-yard pass from Detmer to redshirt junior receiver Darrian Hambrick.
The Mustangs answered right back with a 28-yard strike from Fowler to Reggie Carlson III. But freshman kicker Romario Perez pushed one through the uprights from 33-yards and Lopez capped a critical 98-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run. Lopez’s second goal line find tied the game at 30-all.
The visitors captured the mometum on the following WNMU-drive when lineback Alec Lewis jumped on a lose ball at the TAMUK two-yard line.
Amos Coleman III jumped in front of a Fowler-throw and returned it 15 yards for a score. The defensive touchdown grabbed the first lead for the visitors as they moved ahead 37-30.
Lopez rumbled for his final score from 1-yard out, extending the Javelina lead by 14.
A muffed punt by the Mustangs and a key interception by redshirt sophmore Kason Franklin cemented the Javelina victory.
Wilkinson praised the defense’s second half performance in an interview with Javelina athletics.
“Our defense did a nice job in the second half figuring some things out and making the stops they needed. Then it became about big plays on both sides of the ball, we got it done on offense and defense and it allowed us to win the game,” Wilkinson said.
Lopez carried the ball 17 times for 122 yards and three touchdowns. This was his second three-score performance of the year, his first coming in the September 14 shutout of Sul Ross State.
Four different TAMUK defenders came up with a sack. The defense was lead by a 10 tackle effort from senior Josh Wilson. Jacob Clarkson, Cody Gardner and Jimmar Davis racked up two tackles each.
The Javelinas host the Buffaloes of West Texas A&M on November 9th. Play will kickoff on Pespsi Field at Javelina Stadium at 3 p.m. and be broadcast on local televisions by the Nexstar Media Group.
