WICHITA FALLS, Texas (Football) – The Texas A&M-Kingsville football team nearly came back to force overtime but fell short to 14th-ranked Midwestern State Saturday night 49-41 in Memorial Stadium.
The Javelinas dropped to 1-8 on the season and 0-6 in the Lone Star Conference while the Mustangs are now 8-1 and 5-1 in league play.
Junior running back
Greg Pitre recorded a career night with 175 receiving yards on eight catches. Two of his reception ended with him in the end zone. He also led the Hogs with 76 rushing yards on a career-high 21 carries.
Myles Carr finished the night 11-of-20 for 173 yards, a touchdown and interception under center. After taking a hard hit,
Stevie Joe Dorman filled in admirable with a 10-for-15 performance, 176 yards and two touchdowns.
Totaling 132 receiving yards and a score on seven receptions was
Jordan Thomas.
Defensively,
Sione Tupouata led TAMUK with nine tackles, one being for a loss of yardage.
DeMarcus Spurlock contributed eight tackles.
For MSU, Hagen Hutchinson finished 19-of-27 for 295 yards and tossed three touchdowns. Tyrique Edwards finished with a team-high 97 receiving yards while Dante Taylor ran for 69 yards on the ground. Leading the home squad with 13 tackles was Adam Hill. Also reaching double-digits in tackles was Marquie Christian with 10.
The Hogs got on the scoreboard first when Thomas hauled in an 11-yard pass from Carr on third and goal. The drive began when the Mustangs fumbled on their first play from scrimmage and
Devonte Williams recovered the loose ball at the home team's 23.
MSU tied the game with 13:20 left until halftime on a three-yard run from Taylor. His rush capped off a seven-play, 65-yard drive that took nearly two and a half minutes off the clock.
A personal foul on a Mustang offensive lineman after the scoring run pushed the kickoff back 15 yards.
Joe Crowe took advantage, returning the kick 37 yards to the home 44. On the third play of the drive, Carr found Thomas for a 21-yard completion. TAMUK was unable to find the end zone but
Julio De la Garza nailed a 32-yard field goal attempt to put the Javelinas up 10-7 with 10:57 until halftime.
The Mustangs responded in 87 seconds for their first lead of the game when Michael Gerst took a bubble screen pass 23 yards for the score.
After forcing a TAMUK punt, MSU fumbled the punt return that was pounced on by
Jared Mosley. Carr was forced to scramble three plays later but took it all the way to the house from the 37 yards out. With the PAT, the Javelinas led 17-14 with just under five minutes left in the second quarter.
The Hogs' defense was able to force a Mustang punt with 2:30 remaining on the clock. TAMUK took over on their 20. On the second down, Carr found Thomas again, this time for an 18-yard gain to the 40. Pitre then hauled in a pass and rumbled 55 yards to MSU's five-yard line.
Joe Te'o pounded the ball in from two yards out two plays later to increase TAMUK's lead to 10 heading into halftime.
Big plays allowed the Mustangs to quickly score on the first drive on the second half. Taking the ball into the end zone from eight yards out on the ground was Orlando Haymon. After a Javelina punt, MSU's Edwards took a quick slant 53 yards for a touchdown to give the Mustangs a 28-24 lead.
With two seconds left in the third quarter, MSU scored their third touchdown of the period on a 31-yard pass hauled in by Levy Wilson.
Nick Pelrean took the ensuing kickoff 67 yards to the Mustangs' 26. A holding penalty prevented TAMUK from finding the end zone but De La Garza nailed a 24-yard field goal. MSU's Don Jerry followed by taking the kickoff 91-yards to the house and increasing their lead to 42-27 with 11:51 left in the game.
Facing 4th & 4 with just under five minutes to play from their 41,
Stevie Joe Dorman found Pitre for a 59-yard touchdown reception. The made extra point cut the Hogs' deficit to 42-34.
MSU answered right back on the next position when Reggie Gipson ran the ball in from 11 yards out.
The Hogs followed by driving 82 yards down the field for a touchdown, capped off by an eight-yard reception courtesy of Pitre. A perfectly place onside kick by De la Garza allowed
Braedon Robinson to recover the ball at the Mustangs' 49.
Facing a third and long from the 42, Dorman was sacked and fumbled the ball. Pitre recovered with four seconds left but a 10-second runoff occurred because of an injured Javelina on the field to end the game.
Next up for TAMUK is a rematch with Tarleton State in the LSC Playoffs. The game will take place on Nov. 7 in Stephenville, Texas with the kickoff time to be announced.
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