Pioneers debut with win over Austin College

Backup quarterback Nick Quintero led a pair of second-half touchdown drives and Wayland Baptist's defense helped create five takeaways as the Pioneers prevailed in their season-opener over Austin College on Saturday afternoon at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium, 24-14.

"It was a good start for us," Wayland coach Butch Henderson said. "The kids played real well. The biggest thing is they found a way to win. We did some things undisciplined that kept us from making big plays, but they stayed after it and held us in there."

Victory was secured when the Pioneers were trying to run out the clock and De'Sean Johnson scored on a 17-yard scamper with less than a second to play.

The win was Wayland's fourth season-opening victory in the last five years. Austin College, an NCAA Division III school, fell to 0-2.

The game couldn't have started any better for the Pioneers as Jamil Easley intercepted Austin College quarter Colt Collins on the game's first play from scrimmage. The Pioneers turned it into a 26-yard field goal by new kicker Caden Hogan.

A turnover also led to Wayland's first touchdown of the season.

A high, booming punt by Caleb O'Connor was muffed by the Kangaroos, and Nehemiah Rogers recovered it in the end zone for six points. Just over 10 minutes into it, the Pioneers were up, 10-0.

After a scoreless second period, Austin College put up its first points midway through the third thanks to a 13-play, 90-yard drive that culminated with an 18-yard touchdown pass on a play where the WBU defender slipped.

Wayland immediately answered, though, as Quintero – a sophomore who took over under center in the second half due to an injury to senior starter Mitchell Parsley – threw a 5-yard pass to senior Ben Owen on an inside slant route. Much of that 81-yard drive was managed on pass completions from Quintero to Emanuel Reese for 59 yards and to Johnson for 18 yards.

Austin College came right back and scored its other TD early in the fourth quarter, again on a lengthy drive which ended with a short scoring run that made it 17-14 with just under 13 minutes to go.

Wayland's defense didn't allow a first down the rest of the game.

"The defense played a heck of game," Henderson said.

The only time the Kangaroos received a fresh set of downs in the final 13 minutes was courtesy of a penalty on a punt. That, however, was followed by a 5-yard pass completion then three straight incompletions for a turnover-on-downs.

Wayland had a chance to extend its lead with 2:49 to play but missed a 31-yard field goal.

The Pioneers' next defensive series was highlighted by a vicious blind-side sack on third-down of Austin College backup quarterback Tyler James, who entered the game for one play when Collins was injured.

WBU took over on downs at the Austin College 11-yard line with 2:24 to go and with the Kangaroos out of timeouts. The Pioneers managed to kill all but the final seven seconds, and on fourth down while trying to run out the clock Johnson managed to escape for his 17-yard TD.

Wayland's defense allowed Austin College just 30 rushing yards on 25 carries and 176 passing yards on 16-of-45 attempts. Besides Easley, also coming up with interceptions for the Pioneers – all in the first half – were Charles Lee, David Garza and Richard Parham.

"Those came from kids making plays, not because they were bad throws. That (Austin College) quarterback is good," Henderson said, adding that "the heat up front" by the Pioneer pass rush also aided in the four picks.

Easley and Andre Smith led WBU with six tackles each. The Pioneers had nine tackles for loss and a pair of sacks.

Quintero finished 10-of-16 for 152 yards, while Parsley was 10-of-22 for 68.

Henderson said he was happy with how Quintero stepped in and took over.

"He was confident and stepped up there and did a good job," the coach said.

Brayln Kirby made five grabs for 67 yards while Reese had two for 66. Johnson ran 12 times for 44 yards while Jerrell Peterson hauled it 16 times for 27 yards.

Wayland was slowed by nine penalties for 96 yards along with three missed field goals from 42, 42 and 31 yards. Despite those miscues, Henderson said the Pioneers didn't let it get them down.

"There wasn't a state of panic. It was just like, 'We have to bear down.'"

The Pioneers return home next Saturday to opener Sooner Athletic Conference play against 22^nd-ranked Southwestern Assemblies of God, which last week rallied from an 11-point deficit on the road to defeat Austin College, 37-28. A week earlier the Lions opened their season with a 28-9 road loss to Evangel, Mo., ranked the equivalent of 27^th in the NAIA. SAGU was idle this week.