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Oct. 31, 2009

Final Stats

Tahlequah, Okla. – West Texas A&M scored a season-high 66 points as they rolled over Northeastern State, 66-23, Saturday night in an LSC Crossover contest at Doc Wadley Stadium in Tahlequah, Okla.

The win, WT’s fourth straight, gives LSC South Division title implications to next week’s season finale at Tarleton State, as a WT win would give them a share of the South Division title. It also improves WTAMU to 5-5 overall, 5-3 LSC, while NSU falls to 2-8 overall, 2-5 LSC.

The Buffaloes’ totaled 629 yards in total offense, their best offensive performance of the season and the most total yards since their 721 yard performance at Abilene Christian during the 2008 NCAA Playoffs.

Meanwhile, WT’s defensive unit held the RiverHawks to just 226 total yards, including just 33 on the ground.

“This kept our momentum going,” said WT head coach Don Carthel. “Taylor (Harris) threw the ball well, our receivers caught the ball well and Brittan (Golden) had an outstanding game. Keithon Flemming also had a super game and he just played one half of football.

“When we have all of those components working, we’re going to put quite a few points on the board and win some football games.”

Flemming rushed for 110 yards and three TDs, all in the first half, while Harris passed for 262 yards and three TDs. He also played just two quarters, as the Buffs’ had totaled 366 yards at the midpoint. Golden caught seven passes for a career-high 178 yards and three touchdowns.

The RiverHawks scored first, as they took advantage of an interception to set up a Jared Homer 41 yard field goal just 2:41 into the contest.

From that point, the game was no contest.

On their second possession, but Buffs took command, marching 80 yards in seven plays, with Keithon Flemming running it in from two yards out, putting WT ahead, 7-3 with 9:43 remaining in the first quarter. Key plays in the drive were a 25-yard run by Flemming to the NSU 21, followed by a 19-yard Harris to Brittan Golden pass to the NSU 2.

The Buffs then took advantage of field position after pinning NSU deep in their own end of the field and forcing a punt from their end zone. A screen pass to Flemming moved the ball from the NSU 43 to the NSU 24. After a nine-yard pass from Harris to Tyson Williams, Flemming picked up a first down with an eight-yard rush up the middle. Three plays later, Harris found Golden on a two-yard slant for a TD. The ball was deflected up in the air and Golden plucked it and landed both feet in endzone before crossing the back boundary. The drive covered 53 yards in nine plays, with James Chandler’s PAT putting the Buffs ahead, 14-3 with 1:28 to play in the first stanza.

The Buffs received a break early in the second quarter, when a Harris pass was tipped and intercepted inside the Buffs 20 by Brian Johnson, but the RiverHawks were whistled for roughing the passer. Two plays later, Harris connected with Golden for 44 yards on a post pattern, moving WT to the NSU 30 yard line. On second-and-five, Flemming broke through the line and rambled 25 yards for the score. Chandler’s kick elevated the Buffs’ lead to 21-3 with 12:14 remaining in the second quarter.

On NSU’s ensuing possession, Buff CB Tae Evans picked off a Woody Wilson pass at the NSU 28 and returned it to the NSU three yard line. On the next play, Flemming rushed up the middle for his third TD of the game, pushing the Buffs’ lead to 28-3.

Harris was picked off on the Buffs’ next possession, as a pass aimed over the middle was tipped and picked off by NSU’s Terrance Gaston.

The RiverHawk’s then put trickery to good use, as WR Jarett Beal took a pitch on a reverse, pulled up and found Ben Randle wide open at the five yard line. Randle caught the soft toss and went untouched into the endzone for a 29-yard score, closing the margin to 28-10 with 8:37 to play in the first half.

It didn’t take the Buffs’ long to retaliate.

Three plays into the Buffs’ next drive, Harris found Golden on another post pattern, this one going for 48 yards and a TD, pushing WT’s lead to 35-10 with 7:34 to play in the second quarter.

The Buffs scored again on their next drive when Harris lofted one over the shoulder of Tyson Williams for a 33-yard touchdown. The score, the Buffs’ third passing touchdown, made the score WT 42, NSU 10.

A 55-yard field goal attempt by NSU’s Homer, with 31 seconds remaining, went just wide to the left, sending the teams into the locker room with the Buffs’ leading, 42-10.

Tanner Marsh came on to direct the Buffs’ offense in the second half, and picked up right where Harris left off. He completed six-of-seven passes as he guided the Buffs on an 11-play, 94 yard drive which culminated in Marsh hitting Golden in stride for a 40-yard TD. Todd Phillips’ PAT boosted the Buffs’ lead to 49-10 with 8:22 to play in the third quarter.

Marsh keyed the next Buffs’ drive, completing four consecutive passes, then scrambling 28 yards to the NSU 16. Following a sack by NSU’s Laquantum McDonald, the Buffs’ settled for a 30-yard Phillips field goal, going ahead, 52-10 with 3:27 to play in the third. That score would stand as the teams headed to the fourth quarter.

The following drive saw the Buffs mount another scoring drive, with Marsh hitting Martin on a seven yard slant route. The drive, which took 10 plays and covered 59 yards, put the Buffs up, 59-10. NSU came back with a scoring drive which culminated in a 19-yard pass from Pat Cook to Ben Randle, closing the margin to 59-17 with 8:56 remaining.

Tevin Mitchell tallied the Buffs’ final TD of the night, taking a swing pass around left end for 17 yards and his first career touchdown to make the score 66-17.

NSU concluded the scoring with an 11-play, 60-yard drive which saw Trey McVay catch an 18-yard pass from Cook for a touchdown. The PAT failed, making the final score, WT 66, NSU 63.

Tyson Williams led all Buff receivers with nine catches, while Flemming’s 110 yards was a game high and his three TDs moved him into a tie with Eugene ‘Mercury’ Morris for third on the WT all-time scoring list. Linebackers Kyle Voss and Anthony Scott led Buff defenders with eight tackles apiece. Scott also registered 2.5 tackles for minus-nine yards. As a team, WT totaled five sacks for minus-26 yards.

The Buffs close out the 2009 campaign at Tarleton State, next Saturday, Nov. 7, in Stephenville, Texas. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CST.