Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
PORTALES — After dealing with an academic misconduct issue two weeks ago prior to playing Eastern New Mexico University, the West Texas A&M football team figures to come into today’s noon battle with the Greyhounds at Blackwater Draw for fifth place in the Lone Star Conference’s first post-season playoffs in a better mindset.
“It’s a different situation altogether,” ENMU coach Josh Lynn said. “But at the end of the day, it’s still WT.
“Obviously we don’t like losing to WT, and they don’t like losing to us.”
Buffs coach Mike Nesbitt preferred to downplay the affect of the academic situation.
“I think those guys played really good,” he said of the Hounds. “The offensive line and their quarterback (Jeremy Buurma) just played really well.”
For ENMU junior guard Cody Jurek, today’s game is simply a chance to prove that the earlier meeting was no fluke.
“We’re trying to prove a point and come out and get another victory,” said Jurek, from Gonzales, Texas. “I’m sure they’ll come out hard, and we’ll have to play better than we did two weeks ago.
“The offensive linemen have to fire off the ball and stay low. Hopefully, Jeremy makes the right reads and the running backs keep running like they have all year.”
Both teams had easy times last week at home, ENMU rolling over Texas A&M-Kingsville 61-7 and WT posting a 58-13 rout of McMurry.
“I thought we played well,” Nesbitt said. “I thought we executed better than we have been and did some good stuff.”
ENMU senior running back E’lon Spight set school single-season rushing yardage (1,479) and touchdown (19) records in last week’s victory.
Nothing tangible is on the line today. With both teams at 6-4, neither seems to have a chance to reach the NCAA Division II playoffs or the Kanza Bowl, which matches an LSC squad against a Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association opponent.
Still, the rivalry should be enough to keep the juices flowing on both sides.
“Everybody wants to end on a high note,” said Nesbitt, who said the Buffs have juggled some personnel since the earlier meeting.
ENMU is seeking its second consecutive seven-win season after eight losing campaigns in a row.
“If you win seven games in a year, that’s pretty good,” Lynn said. “And 7-4 sounds a lot better than 6-5.”
GAMEDAY
West Texas A&M at ENMU
• When: noon today at Blackwater Draw in the fifth-place game of the Lone Star Conference playoffs.
• Records: West Texas A&M 6-4, ENMU 6-4.
• Radio: KSEL-FM 105.9.
• Coaches: West Texas A&M, Mike Nesbitt, 2nd season, 17-7; ENMU, Josh Lynn, 3rd season, 16-14.
• Last week: Both teams won easily at home to advance, the Buffaloes beating McMurry 58-13 and the Greyhounds thumping Texas A&M-Kingsville 61-7.
• Last meeting: Nov. 1, ENMU opened a 21-0 lead in the first 11 minutes and handed the Buffaloes a 31-21 setback.
• WT players to watch: Preston Rabb, 6-7, 220, Jr., QB; Geremy Alridge-Mitchell, 5-8, 203, Jr., RB; Word Hudson, 6-0, 180, Jr., WR; Carter James, 6-2, 230, Fr., LB; Patric Youngman, 6-1, 231, So., LB.
• Notes: WT leads the series 15-13. ENMU is trying to win its third in a row against the Buffs for the first time since taking four straight from 1999-2002. … Alridge-Mitchell, second in the LSC in rushing behind ENMU senior E’lon Spight, posted a career-best 175 yards last week, his eighth consecutive game over 100. … ENMU leads the LSC and is fifth in NCAA Division II in rushing yards per game (328.7). … With 13 touchdown tosses and five interceptions this year, ENMU junior QB Jeremy Buurma has 24 TD passes and eight INTs over the past two seasons.
— Compiled by Dave Wagner
