In the first half of TAMUK’s last non-conference game against the Wolves of Western Oregon, the hometown team commanded the field before trading their momentum in the second half for a 26-14 loss.
The strong first half by the Javelinas began with a jet sweep to senior receiver Donte Ross who found the pylon from three-yards out, capping a 7-play, 62-yard drive and putting the Blue and Gold up 7-0.
Western Oregon would answer right back. The Wolves capitalized on a 67-yard kickoff return by Marquis Sampson when quarterback Ty Currie found the goal line on a 15-yard scramble. The run by Currie would even the score at 7-7.
The next Javelina drive faltered at the Western Oregon 40-yard line after nine plays and an offsides penalty, but thanks to a muffed Karch Kaspar punt, the Javelinas resumed their drive at the Western Oregon 10-yard line before a Cade Dyal interception in the end zone turned the tide back around.
Kaspar had a career-game, punting eight times for 358 yards. One of those efforts was a 68-yard career-long and three fell inside the Wolves 20-yardline.
“The positives, outside of the penalty on the punt return, our special teams played very well. Karch was punting the ball and putting them in bad situations. We had the blocked field goal that gave us 7 points, so there are bright spots on special teams where we kept ourselves in the ballgame,” Head Coach Daren Wilkinson said.
Shortly into the second quarter, the Hogs battled their way to a fourth down after a nine-play, 72-yard drive by the Wolves. The 33-yard attempt was blocked by the Blue and Goal field goal coverage unit and returned 70 yards by Josh Wilson for the touchdown, putting the host up 14-7 going into the break.
“The last three games, we had momentum at the half. We were leading this one, tied at Eastern New Mexico and down by a score at Commerce. We were playing very well before the end of the first half and each of those games we came out in the second half and found ways to not play the same caliber of ball that we were playing in the first half,” Wilkinson said.
“I don’t know how to put my finger on it. We’re making adjustments on both sides of the ball but for whatever reason, we come out and they go down and score on us. Then our first series on offense, we go three-and-out and one down was the penalty on the big run by Luis [Lopez]. We find ways to not get it done in the second half, and were not going to win a lot of ballgames here playing football the way we do in the second half,” he continued.
The second-half kickoff was received by Western Oregon, and the visitors marched 59 yards on six plays, resulting in another Currie touchdown and evening the score at 14-14.
The next Javelina drive stalled out when Dyal was picked off for the second time. The Wolves would take advantage of the sudden momentum change, capping a five-play, 35-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run by Omari Land. The extra-point attempt sailed wide, but Western Oregon was still on top 20-14.
Late in the third quarter, Wolves back Nico Jackson hit a 40-yard jaunt that set up the Wolves final score. With five-seconds left to play in the period, Currie would find the end zone on his feet once again, this time from 11 yards out. The Wolves left their offense on the field with the hopes of picking up two points, but the Currie pass fell incomplete. This was the last scoring effort of the game by either team, leaving the score at 26-14.
Any comeback hopes were wrenched from the hometown team after Joey Sinclair made a one-handed interception.
“Give credit to Western Oregon. They did a heck of a job running the ball. We couldn’t stop their power play and their quarterback did a heck of a job in the RPO game. Again, each week, it’s very rarely what the opposing team does to us but what we do to ourselves. It’s one of those things with their confidence. Somebody looking around for someone else to make a play, but were not getting it done in the second half, and it’s a frustrating thing,” Wilkinson said.
Redshirt sophomore Ryan Martinez pulled down three catches for 55 yards, and the rushing offensive was spear-headed once again by running back Luis Lopez who piled up 71 yards on 11 plays.
Tre’Michael Tutt led the defense with a game-high 13 tackles, including the lone TAMUK sack, and a forced fumble. Redshirt sophomore Kason Franklin added 10 tackles of his own to finish as the other Javelina with double-digit stops.
The Hogs will head out on the road to Wichita Falls, Texas next week to resume Lone Star Conference action as they take on the Mustangs of Midwestern State.