Last Second Field Goal Gives HPU 2nd Loss On Season

Abram Choate, SID

MARSHALL, Texas  – ETBU kicker Kyle Pope made a 17-yard field goal with two seconds left to give the Tigers a 20-18 win over Howard Payne in the American Southwest Conference opener Saturday at Ornelas Stadium.

Pope's game-winner gave ETBU (1-2, 1-0) its first win under new head coach Mark Sartain. The loss dropped Howard Payne to 0-2 and 0-1, and the Yellow Jackets have lost three straight to the Tigers in their last three trips to Ornelas Stadium.

The last ETBU turnover of the day came early in the fourth quarter, when an errant option pitch was recovered at the Tiger 9 and HPU quarterback Johnathan Haddock cashed in the go-ahead touchdown with a two-yard run to make it 18-17 with 12:42 remaining.

The Tigers took over on what would prove to be the game-winning drive with 4:55 showing on the clock and the ball sitting at the ETBU 31.

With six seconds showing on the clock, ETBU's Pope connected on his second field goal of the game that proved to be the game-winner.

ETBU held a 14-10 lead in the second quarter due to a 97-yard drive that ended Jair Stover running it in from two yards out less than a minute into the second quarter. That tied the game at 7-7. McLain then caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from Oehlschlaeger with four minutes to go before halftime to give the ETBU a 14-7 lead.

Jordan Bullard hit a 43-yard field goal with 1:20 to go in the half to make it 14-10. HPU drew closer in the third quarter when Zach Dauer blocked a Brandon Stevens punt out of the end zone to make it 14-12.

Pope hit a 42-yard field goal with 1:12 to go in the third, bumping ETBU's lead back to five at 17-12 to set the stage for the excitement in the fourth quarter.

ETBU piled up a 319-168 advantage with 291 of those coming in the air. Oehlschlaeger hit 15-of-25 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown. Thad Fortune was 8-of-12 for 104 yards, an interception and two fumbles.

McLain of ETBU caught eight passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. Ruben Robinson also had eight catches for 98 yards, as seven different receivers caught passes for ETBU.

ETBU running back Corey George rushed for 78 yards on 21 carries to lead the Tigers, which finished with a net of just 28 yards due to four Howard Payne sacks, a bad snap and the fumbled option pitch.

Howard Payne piled up 105 yards of total offense in its first two drives of the day, but the ETBU defense then limited the Yellow Jackets to just 63 yards the rest of the day. Austin Sturrock and Brandon Joslin led the defense with seven tackles apiece.
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