Angelo State spanks ENMU

PORTALES - Tye Hiatt figured his first season as Eastern New Mexico University's football coach would be a little rough, especially considering the Greyhounds hadn't played since 2019 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Until Saturday, though, he said he thought his team had generally put its best foot forward.

Playing their final home game of the season, the Hounds couldn't overcome a three-touchdown blitz by Angelo State - on just four plays - early in the second stanza and went down to a 59-7 Lone Star Conference defeat at Greyhound Stadium.

"I'm just disappointed with our effort, our execution and our lack of fight," Hiatt said. "At the end of the day, it starts with me, and we've got to fix it."

ENMU (3-6, 1-5 LSC) held its own for the most part through the first quarter. But an interception by freshman cornerback Andrew Pitts on the first play of the second period set the Rams up at the ENMU 23, and quarterback Zach Bronkhorst threw a touchdown pass to tight end Dagen Dunham on the next play.

After the Hounds quickly went three-and-out and punted, the Rams (7-2, 3-2) needed just two plays to cover 41 yards with Bronkhorst scoring the first of his two TDs on a 9-yard run.

On the first play following the kickoff, ASU's DeShaun Douglas intercepted Valencia and brought it back 21 yards to the Hounds' 26. Bronkhorst hit Odom for the Rams' third touchdown in less than three minutes.

It was all but over at that point.

"We couldn't get out of our own way," Hiatt said. "The second quarter was crippling."

Angelo State finished with 489 yards of offense, with sophomore running back Nathaniel Omayebu III rushing for 120 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries. Odom ran for two TDs in addition to his scoring reception.

"We weren't expecting that," Rams coach Jeff Girsch said of the blowout. "Watching those guys on film, one thing we've usually said about Eastern is they always play hard.

"Our kids came out and probably played the best game we've played all year."

Angelo is in line for a Division II postseason berth if it can handle its final two games, this week at home against second-place Texas A&M-Commerce (6-3, 4-1) and Nov. 13 at Texas A&M-Kingsville (4-4, 2-3).

Girsch is hoping his team can stay focused.

"We've got a shot," he said of making the D-II playoffs. "In the regional rankings, we're sitting at No. 5. I always tell the players, 'It's not about who we're playing, it's about us.'"

Clearly, Valencia, a redshirt freshman, is struggling with confidence. He had thrown eight interceptions in the previous two games, and three more in this one while also losing a fumble on a sack.

The last INT was a 25-yard pick-6 by Angelo cornerback Devin Washington with just over a minute left in the contest.

Suffice it to say, though, the Rams took the starch out of the Hounds with their second-quarter onslaught.

"We had a lot to play for with our seniors, and really with pride in being a Greyhound," Hiatt said. "I thought we battled better in the second half, but I was disappointed with the finish."

ENMU has two road games remaining, including a non-conference tilt against NAIA member North American out of the Houston area on Saturday. The Stallions (5-3) have played a variety of teams this year, from a couple of junior colleges up to Football Championship Subdivision (formerly CAA Division I-AA) foes.

On paper, it's a game the Hounds should win. Still ...

"They've kind of been all over the place," Hiatt said of the Stallions' schedule. "(But) if we go down there and have this kind of performance, we'll have our hands full."