PINEVILLE, La. – Coming down to the final series of the game in the "Battle of the Border Claw", East Texas Baptist University picked up a first down on third-and-14 to finish running out the clock for a 64-62 win over Louisiana College. Louisiana College pulled within two points with 2:29 remaining in the game but failed to recover the on-side kick.
"Our team battled tonight," says head coach Scotty Walden. "They never gave up and you couldn't expect more in a rival game like this. Louisiana College played a great game. This team is a fun team to coach and I wouldn't have expected anything less in this game."
Combined the two teams scored 126 points and had over 1,200 yards of total offense. ETBU continued their offensive success with 713 yards of total offense and 64 points to lead NCAA Division III. Louisiana College added 62 points and 502 yards of offense.
Individually, Dru Smith had a career night throwing for an ETBU single game record 530 yards, six touchdowns, on 39 completions. His previous best was five touchdowns, twice, which was also held by Josh Warbington and Seth Hubbard. The 530 yards surpasses Hubbard's 450 yards set against Howard Payne in 2012. The 39 completions also breaks Warbington's record of 37 set in 2013 and 2014. Richard Johnson also tied the single season record for touchdown receptions with 12 as he caught two more against Louisiana College.
After Smith's career night, Derrick Ledet and Johnson had career nights, too. Ledet caught 11 passes for 168 yards to lead the team and recorded one touchdown. Johnson then finished with 163 yards on eight receptions and two touchdowns. Chase Sojka ended the night with 109 yards receiving on 13 catches. Jourdan McNeill was just four-yards shy of 100 yards rushing but did find the end zone, twice, improving his season total to 15 touchdowns.
Defensively, Ty Parsons and Caleb Taylor each had eight tackles. The defense also had three turnovers which were all interceptions. Marcus Harris had his first 'pick 6' from 37 yards and then Zack Biles had the other two picks to tie the ETBU single game record for interceptions.
Playing for the 'treasured' claw, Louisiana College squared off for the 19th time against ETBU and as the Tigers tied the series at nine with one tie in that time. ETBU jumped out to a 16-0 lead early in the first quarter on a McNeill 17-yard run and then Harris' pick six from 37-yards out. LC responded with 21 unanswered points to take the lead 21-16 at the end of the first quarter. ETBU then found the endzone on back-to-back possessions for a 28-21 lead. McNeill earned his second touchdown from one-yard out with 12:31 on the board and then Ledet caught a 60-yard pass from Smith with 11:50 left in the first half. Each team scored two more times in the second quarter as Xavier Gray caught a four-yard pass with 5:42 left in the half for a 35-28 lead only to see LC tie it at 35 with 2:57 to go. ETBU ended the game on a 25-yard field goal for a three-point lead, 38-35.
Louisiana College took their opening drive 66-yards in four plays for a 42-38 advantage. ETBU responded quickly with a three-play 72-yard drive to re-take the lead on a 34-yard touchdown reception to Johnson, 45-42. With 3:52 left, LC gained a four-point lead, 49-45, on a 27-yard touchdown pass. Johnson then finished out the third quarter with his second touchdown of the night on a 40-yard pass from Smith making it 52-49.
ETBU then scored two more times in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 64-49. Dominic Haggerty rumbled in from 20-yards out for the first score in the fourth quarter at the 12:10 mark. Sojka finished off the scoring for ETBU with 8:39 left on a six-yard reception for a 64-49 lead. LC then scored two touchdowns in the last five minutes to pull within two. They scored their final touchdown with 2:29 left and ETBU denied the two-point conversion at the one-yard line to secure the two-point lead. ETBU then held off the LC defense on the ensuing series for the win running out the clock.
ETBU heads to Abilene, Texas, next Saturday for another tough ASC game vs. Hardin-Simmons University.