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Football

Mustangs Silence Javelinas

Billy Garza scores in the first half  KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The name of the game in football is turnovers and what you do with them.  Midwestern State University converted four Texas A&M-Kingsville turnovers into 17 points while giving up zero points on their two turnovers to win the Lone Star Conference South Division battle, 38-16 on Saturday night in front of 7,228 fans at Javelina Stadium. (box score)
The first half was a back-and-forth affair as both offenses moved the ball with ease.  The Mustangs (5-2, 2-2) drove 69 yards on the opening drive of the game scoring on a Marcus Mathis 5-yard run.  The Javelinas (5-3, 1-2) came right back with a 73-yard scoring drive capped by a 19-yard run from Ryan Lincoln (Bastrop/Bastrop HS).  A missed extra point made it 7-6 Mustangs.
The Hogs stopped MSU near midfield and forced the only punt of the half.  Ben White booted a 53-yarder that went out of bounds at the 1-yard line.  The Javs methodically drove 99 yards in 17 plays, both season highs.  The Javelinas converted three third downs and one fourth down on the drive.  Senior quarterback Billy Garza (Brownsville/Porter HS) scrambled 15 yards for the score after he could not find anybody open down field to give the team their only lead of the ball game.
The Mustangs reclaimed the lead when the drove 80 yards on 12 plays on the next possession.  MSU converted three third downs on the drive, including a third-and-goal that had Zack Eskridge finding Sasan Faradineh all alone in the end zone from five yards out.
It appeared the Javelinas were about to retake the lead late in the first half, but an incomplete forward pass was ruled a fumble giving the ball back to MSU at the Mustang 29-yard line with 1:26 left in the half.  The Mustangs quickly drove 71 yards in 1:00 to take a 21-13 heading into halftime.  Eskridge found Andy Tanner for a big gain of 27 yards and then again on a 26-yard scoring strike.
The second half began very promising for the Hogs as senior Clavens Charles (Miami, FL/Southwest HS) returned the opening kick off 61 yards to the MSU 20-yard line.  Unfortunately, the Javelinas had to settled for a 22-yard Christian Brom (McAllen/McAllen HS) field goal cutting the lead to 21-16.
On Midwestern’s first drive, junior Eric John (Miami, FL/North HS) intercepted his third pass of the season and it appeared the Hogs were back in business.  The MSU defense was up to the challenge as they forced the first three-and-out of the night.
The Mustangs drove 58 yards in eight plays to take a 28-16 lead with 4:02 left in the third quarter.  Bobby Ransom plunged in from two yards out after Marlon Haynes caught a 25-yard pass from Eskridge to set up a first-and-goal.
The Mustangs stopped the Javelinas again on their next possession forcing a punt.  A bad snap forced Cody Smith (Kingwood/Kingwood HS) to try to run, but he was sacked for a loss giving the ball back the MSU at the Kingsville 8-yard line.
The Javelinas briefly dodged a bullet as junior John Reeves (Bay City/Bay City HS) picked off his first career pass in the end zone to thwart the Mustangs.  The Javs would shoot themselves in the foot with a lost fumble just four plays later.
The Mustangs would tack on three more point early in the fourth quarter.  Jose Martinez booted a season-long 42-yarder with 13:26 to play to make it a 31-16 game.
The Javelinas looked to make it a one possession ball game, but Micah Hill stepped in front of a Garza pass at the 5-yard line ending a potential scoring drive.
The Mustangs sealed the game with a 10-play, 81-yard drive that ended with Tanner catching his second touchdown pass of the night.  Ransom did most of the damage on the drive as he carried seven times for 49 yards.
The Javelinas had one more chance to score as they drove down to the 17-yard line, but Hill intercepted his second pass in less than 10 minutes to effectively end the game.
Eskridge led the Mustangs completing 21-of-29 passes for 250 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions.  Tanner caught a game-high six passes for 96 yards and two touchdowns.  Ransom carried the ball 11 times for 67 yards and a touchdown while Mathis added 44 yards and a touchdown.  The Mustangs gained 410 yards on offense and converted 7-of-12 third-down opportunities.  Hill added five tackles in addition to his two interceptions for 48 yards.  Herman Walker led the team with nine tackles.  MSU had four sacks in the game.
The Javelinas ran for just 102 yards on 30 carries.  Billy Martin (Pittsburg/Pittsburg HS) led the team with 35 yards on 13 carries while Lincoln had three carries for 30 yards and a touchdown.  Garza completed 23-of-36 passes for 223 yards and two interceptions and added a rushing touchdown.  Damian Couthren (Bastrop/Bastrop HS) grabbed four balls for 60 yards to lead the receiving corp.  John led the defense with nine tackles and an interception.  Senior defensive end Tyrrell Herndon (Copperas Cove/Copperas Cove HS) had eight tackles while junior defensive tackle Jimmy Saddler-McQueen (Houston/Forest Brook HS) had eight tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack.
The Mustangs evened the all-time series with the Javelinas at 5-5 and have won the last four meetings between the two teams.
The Javelinas are back in action next Saturday at LSC South rival Eastern New Mexico at 3 o’clock.
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