Kingsville - Texas A&M-Kingsville saw its four-game conference winning streak come to an end with a 52-49 loss to No. 12 Central Washington Saturday from Javelina Stadium.
Two early turnovers from the Javelinas (4-3, 4-1 LSC) would lead to 14 points from the Wildcats (5-2, 5-0 LSC) as part of a 35-point first half. The Javelinas would rally back in the second half, tying the game in the fourth quarter, but the early deficit was too much to overcome as the Hogs dropped their first conference game of the season.
A strip-sack from
Jacari Howard late in the first half was the spark the Javelinas needed to begin their rally after falling behind 35-13 in the first half. That sack led to a
Mills Dawson to
Christian Kretz touchdown in the back of the endzone that kept the Javelinas in the ball game headed into the break.
From there, the Javelina offense erupted in the second half, kicked off with an 80-yard touchdown reception by Kretz to make it a one score game early in the third quarter. An onside kick attempt from the Javelinas was recovered by the Wildcats on the ensuing kickoff and was capitalized on by CWU to bring it back to a two-score game.Â
A touchdown from Dawson to Kehinde Atunrase brought it back within one score, but was answered once again by the Wildcats. Then the Javelinas got the stop they needed thanks to Central Washington missing a throw near the 50-yard line. The Dawson to Kretz connection flexed the muscles once again, as a 69-yard bomb put the Javelinas in a great spot heading into the fourth.
Dawson answered the call in the fourth quarter when the Javelinas needed it most, finding Marques Singleton in the endzone along with a successful two-point conversion to Kretz to make it a seven-point game. The defense then got another thanks to a great pass breakup from
Max Alvarez to put the Javelinas in position to tie the game.Â
A pair of first down completions to Kretz and
Jacoby James put the Javelinas inside CWU territory midway through the fourth. Levi Fotenot then burst through the middle and ran over a CWU defender on his way to the endzone to even it up at 49 apiece. Central Washington however got within field goal range after critical third and fourth down conversions to put the go ahead points on the board. The Javelinas had a chance to finish off the rally, but an interception from CWU all but sealed the fate for the Javelinas.
Texas A&M-Kingsville will hit the road for a conference clash with Angelo State. Fans of the Javelinas can watch the game on FloCollege or follow the action at JavelinaFB on X.
