Football 11/7/2009 12:00:00 AM

Hogs Knock off Rams, Earn LSC Title

KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – It has been five years since the last Texas A&M-Kingsville football Lone Star Conference title, but that streak ended on Saturday night when the #17 Javelinas held on for a 35-32 win over visiting Angelo State at Javelina Stadium. (box score)

The win gave the Javelinas (9-2, 7-2) their 27th shared or outright Lone Star Conference title, the most of any school.

The Javelinas held an 18-point lead for most of the second half, but the Rams (6-5, 5-4) never gave up scoring two touchdowns in the final 4:30 of the game and nearly recovered an onside kick that would have given them a chance to tie or win the game.

The Rams jumped out to an early lead in the game when Ryan Smith connected on a 31-yard field goal on their opening drive. The Hogs came right back, but Christian Brom (McAllen/McAllen HS) missed a field goal that would have tied the game. The rest of the first quarter was pedestrian as neither team was able to gain an advantage.

In the second quarter, the Javs scored on a 34-yard run by Fred Winborn (N. Hollywood, CA/Grant HS) with 10:38 left in the half. A 28-yard pass from Billy Garza (Brownsville/Porter HS) to Ryan Lincoln (Bastrop/Bastrop HS) set up the touchdown.

The Rams reclaimed the lead on a 4-yard Austin Benson run that capped off a 6-play, 69-yard drive.
After the ensuing kickoff went out of bounds, the Javelinas got a big play from a true freshman. Joseph Vela (Harlingen/Rio Hondo HS) completed a 24-yard pass to Lincoln on a fourth-and-1 near midfield to keep the drive alive. The Hoggies picked up first-and-goal at the 3-yard line a few plays later and Garza ran it in for the score with 1:38 left in the half.

On the ensuing kickoff, C.J. Akins fumbled the ball and Connell Davis (Gregory/Gregory-Portland HS) recovered the ball at the 11-yard line. Two plays later, Garza hooked up with Lincoln for a 9-yard touchdown pass, the 40th of Garza’s career.

Early in the second half, the Rams fumbled another ball without being touched and Dondi Cooks (Mesquite/North Mesquite HS) was there for the recovery. On the next play, Vela came in at quarterback to run the Wildcat formation and heaved a pass downfield that was tipped and then caught in the end zone by Damian Couthren (Bastrop/Bastrop HS). The 26-yard score gave the Hoggies a 28-10 lead with 10:30 left in the third quarter.

The Rams quickly marched down the field behind the short passing game of Josh Neiswander. He completed six passes on the drive with the final one going to V’Keon Lacey for a 4-yard touchdown with 4:00 left in the quarter.

The next drive for the Javelinas was all Hollywood Winborn. He gained 25 yards on his first carry of the drive and went over 1,000 yards rushing on the season. He followed with rushes of eight yards, 21 yards and a 4-yard touchdown with 2:00 left in the third quarter giving the Hogs a 35-17 lead.

The Javelinas maintained that lead through the majority of the fourth quarter. The Rams started a furious rally when they got the ball with 5:21 remaining in the game at their own 32-yard line. After picking up two first downs, Garrett Tidwell scampered 38 yards down to the Javelina 4-yard line. On the next play, Neiswander connected with John Norcott for a touchdown to make it a 35-24 ballgame with 4:13 left.

The Rams were able to recover the onside kick and quickly drove down the field. Facing a fourth-and-9 at the Javelina 25, Neiswander found Zach McCormick for an 11-yard gain. He went back to McCormick on the next play for a 14-yard touchdown. Neiswander then hit Lacey on the 2-point conversion making it a three-point game.

The Rams recovered the ensuing onside kick, but the ball had not traveled 10 yards thus giving the ball back to the Hoggies. The Javs were then able to run out the clock.

The Javelinas finished with 430 yards of total offense with 211 on the ground and 219 through the air. Winborn led the way with 187 yards on 24 carries and two touchdowns. He also added 32 receiving yards. Davis chipped in with 28 yards rushing on four carries.

Garza was coolly efficient in the passing game completing 13-of-20 for 169 yards and a touchdown. Lincoln finished with five catches for 83 yards and went over 2,000 career yards receiving. Vela finished the night 2-for-2 for 50 yards and a touchdown.

Eric John (Miami, FL/UM-Crookston) led the Hoggie defense with a career high 12 tackles. DeIra Glover (Hempstead/Hempstead HS) added nine tackles, a pass break up and two tackles for loss. John Reeves (Bay City/Bay City HS) added eight tackles and the team’s only sack.

The Rams were led by Tidwell who contributed all over the field returning kicks, lining up as a receiver and in the Wildcat formation. He had 90 yards rushing, 37 yards receiving, 119 return yards and even completed one pass for five yards. Neiswander went 27-of-39 for 215 yards and three touchdowns with most of the damage coming in the fourth quarter. Lacey led all receivers with 11 catches for 99 yards and a touchdown.

Brandon Mayse led the Ram defense with 11 tackles while Jake Eannarelli added nine tackles.

The Javelina offensive line did not allow the Rams a single sack even though the entered the game with a conference best 39 on the season.

The Javelinas will find out their NCAA Division II Playoff matchup on Sunday at 2 o’clock. This would be the first playoff bid for the team since 2004 and 22nd time they have reached the postseason.

Winborn finished the regular season with 1,072 yards rushing, tops in the conference. He is the first Javelina to lead the conference in rushing since Larry Williams accomplished the feat in 2003.

Garza tied Abel Gonzalez’s Javelina career completions record with 414.

The Javelinas finished the regular season with a perfect 7-0 record at home.
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