Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Price is right for Greyhounds

ALAMOSA, Colo. — Lee Price was perfect on a day when his teammates far from it.

Price drilled a 36-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining to lift the Greyhounds to an 18-17 win over the Adams State College Grizzlies in Saturday’s season-opener for both teams.

Price, a native of Holliday, Texas, tied an ENMU school record with four field goals in the game as the Greyhounds overcame a 17-9 halftime deficit.

“He’s going to be a hecka of a kicker,” ENMU head coach Bud Elliott said. “I was thinking, ‘just one more time, Lee.’ And he hit it right down the middle.”

Elliott said the Greyhounds found a way to win on a day when they didn’t play well.

“That’s one thing about the Eastern kids since I’ve been here. They play with a lot of heart.”

Taking over with just under two minutes left, the Greyhounds drove to the ASC 43-yard line before quarterback Steven Hinson misfired on four straight attempts. However, Adams State was called for pass interference on the fourth-and-10 play giving ENMU new life. Hinson then had a 13-yard run for another first down giving Price and the Greyhounds a chance at the game-winning field goal.

After allowing a pair of big plays to set up both Adams State touchdowns, Eastern held the Grizzlies to 85 yards in the second half.

“The defense gave up a couple of big plays in the first half, and that kind of surprised me,” Elliott said. “In the second half, we came after them with some blitzes and stunts, and made some big plays.”

The Grizzlies lost three fumbles in the second half and four in the game.

Junior quarterback Stephen Hinson finished with 118 total yards in his first career start at Eastern, including a 28-yard, cross-field touchdown run that pulled ENMU within 17-15 early in the fourth quarter.

Fullback Sukora Cooper led the Hounds with 50 yards on 15 carries. Hinson was 10 of 30 passing for 71 yards and one interception.

“We just shot ourselves in the foot,” Elliott said. “We’d get in the red zone and do something stupid.”

Price began the scoring with a 24-yard field goal midway through the first quarter. But, the Grizzlies took the lead less than two minutes later when senior wide receiver Bryan Bohanan recovered a Matt Gotta fumble in the end zone.

After the Grizzly defense forced one of five Greyhound punts, quarterback Scott Coxon had a 55-yard dart through the middle of the ENMU defense setting up a Lenard Semajuste 5-yard touchdown run, the first of the redshirt freshman’s career.

Price cut into ASC’s lead with a 31-yard field goal early in the second quarter making the score 14-6. The Grizzlies then lost a fumble for the first time setting up a 9-play, 39-yard ENMU drive that was completed by a 32-yard Price field goal as ENMU cut the lead to 14-9. The teams then traded punts before ASC senior Anthony May connected on a 31-yard field goal with just 25 seconds remaining in the first half as ASC took a 17-9 lead in the lockerroom.

Coxon had 13 carries for 97 yards to help lead the Grizzly offense. Bohanan made four catches for 95 yards.