Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Wyatt Strand rushed for his third touchdown of the game on a third-down run in overtime, and the Greyhound defense didn’t allow a first down on the ensuing possession as Eastern New Mexico escaped Colorado Mesa 44-37 Saturday night.
The overtime win, Eastern’s first in school history against four losses — the last one coming in the 2011 season — didn’t seem like the eventual outcome for the Greyhounds (2-0). The Green and Silver outgained the host Mavericks 561-381, won the turnover battle 4-1 and led 37-17 with with 3:04 left to play in the third quarter.
Leading up to the Maverick comeback, the Greyhounds had managed several big-yardage touchdowns, including a Quincy Arcenaux 56-yard fumble recovery, a 69-yard run from Justin Manyweather and a 50-yard pass from Wyatt Strand to Zachery Fields.
Strand ran for touchdowns of 1, 9 and 6 yards on the day, part of a 73-carry, 434-yard rushing offense. Senior Paul Terry led the Greyhounds in that regard, despite being held out of the end zone, with 178 yards on 31 carries. Strand was 6-of-12 in the air for 127 yards, completing passes to Fields and Johnny Smith.
The Mavericks (2-0) rallied from their third quarter deficit with a pair of long drives and one not so long. Jesse Rodriquez’ 14-yard touchdown run in the closing seconds of the third quarter highlighted a 10-play, 89-yard drive, and scored in just six plays on Dagan Rienks’ 4-yard reception after a blocked punt by Dylan Tait gave the Mavericks a 30-yard field. It was the second blocked punt of the evening for Colorado Mesa, with the first returned 26 yards to the house by Naijel Hale.
After the ensuing Greyhound drive fizzled out, Colorado Mesa got the equalizer touchdown with quarterback Aaron Howard finding Peter Anderson for 20 yards. Howard was 21-of-33 for 188 yards and three scores, including a 3-yarder to KJ Sapp to give the Mavericks an early 7-3 lead.
The Greyhounds open Lone Star Conference play Saturday at Texas A&M-Commerce before hosting Texas A&M-Kingsville Sept. 28 for homecoming.