Javelinas top Hounds in finale

KINGSVILLE, Texas — Senior quarterback Nate Poppell threw for four touchdowns, three to wide receiver Robert Armstrong, and Texas A&M-Kingsville pulled away for a 33-13 Lone Star Conference victory over Eastern New Mexico University on Saturday night.

The Javelinas (6-5, 5-3 LSC) put the game out of reach with two touchdowns in less than a minute in the fourth quarter, expanding a 19-13 lead. Kingsville is hopeful of getting a bid to the Kanza Bowl later this month in Topeka, Kan., matching the top teams from the LSC and the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Conference which don't qualify for the NCAA Division II playoffs. They trailed only Midwestern State and West Texas A&M in the final LSC standings, and both of those teams are likely to earn playoff berths.

ENMU (3-7, 2-6) took a 7-6 lead early in the second quarter on a 6-yard touchdown pass from senior Wes Wood to Charlie Sevedra, but scoring strikes of 34 yards to Armstrong and 9 yards to Christian Taylor put Kingsville in front 19-7 at halftime.

The Hounds mounted a 10-play, 64-yard scoring drive in the third period, capped by junior Christian Long's 20-yard scoring run.

ENMU got to the Kingsville 44 early in the fourth quarter, but Wood was sacked for an 11-yard loss on third down to force a punt. After an exchange of punts, the latter giving the Javelinas a touchback at the 20, Poppell found Armstrong for an 80-yard scoring pass.

Following the kickoff, Wood was caught for a 13-yard loss on the third play and fumbled, with defensive lineman Henry Greathouse scooping it and returning it 16 yards for the clinching score with 5:49 left.

Wood went 21-of-35 for 210 yards in his ENMU finale, but he was sacked six times for a net loss of 28 yards by the Javelinas. Jacob Johnson caught nine passes from Wood for 120 yards.

Armstrong finished with six catches for 144 yards for the Javelinas, while Poppell completed 14-of-24 passes for 226 yards.