Box Score

Season Stats

BLACKWATER DRAW, N.M.– The West Texas A&M football team fell behind 34-14 at halftime in the season finale at Eastern New Mexico Saturday afternoon, but battled back to take the lead in the closing minutes and couldn't quite hold on falling 55-45 to the Greyhounds.  WT finishes the season with a 6-5 record while ENMU finishes 7-4. 
 
"I was really proud of the guys," head coach Mike Nesbitt said.  "We went in at halftime and it was probably as down as it had been, but Jacob Laguna and Patric Youngman in the locker room getting them focused again.  We went out there and get a score and then a stop on special teams and another score and we were right back in it.  They could have given up and griped and made excuses, but they went out there and played hard in the second half and got back into it.  This team never quit all season or griped or complained on what happened on or off the field which says a lot about the character of these guys."
 
WT junior running back Geremy Alridge-Mitchell had a career day with his ninth consecutive 100-yard game as he rushed 27 times for 167 yards and tallied a career-high five rushing touchdowns in the contest.  Senior wide receiver Jeremy Watson had 12 catches for 157 yards, while junior quarterback Preston Rabb went 23 of 37 for 305 yards and one touchdown with one interception. 
 
ENMU was led by E'lon Spight who went for 132 yards on the ground, but quarterback Jeremy Buurma was 7 of 9 for 195 yards and three touchdown passes.   Wide receiver Jacob Johnson caught four balls for 119 yards and two scores. 
 
With 4:56 left in the fourth, WT took a 45-42 lead on a 31-yard scamper from Alridge-Mitchell  on the heels of a short field as ENMU had a 10-yard punt with a huge wind which played havoc all day.
 
Each time the Buffs took the lead, ENMU came right back and Buurma connected with Brandley Beeston for 62 yards and a 48-45 lead.  The extra-point was blocked by sophomore LaPear Willrich to preserve the field goal deficit.
 
Rabb's pass on second and 10 from the WT 34 was intercepted by Julian Yearwood as it was tipped at the line.  Yearwood returned it to the WT 25 and Jordan Wells scored from eight yards out with 29 seconds left.  ENMU erased the three point deficit with 13 points in the final five minutes for the 10-point win.
 
ENMU scored the first touchdown of the game on its opening drive on a very windy day at Greyhound Stadium.  The Buffs came right back with Alridge-Mitchell's first touchdown helped out by a 56-yard reception from junior Jarrian Rhone. 
 
Following a couple of stops, WT took over at the ENMU 48 and marched down the field as Rabb hooked up with Rhone a touchdown and a 14-7 WT lead in the first quarter.  ENMU had a huge second quarter, outscoring the Buffs 27-0 for the quarter like in the first quarter of the previous meeting two weeks ago opening a 21-0 lead in that game for a 31-21 victory.
 
WT, who went into the wind in the second quarter, also went into the wind in the third, but it didn't matter as the Buffs scored three touchdowns in the quarter to get back into the game.  After a three-and-out by the Greyhounds, the Buffs took over at their own six.  A big run by Alridge-Mitchell who had just 26 yards on the ground at half for 20 yards and a 57-yard reception by Watson set the Buffs up a the ENMU 1.  Alridge-Mitchell punched it in for a 34-21 score. 
 
A mishandled punt by the Greyhounds followed as redshirt freshman Hunter Streuling recovered the ball at the ENMU 10.  Alridge-Mitchell tallied all 10 yards for a 34-28 score. 
 
Following another punt by ENMU, the Buffs took over at their own 18.  Alridge-Mitchell broke open a 56-yard run and scored later from three yards out for the Buffs' first lead since the first quarter at 35-34. 
 
As things began to get chippy, the ensuing ENMU drive was littered with penalties by both teams.  ENMU was forced into a first and 25 at its 26.  Buurma found Jacob Johnson for 36 yards to get out of the long yardage and the two hooked up for a touchdown from 14 yards out later in the drive for a 42-35 ENMU lead with one second left in the third quarter.