Box Score Chadron, Neb. – The NMHU Cowboys gave the Chadron State College Eagles a run for their money, on Oct.26, before giving up a late fourth quarter touchdown to lose the game by the final score of 31-24. Despite starting out the contest down 17-0 early in the second quarter, the Pokes came back to cut the CSC lead down to just three points (17-14) at the half. In the second half, the Cowboys tied the game up in the fourth quarter (24-24) before RMAC leading rusher Glen Clinton broke off a 58-yard touchdown run to seal the game up for the Eagles. The Cowboys, led by Head Coach
Eric Young, fall to 1-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and 2-6 in overall play.
CSC 31 – NMHU 24
The Cowboys' offense started out with possession in the game and was driving the ball well before an interception on Chadron's own 36-yard line turned the tide. The Eagles were able to take the early 3-0 lead on the ensuing drive with a 40-yard field goal.
Chadron would score a passing touchdown later in the first quarter and then Glen Clinton scored his first rushing touchdown of the day, from 23-yards out, early in the second quarter (17-0). It looked like the Eagles were going to control the football game and make it a long day for the Pokes.
But the Pokes have not rolled over for any opponent all year, despite their record. Midway through the second quarter, the Cowboys rallied and scored their first touchdown of the game. They turned the game around with a monstrous 19 play, 63-yard drive which ate up 5:47 off the clock.
Emmanuel Lewis capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to
Ray Henley, cutting the Chadron lead down to 17-7.
The Cowboys would get another touchdown before the end of the first half. With just 1:52 left before halftime and starting from their own 26-yard line, the Pokes drove the ball 74 yards down the field in 1:25. Lewis used his arm once again and connected with
Alex Gaines for a 20-yard touchdown pass, bringing the Cowboys to within three points of the Eagles. When the whistle sounded for halftime, the Eagles held a slight 17-14 lead and had a good ole fashioned RMAC battle on their hands.
The Eagles struck first in the second half. QB John McLain took his CSC team 77 yards down the field in 17 plays before completing a 10-yard touchdown pass to add to their lead. Chadron had increased their lead 24-14 and seemed to have gained some of the momentum back.
The Cowboys were able to close to within three points before the end of the third quarter. The 17 play, 78 yard drive was capped off by a three-yard touchdown run by
Dominique Ferrell. The Cowboys were within striking distance of the Eagles, 24-21, and were looking to upset the second ranked team in the conference.
The Pokes would give the home crowd reason to worry with the first drive of the fourth quarter. Despite a shaky start to the drive, via fumble recovered by the offense, the Cowboys used the ball wisely and move 64 yards down the field. Unable to find the end zone, the Pokes place their trust on the leg of
Zach Tapia who tied the game up with a 24-yard field goal. With just over 10 minutes left in the game, the Cowboys were on even ground with the Eagles, 24-24.
After a couple of changes of possession, the Eagles' Glen Clinton hit pay dirt for the home team. On a first down from CSC's own 42-yard line, Clinton broke off a 58-yard touchdown run, giving the Eagles the 31-24 lead.
The Cowboys took over the ball with 4:38 remaining in the game and down by seven. They moved the ball decently but were unable to convert on fourth down and one yard to go, giving the Eagles possession on their own 46-yard line with under three minutes to play. The Pokes' defense stood strong against the Eagles' clock eating run game, giving the ball back to their offense for another last minute scoring attempt.
Unfortunately, the Cowboys only had 41 seconds left on the clock and the defense had been forced to use up two precious timeouts. Despite starting from their own 19-yard line, the Cowboys moved all the way down to the Eagles' 36-yard line very quickly. QB
Emmanuel Lewis hit passes of 14 yards, 15 yards, and 15 yards, to give the Pokes a glimmer of hope. With 00:09 left in the game, Lewis tried to salvage the game for the Pokes but his last pass to
DiAmaal Holmes fell incomplete and the Eagles would squeak by with a 31-24 victory on their home field.
RB
Dominique Ferrell had a big day on the ground for the Cowboys. He piled up 168 yards rushing and scored one touchdown.
QB
Emmanuel Lewis had an efficient day, completing 22 of 38 passes for 227 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Lewis gave up one interception and was sacked four times during the game.
Alex Gaines was the Pokes' leading receiver against the Eagles, with six catches for 97 yards and a score.
LB
Damion Whittington led the Pokes' defense in a very good showing against Chadron's tough offensive attack. Whittington finished the game with eight solo tackles and an interception.
LB
Ibe Nduka also had a good game for the Cowboy D, with six tackles and one sack. Nduka had two tackles for a loss of 12 yards.
The Cowboys will return home next Saturday, Nov. 2, to take on the visiting Yellow Jackets of Black Hills State University. The Yellow Jackets bring a 0-6 overall record to Perkins Stadium and are sitting in last place in the RMAC with a 0-4 conference record. The game is set for a kickoff time of 1:00 p.m. The Pokes have two consecutive games at home left this season, with their final home game facing off against conference leader #3 CSU-Pueblo on Nov. 9.
If you can't make it out to Perkins Stadium to catch your Cowboys live in action, you can click
HERE to follow the game on Live Stats. You can also tune in to the internet-video stream on the
America One Network to watch all the action live.
GO COWBOYS!!!
