Box Score Blackwater Draw, N.M. – The NMHU Cowboy Football team won the first game of the 2013 season, beating in-state rival Eastern N.M. by the final score of 31-28. The Cowboys took the initial 7-0 lead in the first quarter and looked to dominate the Greyhounds. At the half, the Cowboys still enjoyed a 21-7 lead. The Greyhounds took the lead in the fourth quarter 28-24, but the Cowboys were able to score the final touchdown of the game to lock up the victory. The Cowboys, led by Head Coach
Eric Young, start the 2013 season with a 1-0 record.
NMHU 31 – ENMU 28
1st Quarter
The Greyhounds started the game with the ball and on the very first play of the game they gave it right back to the Cowboys.
Andrew Morgan forced a fumble on an ENMU run play and recovered the ball at the Eastern N.M. 25 yard line. The Cowboys weren't able to get a first down off that early advantage and they missed their first field goal attempt of the year from 38 yards.
After four series of three-and-out, ENMU was able to move the ball down the field but ended up punting. The Cowboys next drive would prove to be the all-important ice-breaker. QB
Emmanuel Lewis hit WR
Ricky Marvray with a 43 yard completion on the second play of the drive. RB
Dominique Ferrell took two handoffs and converted the touchdown for the Cowboys.
Zach Tapia made the PAT and the Cowboys were off to an early 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
2nd Quarter
At the start of the second quarter, the Greyhounds were poised to score from the Cowboys' red-zone. But the Pokes' defense held strong and the ENMU quarterback fumbled the ball which was then recovered by LB
Jared Koster at the NMHU 35-yard line.
Eastern was able to get the ball back and drove right back down the field, but they missed a 21-yard field goal. The Cowboys gained momentum from their defensive stops and the very next drive they drove down the field. It was the
Emmanuel Lewis to
Ricky Marvray connection once again on a 45-yard pass play that did the majority of the damage. Then from 10 yards out Lewis found
Jermaine McKenzie in the end zone for the touchdown. After making the PAT, the Cowboys held a 14-0 lead.
ENMU got on the scoreboard on their next drive, using 12 plays to eat up 75 yards and scoring a touchdown. The Greyhounds had cut the NMHU lead down 14-7, but
Emmanuel Lewis wasn't done yet. With just 1:24 left in the first half, Lewis drove the Cowboys 74 yards down the field in just five plays. He completed two passes for a total of 34 yards and ran the ball three times. Lewis scored on a 31 yard run play, leaving just seven seconds on the clock. The Pokes took a 21-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.
3rd Quarter
The Cowboys started the second half with the ball and it looked like the Lewis-Marvray connection was going to work again but a fumble stopped the initial advantage. The Cowboys got the ball back and, after a 4-play 78-yard drive,
Zach Tapia hit a 55-yard field goal to increase the lead, 24-7.
After punting the ball, the Greyhounds were able to get on the scoreboard again with a pick-6 return of 33 yards. The turnover cut the Cowboy lead down, 24-14. ENMU took advantage of the momentum swing and tried an onside kick, successfully recovering the ball. Fortunately,
Tyson Stephens intercepted the ball on the ensuing drive.
4th Quarter
The Greyhounds recovered and scored another touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter. ENMU RB Cameron Mikell took the handoff and rumbled 36 yards down the field for the score. The Greyhounds were closing in, just three points down 24-21.
After another NMHU three-and-out, ENMU struck once more on a one play 45-yard touchdown run, taking a 28-24 lead with just 10:44 remaining in the game.
The Cowboy offense took the field with 10:39 left. RB
Dominique Ferrell pounded the Greyhounds' defense with seven rushes, including a 37-yard scamper, and forced ENMU to use up their valuable time outs. Ferrell punched the ball into the end zone from two yards out, regaining the lead for the Cowboys 31-28.
The Greyhounds drove down the field on their next possession, trying to salvage something from their home opener. They ate up 55 yards on 10 plays, but the Cowboys' defense held strong and stopped ENMU on a fourth-and-one at their own 20-yard line.
The Cowboys took over with just 3:08 remaining and commenced a clock-eating drive. The Pokes took eight plays to move 32 yards. But more importantly they ate up 2:45 before punting the ball, leaving the Greyhounds with just 23 seconds on the clock. Starting from their own 16-yard line, the Greyhounds tried for a miracle. The ENMU quarterback threw a 62-yard bomb on the first play of the drive, but they fell short and the game ended with the ball on the NMHU 25-yard line.
The Cowboys went to Blackwater Draw and won the first game of the 2013 season against in-state rival ENMU by the final score of 31-28.
The Cowboys ran for a total of 211 yards on the night and threw the ball for 182 yards. ENMU finished with more total offense in the game (415 yards to the Cowboys' 393 yards).
QB
Emmanuel Lewis led the Cowboys with 263 yards of total offense in the game. He completed 15 of his 27 pass attempts for 182 yards, throwing one touchdown and one interception. Lewis ran for 81 yards and one touchdown.
Dominique Ferrell ran for 80 yards on 14 carries and scored two touchdowns on the ground.
WR
Ricky Marvray was Lewis' main target through the air, catching six balls for 100 yards.
Ibe Nduka and
DiAmaal Holmes led the Cowboy defense with 11 tackles apiece. Nduka had four solo tackles and seven assists, including one quarterback hurry and 1.5 tackles for a loss of two yards. Holmes had three solo tackles and eight assists, finishing with two tackles for a loss of five yards.
Otis Jones and
Damion Whittington each grabbed a sack in the game.
The Cowboys will be on the road again next Saturday, Sept. 14, when they head on down to Abilene, Texas to take on the Abilene Christian University Wildcats. The newly transitioned NCAA DI Wildcats are 2-0 this season with wins against Concordia College (Ala.) and McMurry University. The Wildcats have outscored their opponents 144-23. If you can't make the trip down to Abilene to catch your Cowboys in action, you can click
HERE to follow the game on Live Stats. You can also listen to all the action locally on 96.7 SAM-FM.
GO COWBOYS!!!
