Weatherford Okla. – After three scoreless quarters, Southwestern Oklahoma was able to score a touchdown from close range while the Javelinas could not as the Bulldogs (2-0) beat the Javelinas 7-3 in the season opener for Texas A&M-Kingsville.  Click here for stats.

   Bulldog quarterback Jimmy Sangster scored from three yards on the fourth play of the fourth quarter, but the Javelinas had to settle for a 22-yard field goal from Scott Schlebach with just over five minutes left in the game after driving to the Bulldog five-yard line.

   The Bulldogs, picked to finish second in the LSC North and 33-7 winners of Northwestern Oklahoma state last week, did not turn the ball over in the second half after five turnovers in the first half.

   The Javelina defense was brilliant throughout, allowing only 273 total yards, but the offense managed only 194 yards of its own.

   “We made some really good plays and played very hard, but we couldn’t get that stop we needed on that one drive,” said junior linebacker Mike Martinez (Calallen).

   “The defense gave a great effort and gave their all to the very end,” said Javelina head coach Bo Atterberry.

   “We played hard all night, but didn’t come up with plays when we should have. We’ve got to go back to work and pick ourselves up.”

   Backup quarterback David Garza (Laredo United) completed 7 of 13 passes for 64 yards and no interceptions while starter Kolten Thigpen was 7 for 24 for 70 yards and no turnovers.

   The Javelinas had just 60 yards rushing on 30 carries with Billy Martin leading the way with 39 yards on 11 carries.

   Freshman Ryan Lincoln (Bastrop) had five catches for 62 yards to lead the Javelinas.

   The Javelina defense held Bulldog quarterbacks Jimmy Sangster and Steve Day to just 12 of 24 passing for 104 yards and three interceptions.

   While the Bulldog defense only came up with one quarterback sack, they harassed both freshmen quarterbacks all night.

   “As an offensive line we have to get out eyes up and make the right calls,” said junior offensive tackle George Nobles. We started clicking in the fourth quarter and once we learn to do that from the get go, we’ll be O.K.”

   The second half started much the way the first half was played with Southwestern Oklahoma driving into Javelina territory, but the Hog offense coming up with a big turnover.

   The Bulldogs took the opening kickoff and drove to the Javelina 35-yard line, but senior cornerback Rod Mosley (Austin Reagan) picked off his second pass of the game, this one coming in the end zone while in man-to-man coverage.

   It was the fifth turnover forced by the Javelina defense and the sixth time the Bulldogs had driven into A&M-Kingsville territory without scoring.

   Late in the third quarter junior cornerback Clavens Charles (Miami, Fla.) stopped a third and 11 by breaking up a pass with a big hit and then returned the ensuing punt

27 yards to the Bulldog 30-yard line with 4:53 left in the third quarter.

   Garza came in to quarterback his second possession of the game, but the Hogs could not move it past the 30 on three plays and had to punt.

   The Javelina defense then began to wear down as Southwestern drove 80 yards in 10 plays, taking 4:20 off the clock and scoring the first points of the game on a 3-yard run by quarterback Jimmy Sangster to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead with 13:42 left in game.

   After gaining just 22 yard in the third quarter, Garza got the Javelinas going on their best drive of the night.

   Garza came back on the field to lead the next Javelina drive, completing a second and seven completion for eight yards to Lincoln at the Javelina 34-yard line to give the Hogs just their second first down of the second half.

   But on the next play, with Garza in the shotgun, a bad snap resulted in a loss of six, and then the Javelinas were called for procedure to make it second and 21.

   But on third and 15, Garza completed a 16-yard pass for a first down to Hausey (North McKinney) to the Javelina 45-yard line.

   Then on third and six from the Javelina 49-yard line, Garza hooked up with Hausey again, this time on a 28-yard gain to the Southwestern 23-yard line with 8:16 remaining.

 Again, Garza converted on a key third down this time on a 9-yard pass to Lincoln on third and five from the Bulldog 18-yard line.

   The Hogs couldn’t convert on a third and goal from the five so Scott Schlebach (Arlington Seguin), on his third field goal attempt of the game, converted from 22 yards to cut the lead to 7-3 with 5:08 left in the game.

   After compiling just 126 yards of total offense before the drive, the Hogs compiled 71 yards on 15 plays while taking 8:27 off the clock.

   On third and six from their own 44-yard line, defensive tackle Chris Williams (Pasadena, Calif.) stopped receiver Michael Cooper for just a two-yard gain to force a punt.

   Clavens Charles (Miami, Fla.) then returned the Bulldog punt 19 yards to the Javelina 34-yard line with 2:38 left in the game.

   A pass interference call gave the Hogs a first down at the 45-yard line with just over two minutes left, but on third and six from the 48-yard line, Garza was sacked back at the Javelina 42-yard line and on fourth down, under extreme pressure, threw an incompletion.

   “At halftime coach told us we had to come out and make some plays,” said junior wide receiver J.R. Hausey (North McKinney). “We stopped ourselves to many times. We are a young football team and we will learn from this.”

   The first half saw a combined 258 yards and seven turnovers.

   The Javelinas had 104 total yards and three lost fumbles while Southwestern Oklahoma had 154 yards, two lost fumbles and two interceptions.

   Southwestern Oklahoma drove inside the Javelina 30-yard line on three consecutive possessions midway through the first half, but couldn’t score.

   Anthony Bates forced a fumble from Steve Ihekona at the Javelina 19-yard line and was recovered by Charles.

   On their next possession, Southwestern drove to the Hog 19-yard line when Jimmy Lugo (Alice) came up big. The junior defensive end dropped Bulldog runners for losses of five and three yards on consecutive plays. Southwestern kicker Spencer Daniel missed a 39-yard field goal.

    Southwestern again drove inside the Javelina 30-yard line, but Clayton Cretors (Harlingen) stopped Bulldog receiver Kyle Wimberly one yard short of a first down and third and four and defensive tackle Steve Dunigan dropped fullback Josh Postin for no gain to stop the drive at the 26-yard line.  

   The half came to an end when the Bulldogs fumbled the snap on a punt with four seconds left, but Schlebach missed a 42-yard field goal to end the half.