June 10, 2005

Four former West Texas A&M University football teammates from the 2000 season will be in action Saturday night during the Amarillo Dusters - Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz Arena Football League 2 game at the Ford Center at Oklahoma City, Okla.

Playing for the Dusters will be the Buffs' all-time career rushing leader DeWayne Miles and defensive specialist Jimmy Gaston. Suited up for Oklahoma City will be wide receiver/defensive back LeJuan Edwards and offensive/defensive lineman Will Goodloe.

Both Miles and Gaston are in their second year with the Dusters, when they were members of the Intense Football League championship year in 2004.

Miles has run the ball 15 times in three games for 72 yards (4.8 yards per carry average) and six touchdowns, caught one pass for ten yards, recovered a fumble in the end zone for another TD, and has two solo tackles and three assists for a total of 3.5 tackles. Gaston leads the team in tackles with 38 solos and 17 assists for 46.5 total tackles. He also has two interceptions, a pass breakup, two fumble recoveries, and has returned 14 kickoffs for 293 yards (20.9 yard average).

The Dusters are currently 6-3 and are ranked fifth in the latest af2 poll. They are in second place in the National Conference's Midwest Division, one game ahead of the Yard Dawgz' at 5-4, but Oklahoma City has won three consecutive games.

Edwards has played in four games and has caught three passes for 19 yards (6.3 yard average) and has six solo tackles. In five games Goodloe has three solos and one assisted tackle for 3.5 - one of those was a half tackle for a loss of two yards.

The Buffaloes were 5-6 during the 2000 year under former head coach Stan McGarvey. Miles gained 1,524 yards on 270 carries (5.6 ypc) and scored 16 touchdowns. He also caught 10 passes for 92 yards and was selected the Lone Star Conference South Division Running Back of the Year, as well as first-team All-LSC South.

Gaston returned five kickoffs for 103 yards, intercepted three passes, broke up one pass, recovered one fumble, and had 24 total tackles, including one for a loss of three yards.

In 2000 Edwards returned 10 kickoffs for 189 yards and 10 punts for 62 yards. On defense he picked off one pass for a return of 18 yards, broke up two passes, and had 32 total tackles with three for a loss of five yards. He also played baseball for WT with a .222 batting average and was successful on all eight stolen base attempts.

Goodloe, who played at the University of Texas in 1996 and 1997, was second-team All-LSC South on the defensive line after his stellar season of 36 total tackles, including ten for a loss of 54 yards and five sacks for a loss of 41 yards. He recovered three opponent fumbles and broke up four passes thanks to his 6-4 presence on the line.

The 2000 Buffalo season featured a 13-3 victory at Texas A&M-Kingsville - the Buffs' first win over the Javelinas since 1986 and a final 31-30 win at Abilene Christian, in which WT scored three touchdowns in the final 4:41. Quarterback Rick Leach was 21 of 35 for 336 yards and junior wide receiver Nick Pasquale caught nine passes for 187 yards.

For more on Arena Football League 2, check out the offical web site of AFL2: www.af2.com.

Release By Phil Woodall

-WT-