ENMU falls short at Kingsville

Freedom New Mexico

KINGSVILLE, Texas — Eastern New Mexico University has still never won at Texas A&M-Kingsville, but the Greyhounds are certainly getting closer.

Junior running back Fred Winborn rushed for 263 yards and three touchdowns, but the Javelinas had to hold on at the end Saturday night to beat the Greyhounds 38-31 in a Lone Star Conference South Division game.

ENMU (2-7, 0-5 South) nearly rallied all the way back from a 28-7 second-quarter deficit, but came up short in dropping its 13th consecutive game all-time at Kingsville. The Javelinas (8-1, 3-1) led the overall series 21-4.

The Hounds lost at Kingsville 38-35 in 2007, and last year dropped a 35-32 decision at Blackwater Draw.

Sophomore quarterback J.J. Harp returned to the lineup after sitting out the previous game due to a suspension and completed 36-of-53 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns — two coming in the final six minutes. Freshman running back Stefan Mills of Clovis, filling in for injured teammates Troy Harris and Terrence Griffin, rushed for 100 yards on 27 carries and scored on a pair of 1-yard runs in his first collegiate start.

Winborn scored what proved to be the game-winner on a 32-yard run with 5:16 left, putting the Javs in front 38-25. It came on the first play after the Hounds unsuccessfully attempted an onside kick after closing to 31-25 on a 3-yard pass from Harp to Arvin Jackson, capping a 16-play, 80-yard scoring march.

Harp then drove the Hounds 60 yards in nine plays, throwing a 7-yard TD pass to freshman Chase Kyser. A 2-point conversion pass failed.

ENMU finished with a 459-455 margin in total offense, going over the 100-yard mark rushing as a team for only the second time this season.

The Javelinas finished with 322 yards on the ground, while quarterback Billy Garza completed 15-of-29 passes for 133 yards.

Dominic Preston caught 11 passes for 120 yards for ENMU, while Jackson finished with 10 catches for 94 yards.

Kingsville took the opening kickoff and covered 78 yards in eight plays, taking a 7-0 lead on Winborn’s 16-yard TD run. The teams then exchanged punts, but Harp’s pass on third-and-11 from the ENMU 29 was intercepted by defensive back DeIra Glover and returned 27 yards for a score and a 14-0 Javs lead with 5:45 left in the quarter.

ENMU countered with the first of five scoring drives covering at least 60 yards, this one going 66 yards in 10 plays. Mills went over from a yard out on second-and-goal to make it 14-7 with 2:57 left in the first period.