Tigers Thwart Late Comeback by Choctaws in 28-20 Victory for ETBU
CLINTON, MS - The Mississippi College football team dropped
their fourth consecutive game in a 28-20 loss to East Texas Baptist
on Saturday at Robinson-Hale Stadium. The Choctaws (2-4, 0-4)
had a desperation pass from the ETBU 41-yard line intercepted as
time expired. It would be the fifth straight time the road
team has won in the series and the fifth straight home loss for MC
against ETBU.
Quarterback Sed Harris led the way for the Tigers with 208 rushing
yards and three scores on the ground. He also completed 8-17
passes for 72 yards with one interception.
After a 20-yard field goal by Dale
Wallace in the first quarter, ETBU scored the first
touchdown on a Harris seven-yard scamper. The teams would go
into halftime with the score at 7-3.
The scoring opened in the second half on a 33-yard touchdown run
by Tommy
Reyer after Jarrad
Craine intercepted a pass at the ETBU 45-yard line.
Reyer passed for 219 yards and rushed for 63 more.
The Tigers answered quickly as Harris rushed 59 yards for a score
less than two minutes after the Choctaws took the lead.
MC fell further behind as Cody Finch blocked a punt and Victor
Flores returned it 23 yards for a touchdown to put ETBU ahead,
21-10.
Chris
Campbell cut the lead down to eight points with a 45-yard
field goal with 2:49 remaining in the third quarter. Campbell
joined the team two weeks ago after playing on the men's soccer
team the two previous seasons.
The two teams would trade possessions until ETBU broke through on
a one-yard score by Harris to take a 28-13 lead.
Reyer would lead the Choctaws down the field for a score when he
connected with Kenderick
Johnson from 36 yards out. Johnson caught four
passes for 49 yards in the game.
The Choctaw defense stepped up to hold ETBU to a failed fourth
down conversion with 1:15 remaining to give MC a chance to tie the
game.
The offense moved the ball into Tiger territory before the
intereception by Collin Bieschke cliched the game for ETBU.
The Choctaw offense outgained ETBU, 406-333, and compiled 21 first
downs to only 14 for the Tigers.
Brian
Whitehurst carried the ball nine times for 67 yards,
while Austin
Divinity returned from injury to gain 26 yards on the
ground. Randal
Pharr caught seven passes for 104 yards to give him 23
catches for 342 yards and one score over the last three games.
The Choctaws will hit the road in search of their first conference
victory as they travel to Brownwood, TX to face Howard Payne at
1:00 p.m. next Saturday.
