Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Eastern New Mexico sophomore quarterback Wyatt Strand takes off on a first-half run Friday night at Greyhound Stadium. Strand accounted for 173 yards of offense, including a 20-yard run to set up the game-winning field goal as the Greyhounds upset No. 18 Southwest Baptist 23-21.
PORTALES — Bailey Hale kicked a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds left, capping off late-game heroics that sent Eastern New Mexico to a 23-21 upset over No. 18 Southwest Baptist Thursday night at Greyhound Stadium in the season opener for both teams.
Sophomore quarterback Wyatt Strand accounted for 173 yards of offense, including a 20-yard run on a fourth-and-13 in the closing minute that eventually set Hale up for the winner.
The Greyhounds (1-0) made the most of a golden opportunity late, as Toby Amadi blocked a LeClair Jordan field goal and the ball moved across midfield on a pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against Southwest Baptist with 1:47 remaining.
Hale also scored on kicks of 41 yards late in the third and 36 yards midway through the second quarter, as the Greyhounds survived a light rushing night in Kelley Lee's first game as ENMU coach.
With Lee as offensive coordinator last season, the Greyhounds posted the No. 2 rushing offense in Division II with Kamal Cass leading the Lone Star Conference in rushing.
Cass accounted for 98 yards on 28 carries, including a 1-yard scoring run to give the Greyhounds their first lead with 2:55 to go in a back-and-forth first quarter.
The Bearcats (0-1) started quickly, with T.J. Edwards taking advantage of a free play to hit Cassian Foreman for a 62-yard bomb just 80 seconds into the game.
The Greyhounds responded quickly, with Strand hitting Johnny Smith on a 56-yard touchdown reception.
The Bearcats tied the score in the second on a 1-yard run by Edwards, and snagged a 21-20 lead with a trick play as receiver Kendrick Payne found Chris Robb for a 35-yard reception.
Strand completed 7 of 13 passes for 110 yards, and rushed 19 times for 63 yards.
Eastern finished with 314 yards, 204 on the ground, while giving up 283 to the visiting Bearcats. Despite the late unsportsmanlike penalties on the Bearcats, the penalty yardage was about even. Both teams were flagged 10 times, with ENMU penalized 85 yards and Southwest Baptist 92.
The Greyhounds are off until Sept. 9, when they travel to Silver City to start LSC play at Western New Mexico.
