Box Score MUSKOGEE, Okla. –
Butch Henderson said the breaks would start going Wayland's way, and on Saturday they did.
The Pioneers took advantage of six turnovers and some other fortunate bounces as Wayland Baptist defeated Bacone College in Central States Football League play, 26-14.
"We kept telling them good things would happen, and they stayed after it," Henderson said of his team. "The kids really played their hearts out. They have fought so hard, and the satisfaction to know that you did what you came to do is very gratifying."
Sophomore
Dontay Raglin scored on a 51-yard interception return,
Alden Mann had a hand in three turnovers, and
Daniel Martinez booted four field goals as the Pioneers (2-6 overall, 1-2 CSFL) stopped a six-game losing skid. Bacone fell to 3-5, 1-1.
The Pioneer defense set a school record for fewest points allowed, bettering the 16 points allowed in last year's seven-point loss to Bacone.
"(Bacone) is a good offensive football team, but defensively we stayed right there with them…down after down after down," Henderson said.
The defense pitched a shutout in the second half when Wayland rallied from a 14-10 deficit.
The Pioneers owned a 10-0 lead midway through the first quarter when Martinez booted his first field goal, a 28-yarder on Wayland's second possession of the game, followed by Raglin's 51-yard interception return for a score.
Wayland had a chance to add to its lead when Mann recovered a fumble forced by
Nathan Askins at the Bacone 37-yard line. The Pioneer offense couldn't capitalize, though.
The Warriors put up a pair of second-quarter scores on passes, a 21-yarder and then an 82-yarder with 7:05 left before halftime.
"We went down 14-10, but the kids hung right in there and fought their way back," Henderson said.
In fact, the final 30 minutes were all Wayland.
Mann, who intercepted a pass late in the second quarter, forced a fumble on Bacone's second third-quarter series.
Grant Savage recovered it for Wayland at Bacone's 42-yard line, and the Pioneers were in business.
Four plays later, quarterback
Anthony Campuzano passed to Preston Woodward. He fumbled, but teammate
Devonte Hayden was there to recover it for a touchdown, and with 7:14 left in the third the Pioneers regained the lead, 17-14.
Wayland then tacked on three fourth-quarter field goals as Martinez hit from 24, 48 and 45 yards.
The first kick resulted from a lengthy Pioneer drive, starting at Wayland's 14-yard line and ending at Bacone's 7.
Martinez's second fourth-period field goal followed an interception by
Travis White, who returned it 17 yards to the Warrior 38-yard line.
Another pick, this one by
Blair Magee at the Bacone 27, set up the final three points with 56 seconds left in the game.
Henderson lauded Martinez for his spectacular performance.
"He has come into his own, and he was true to form today," the coach said. "He aced those (kicks). There was no doubt about them. He put the nail in the coffin."
Henderson couldn't say enough good things about the Pioneer defense, either.
"The defense did a great job of creating turnovers," he said. "They broke on the ball well and also punched it out. At key times they got the ball back for us.
"When you go 6-1 in turnovers, you have a really good chance to win."
Campuzano threw for 138 yards, completing 13-of-28 with one TD and one interception.
Josh Bailey hauled in five catches for 57 yards, while
Evan Hearn rushed 19 times for 79 yards.
"The offensive line came through big time," Henderson said. "Those guys fought and fought and fought."
Bacone was held to 113 rushing yards on 38 carries. The Warriors added 198 yards through the air.
Henderson said it is good to see his team's hard work rewarded with a win for the first time since the season-opener.
"The kids have hung in there these past few weeks and overcome one thing after another, and the leadership class has kept them believing. The kids did a great job of finding a way to win.
"This is a lot of fun."
Wayland ends a five-game, six-week road swing next Saturday in Tyler where the Pioneers take on winless Texas College (0-8, 0-3), which played at Oklahoma Baptist on Saturday. The Steers fell to Bacone two weeks earlier, 47-6.
The Pioneers are back at home for their final two games against Oklahoma Panhandle State on Nov. 8 and OBU on Nov. 15.
"Hopefully," Henderson said, "we can keep this up and rolling."
