ELLENSBURG, Wash. – Texas A&M-Kingsville fell in a nail-bitter on Saturday night, to Central Washington 23-19.
The Wildcats would win the game late going on 12-play, 76-yard drive that included two fourth-down conversions and a 12-yard touchdown pass with 29 seconds remaining in the game.
The loss drops the Javelinas to 7-2 on the season and 5-2 in Lone Star Conference play. With the win, CWU improves to 5-3 on the season and 5-2 in the LSC.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Javelinas started their night offensively on their own one before driving down to the Wildcat's 36 yard line with the biggest play coming from quarterback
Jacob Cavazos found
Toniel Carter down the sideline for a 32-yard gain.
TAMUK's drive would stall out though, and
Gilbert Garza's 53-yard field goal attempt came up just short keeping the score at 0-0 at 5:44 in the first quarter.
It would be a defensive slugfest in the first quarter with neither team producing points.
In the second quarter,
Garza would convert from 22 yards out later in the second quarter to give the Javelinas the first points of the game, and a 3-0 lead with 9:11 left in the first half.
The Wildcats would respond on their ensuing possession going on a four-play 58-yard drive, that was -capped off by a 29-yard strike from JJ Lemming to Marcus Cook to put CWU up 7-3 with 7:50 left in the second quarter.
The Javs would be forced to punt on their next possession but pounced on a muffed punt to take possession at the Wildcat 40 yard line. Nothing would come of it for TAMUK however, as the Javelinas would be forced to punt after going three-and-out.
The Javelina defense would step up for again, as cornerback,
Amos Coleman snagged his second pick-six in two weeks. Picking off Quincy Glasper's pass and taking it 23-yards to the end zone putting the Javelinas up 10-3 with 2:46 left in the first half.
On the next drive, TAMUK's
Cory McMahan would follow up Coleman's interception with one of his own intercepting an overthrown Wildcat pass.
The Javelinas would capitalize on the turnover driving down the field to set up,
Gilbert Garza as he nailed a 51-yard field goal with 14 seconds remaining in the half to put TAMUK up 13-7.
The Javelina offense started the second half driving into Wildcat territory before being halted on a fourth down that gave CWU the ball on the 50 yard line.
The Wildcats would then drive half the length of the field on eight plays, as JJ Lemming scored from a yard out on a QB keeper, giving the Wildcats a 14-13 lead with 6:08 in the third quarter.
TAMUK would look to respond once again crossing into the Wildcat's half of the field before Cavazos was picked off on a third down shot down the field.
The Javelina defense and special teams would come up big again as the Hogs held strong on a Wildcat third and one, forcing a punt. The punt would be mishandled by the CWU punter forcing a rush punt of three yards setting up TAMUK on the Wildcat 30.
The offense would finally capitalize with their first touchdown of the game as Toniel Carter muscled his way in from a yard out for the score. The Javs would fail to convert on a two-point conversion putting the Hogs up 19-14 with 9:58 left in the fourth quarter.
CWU would respond with a field goal to pull within two that was set up by a 43-yard pitch and catch over the middle bringing the score to 19-17 with 6:53 remaining in the game.
The Wildcats would snag the game late, converting on two fourth down attempts including a 25-yard rush by Cameron Daniels to the Javelina 12 yard line.
On the next play JJ Lemming would find Marcus Cooks on a run-pass option to take the lead with 29 seconds left in the game. The ensuing two-point conversion would fail to leave the score 23-19.
Any chance at a miracle would be snuffed out as the Cavazos pass would fall incomplete over the middle at the Wildcat 40 as time expired.
UP NEXT
The Javelinas will return to Javelina Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 5 to take on Midwestern State at 7 p.m.
Stay up-to-date with everything related to Javelina football throughout the 2022 season by following the program on Twitter and Instagram at
@JavelinaFB and see recent news on Facebook at
/JavelinaFootball. Watch your Javelinas live on the
Javelina Sports Network.
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