LANGSTON, Okla. – Wayland Baptist couldn't hold onto a halftime lead over 14
th-ranked Langston, and the Pioneers missed a golden opportunity to score late as they fell to the Lions in Sooner Athletic Conference play here Saturday afternoon, 31-20.
David Garza, a redshirt junior defensive back from Vernon, gave Wayland (1-3, 0-3 SAC) a 6-0 lead when he returned an interception a school-record 82 yards for a touchdown midway through the first quarter. The PAT kick failed. That followed an interception and 42-yard return by
Darrian Williams on Langston's previous possession that the Pioneers were unable to convert into points.
The Lions (3-1, 3-0) immediately answered and took a 7-6 lead on a four-yard TD run by quarterback Jaylen Lowe before Wayland's
Marquel McNac scored on a 2-yard run early in the second quarter. The PAT by
Edgar Baeza made it 13-7.
Once again the Lions responded right away, this time scoring on a 57-yard pass from Lowe to Isaiah Shaputis to put Langston up 14-13.
The offenses traded 3-and-outs before WBU quarterback
Nick Quintero hooked up with tight end
Caleb O'Connor for a 24-yard TD pass. The PAT by Baeza made it 20-14 with 1:30 left before halftime.
The Lions completed three passes for 50 yards to get into field goal range, and Kyle Flynn booted a 24-yarder with one tick left on the clock to shorten Wayland's halftime lead to 20-14.
After Baeza missed a 47-yard field goal late in the third quarter, Langston took the lead for good when, after a 45-yard completion, Lowe ran it in from eight yards out to make it 25-20 with 17 seconds left in the third.
Garza picked off his second pass and almost had another pick-six, returning it 34 yards to the Langston 8. A penalty on the Lions took it to the 4. Two rushes by
Jerrell Peterson lost two yards, then a holding penalty made it 3
rd-and-16. Quintero scrambled his way all the way to the 3 where on fourth down Peterson was turned away one yard short of paydirt.
The Pioneer defense came up with a big stop and forced a punt from the Lions' 11-yard line, but the punt by Lowe found its way for 86 yards before being downed at the Wayland 3.
WBU managed a couple of first downs but had to put after a holding penalty and sack. Langston faced a 3
rd-and-14 but Lowe hooked up with Joe Lewis for a game-sealing 42-yard touchdown with 2:27 to play.
Langston outgained Wayland 434 yards to 225.
Both teams were hurt by penalties. The Pioneers were flagged 11 times for 107 yards and the Lions 18 for 158.
Quintero completed 17-of-43 for 161 yards with one TD and one pick. On the other side, Lowe was 25-of-37 for 319 with two scores and three INTs. Lowe aso ran 11 times for a net of 32 yards. Johnson led WBU rushers with 56 yards on 11 carries. Langston's Shaputis caught nine passes for 130 yards to lead all receivers.
On defense, Wayland's
Jared Brown was credited with a team-high 10 tackles, including eight solo stops and 1½ tackles for loss.
Andre Smith recorded two of the Pioneers' three sacks. WBU had nine tackles for loss.
Wayland returns home for its next contest against Lyon (Ark.) at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 6. The Scots (2-3, 1-2) picked up their first SAC win Saturday by defeating Oklahoma-Panhandle State in Batesville, Ark., 29-16.
