Box Score
It wasn't the result the Wayland Baptist Pioneers were looking for, but it was entertaining.
From safeties to pick-sixes, fumble returns to blocked punts, the Pioneers and Western State Colorado put on an eventful show for close to 1,500 fans on Saturday afternoon at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium. In the end, the NCAA Division II Mountaineers proved a bit more entertaining than the Pioneers as Western won its season-opener and spoiled Wayland's home debut, 38-21.
"If we can learn not to give away things we'll be good," Wayland coach
Butch Henderson said, alluding to the Pioneers' five giveaways, including four interceptions.
The Pioneers (1-1) never led, but they also were never out of it despite being down by as many as 24 points. Backup quarterback
Payson Bain threw a 15-yard touchdown pass to
Trey Rowe to cap a snazzy 73-yard drive, and when
Daniel Martinez booted the PAT, the Pioneers were within 17 points with six minutes still left.
That's when things got interesting.
Wayland recovered two onside kicks, the second by
Alden Mann after the first was nullified by an offside penalty. The Pioneers managed to drive to Western's 23-yard line, but an interception in the end zone by the Mountaineers' Gerald Coleman – the fourth pick of the game for Western – ended Wayland's comeback hopes.
Western's offense took over with just over three minutes left and ran out the clock.
Henderson came away pleased, at least in part, with all three phases of Wayland's game: offense, defense and special teams.
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"Defensively I thought we played really well, and all phases of our kicking units did a good job," the coach said. "Offensively, you see where we have the ability to score and make things happen. We just have to get where we don't give things away."
The first points of the game came on a safety when WBU quarterback
Anthony Campuzano, after Western punted to the Pioneer 2-yard line, was sacked in the end zone on Wayland's first possession of the game.
The Mountaineers' next score also came from their defense on Wayland's next possession when Campuzano was sacked and fumbled. Western's Jaden Terry returned it 11 yards for the score and Wayland, still looking for its first first down, was trailing 9-0.
"When you give them those opportunities – picking up a fumble and running it in – those things hurt you," Henderson said.
The Pioneers got on the board on a 2-yard TD pass from Campuzano to Rowe 30 seconds into the second quarter. That was the start of a 34-point period as Western soon scored on a 48-yard run by Austin Ekeler and a 58-yard interception return by Terry, making it 22-7.
Campuzano hooked up with freshman
Devonte Hayden on a 49-yard TD pass. Hayden caught the ball at the Western 11-yard line then avoided his defender and found the end zone.
Now down by just eight, Wayland's defense forced a 3-and-out as the Pioneers were poised to seize a share of the lead at the half. But a 64-yard punt backed up the Pioneers to their own 9-yard line, where two incompletions were followed by an interception by Western's Gerald Coleman. The Mountaineers took over at the WBU 13, and three straight rushes by Ekeler netted all 13 yards Western needed to turn the tables and make it 29-14.
"When you give away points like we did and you're right there with them, that really hurts," Henderson said.
Wayland's offense stalled, but the Pioneer defense again rose to the occasion and forced a punt, which
Holt Henderson blocked near midfield. WBU couldn't capitalize, though, as the same scenario as before – two incompletions and an interception – followed.
The scoring pace slowed in the second half, when Wayland held the Mountaineers to just nine points – three field goals by Ryan Winke, including a 51-yarder – while the Pioneers got their final seven points on the TD pass from Bain to Rowe.
"I really felt like our kids felt like they could win," Henderson said.
Ekeler, a hard-running 191-pound sophomore, rushed for 237 yards on 31 carries for Western. Wayland was held to just 64 yards rushing on 37 attempts, a figure that suffered due to 10 sacks. Bain was the Pioneers' top ground-gainer, running it 11 times for 53 yards.
"I think Payson added another dimension when he came in there," Henderson said. "He was able to run the draw and did a good job with that."
The Pioneers passed for 282 yards – 197 for Campuzano and 85 for Bain – despite completing just 14-of-48. The Mountaineers, who lost three fumbles, passed for 160 yards and totaled 486 yards and 24 first downs, compared to Wayland's 346 yards and 19 firsts.
"Parts (of our offense) are looking really good. We just have to learn not to give things away," Henderson reiterated.
Leading Wayland on defense was reigning Central States Football League Defensive Player of the Week
Jon-Lucas Poe with 13 tackles, followed by Mann with 10,
David Hockenberry with nine and
Reggie Pierce with seven.
The game started a three-game home stand for the Pioneers, who next Saturday take on Howard Payne at 2 p.m. The Yellow Jackets opened their season on Saturday in San Antonio where they defeated Trinity University, 30-27.
"They'll come rolling in here ready to play," Henderson said. "We've got to get ready to play again."
