As thunderstorms entered the area and lightning flared all around Jackson Field on a wet Saturday afternoon, each team had to endure one delay after another.
Finally, the lightning simmered down and the clouds began to break up just enough for players to trot onto the field and begin their warmup routine.
The Sul Ross State football team won its first game of the season with a 27-7 victory over the Wayland Baptist Pioneers.
>> HOW IT HAPPENED:
Wayland Baptist spoiled the Lobos' first offensive series by grabbing an interception. The Pioneers capitalized on offense by scoring on a 26-yard pass with 11:04 in the opening quarter.
Sul Ross State tied up the game with 13:37 in the second quarter when
Andrew Martinez connected with
Vicente Luevano for a 26-yard touchdown to even up the game at 7-7. This was Luevano's second touchdown reception of the season, 18th of his career.
The Lobo offense struck once again with 6:23 remaining until halftime when Martinez found a wide-open
Isaiah Pena who sprinted into the end zone for a 79-yard touchdown to put Sul Ross State ahead, 14-7.
Sul Ross State's special team's unit came into the clutch during the third quarter when
Alec Garcia recovered a muffed punt in the end zone to make the score 21-7 with 13 minutes on the clock.
Kicker
Carlos Arreola scored the next six points as he nailed field goals from 46 and 33 yards out.
>> GAME NOTES:
- The Lobos had 384 total yards of offense.
- Martinez finished completing 16 of 41 passes for 275 yards and two scores.
- Rodd Hudson III rushed for 103 yards on 27 carries.
- Pena led the receiving corps with 164 yards on 10 receptions. Pena and Luevano are tied for the team lead in touchdown receptions with two.
- Jade Rios had nine total tackles.
- Quincy Blair and Jayden Floyd each tallied six total tackles. Floyd had two tackles for loss and half a sack.
- The Lobos grabbed two interceptions as Kendrick Allen and Vernon Hartfield Jr. came away with the grabs on defense.
- Jaylen Parkinson added with five total tackles, one tackle for loss, a fumble recovery and half a sack.
- The Sul Ross State defense came away with 10 tackles for loss, three pass breakups and three sacks.
>> WHAT THE COACH SAID:
"I'm glad we got our first win. However, we had a lot of self-inflicted mistakes. We need to have better discipline. That's something we look to correct going into bye week as we prepare for a good Texas Lutheran team." —
Barry Derickson
>> RECORDS: Sul Ross State (1-2); Wayland Baptist (1-2)
>> UP NEXT: The Lobos are off next week with a bye before hosting Texas Lutheran on Saturday, Sept. 30 at 6 p.m. CST.
