Box Score
BATESVILLE, Ark. – Wayland Baptist forced eight turnovers – including two fumbles returned for long-distance touchdowns by
Travis White and
Dontay Raglin – as the Pioneers opened the 2016 season with a convincing 37-14 win over Lyon College at Pioneer Stadium here Thursday night.
Wayland led 27-14 going into the fourth quarter, but the Pioneer defense dominated the final period. WBU turned away Lyon's offense on fourth down and 2 deep in Pioneer territory midway through the fourth, then as the Scots were marching again
Billy Hatten forced the fumble with 2:47 left that Raglin returned 78 yards for the clinching score.
That followed White's 68-yard fumble return that came with just 14 seconds left in the first half. With Wayland up 14-7 but Lyon threatening to score just before intermission, the Pioneers instead grabbed the momentum with White's fumble return TD that made it 27-7 at the break.
The Pioneers took a 14-0 lead, scoring first when Jacob Hinojos recovered a fumble on Lyon's first play from scrimmage at the Scots' 14-yard line. Two rushes by
Preston Woodard produced Wayland's first score of the season less than three minutes into the game.
Seven minutes later, quarterback
Payson Bain connected with
Trey Rowe on a 24-yard touchdown pass on third-and-8 that made it 14-0 with 5:05 left in the first.
Lyon got on the board and cut Wayland's lead in half when the Scots scored on a 14-yard run with just under 4:00 left in the second quarter.
Freshman running back
De'Sean Johnson put the Pioneers up 27-7 midway through the third quarter when he found the end zone on an 11-yard run. But Lyon struck on special teams when the Scots blocked Wayland's 40-yard field goal attempt and returned it for a TD, making it 27-14 with 1:56 left in the third.
Kicker
Daniel Martinez got his first field goal of the season on a 31-yard boot to make it 30-14 with 9:00 to go in the game. Raglin then provided the dagger with his 78-yard fumble return touchdown.
Wayland rushed for 170 yards, with Johnson getting 75 on 18 carries, Woodard 60 on eight carries, and Trenton Jones 53 on eight totes. Bain completed 10-of-21 passes for 80 yards.
Lyon ended with 366 yards (228 rushing and 140 passing), but was undone by the eight giveaways.
Senior All-American linebacker
Alden Mann's 14 tackles – including two stops for loss – led Wayland's defense, followed by
Michael Nealy with nine.
The game between the two Central States Football League schools was a non-conference contest that was scheduled after both teams saw opponents back out of games. Wayland, which defeated Lyon, 51-30, to end the school's first season of competition last year in Batesville, will host the Scots for their CSFL game on Oct. 29 in Plainview.
The Pioneers now have 16 days off before their next outing as Wayland makes its home debut Sept. 10 against Sul Ross State.
