LSC FOOTBALL
Four games are on the schedule for this week including a pair of Lone Star Conference contests - A&M-Commerce at West Texas A&M and Tarleton State at Angelo State. The Texans and Rams matchup is going to be streamed to the Fox Southwest website. Midwestern State plays at West Georgia as part of the GSC-LSC First and Ten Challenge, and Texas A&M-Kingsville hosts McMurry in non-conference play.
TSU, A&M-C, WT and TAMUK remain undefeated in 2013.
The LSC has the early advantage in the GSC-LSC First and Ten Challenge by virtue of A&M-C’s win over Delta State.
LSC football teams are 8-3 overall this season. The squads are 3-2 combined versus the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, Great Lakes Valley Conference and Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams, which are also in NCAA Super Regional Four.
LONE STAR FOOTBALL FESTIVAL
The third annual Lone Star Football Festival had 28,234 fans at the three-day, seven-game event at AT&T Stadium.
On Thursday, a crowd of 3,093 watched West Texas A&M come back to defeat Chadron State 34-31 on the CBS Sports Network as the NCAA Division II Football Game of the Week.
Eastern New Mexico topped Sul Ross State 55-24, A&M-Commerce upset Delta State 45-37, and Puebla beat Mexico City 23-20 in the first-ever Mexican collegiate football game to be played at AT&T Stadium in Friday’s action in front of 8,194 fans.
The festival concluded Saturday with a tripleheader of games attended by 16,947, including Texas A&M-Kingsville over Monterrey Tech 40-37 in a three-overtime exhibition contest, Tarleton State edging Midwestern State 27-24, and CSU-Pueblo defeating Angelo State 45-24.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
CO-OFFENSIVE
Aaron Harris, West Texas A&M University, SR, RB, El Cajon, Calif., Granite Hills HS
Harris had his breakout game in a WT uniform capping a thrilling comeback as the Buffs rallied from 15 points down in the fourth quarter for a 34-31 win over Chadron State. Harris led the team with 103 yards on the ground on 17 carries with two touchdowns and caught four passes for 21 yards and a score. Harris had two touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone, including the game-tying score on a 19-yard pass with 6:36 remaining. WT outscored Chadron State 18-0 in the fourth quarter.
Robert Armstrong, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, SR, WR, Cuero, Texas, Cuero HS
Armstrong had a career outing against Monterrey Tech in Saturday’s exhibition game at the Lone Star Football Festival. The Javelina senior wide receiver pulled in 18 catches for 177 yards and three touchdowns. He had three receiving TDs and a rushing TD from 11 yards out. If not an exhibition game, Saturday’s performance would have been record-setting. His 18 receptions were six better than the prior school record, while his three touchdown receptions would tie a school record. His third touchdown reception tied the game at 27 with 2:49 to send the game to overtime. His 11-yard run was the game-winning score.
CO-DEFENSIVE
Marc Martinez, Tarleton State University, SR, LB, Waco, Texas, Midway
Martinez was all over the field for the Texans on Saturday as he anchored a defense that limited Midwestern State to just 79 yards on the ground - the Mustangs’ lowest rushing total since 2009. Martinez led the Texans with a game-high 13 tackles on the day, with seven of them coming unassisted. He had one tackle-for-loss and forced a fumble as well.
Taylor McCuller, West Texas A&M University, SR, LB, Red Oak, Texas, Red Oak HS
McCuller had his first career interception and it couldn’t have come at a better time as he picked off Chadron State quarterback Jonn McLain on a 4th and four from the WT 34 in a tie game late in the fourth quarter setting the Buffs up for the game-winning field goal drive. McCuller led the team and the game with 17 tackles and a career, game-high 10 solo stops as he was all over the field all night long. McCuller and the Buffs’ “D” put the clamps down on the high-powered Chadron offense in the second half outscoring the Eagles 28-7, including 18-0 in the fourth quarter.
CO-SPECIAL TEAMS
Ronald Fields, Texas A&M University - Commerce, JR, PR/KR, Sacramento, Calif., Grant Union HS
Field played a key role in A&M-Commerce’s 45-37 upset win over 25th-ranked Delta State, leading directly to a pair of Lion touchdowns. In the second quarter, Fields broke free of traffic and scampered 83 yards on a punt return touchdown, giving A&M-Commerce a 21-10 lead. Then, in the fourth quarter, he intercepted a Statesmen pass, returned it 34 yards before teammate Leo Migo took it the remaining seven for a pick-six that gave A&M-Commerce a commanding 42-30 lead with six minutes to play. Defensively, Fields also notched nine tackles for the Lions with four pass breakups.
Anthony Washington, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, JR, PR/KR, Cypress, Texas, Cy Springs
Washington continues to show his big-play ability. The Javelina speedster opened the exhibition game on a high-note for the Javelinas taking the opening kickoff back 100 yards for a touchdown. While the return is not official, the return is the fifth 100-yard return in Javelina history. The last Hoggie to return a kick for a touchdown was Derrick Foster against East Central on Nov. 13, 1999. Washington now has the two touchdowns for a combined 160 yards. Jonathan Woodson is the last Javelina to returned a kick with a 93-yard return at Tarleton State in 2012.