Big plays can't bring WBU back vs. #21 Lions

It was Senior Day for Wayland Baptist football Saturday afternoon at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium, but if the spectacular efforts by a number of underclassmen are an indication of the future, the Pioneers have a lot to look forward to.

Sophomore Noah Lujan hauled in a 53-yard bomb from junior quarterback Nick Quintero for a touchdown to end the first half, then sophomore Casey Buck returned an interception a school-record 98 yards with just 27 seconds left in the game to finalize the scoring in Wayland's 35-20 season-ending loss to 21^st-ranked Langston University in Sooner Athletic Conference action Saturday afternoon at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium.

"The part I'm most proud of them for is our kids kept fighting," Wayland coach Butch Henderson said. "They never gave up."

For Langston (8-2, 7-1 SAC), it was the Tim Whitfield show as the Lions' 5-foot-11, 230-pound junior running back ran for four touchdowns and 175 yards. All four scores came in the first half as Langston took a 28-0 lead. Whitfield, who logged 16 TDs this season, became Langston's all-time touchdowns leader with 33 in his three-year career.

"I thought we played extremely well defensively, but our defense had to stay on the field so long," Henderson said. "We moved the ball early then we just quit. You can't put your defense on the field for that long."

The Pioneers, who failed to capitalize on a first-and-goal at the 7 in the second quarter, almost went into halftime scoreless, but on the final play before intermission Lujan made a spectacular catch in the north endzone, falling backwards and barely keeping his feet inbounds while hauling in what amounted to a more than 63-yard, wind-aided heave from Quintero.

"Nick dropped it in there and Noah pulled it down," Henderson said.

An interception on Langston's first second-half possession, this one by sophomore Trace Richey which he returned 17 yards to near midfield, set the Pioneers up for another score. But Wayland again came up empty after having it 1^st-and-goal at the 5 as Langston's defense answered the bell.

Henderson said had Wayland scored, it could have changed the entire complexion of the game.

"We had a chance to get right back in it," said the coach, who credited Langston's defense for preventing the score. "They're pretty good."

The Lions then converted a big fourth-down-and-4 from their own 11-yard line when, after gaining five yards on a WBU penalty, pulled off an unlikely fake punt that netted 13 yards. Two plays later, Whitfield ran for 43 yards to the Wayland 29, then from there Lions quarterback Jordan Cooper hit Daylon Person with a TD strike to make it 35-6.

That was the only score of the third quarter and Langston's final points of the day.

Wayland's offense went into roll-the-dice mode most of the fourth quarter and it paid off when, after converting three fourth-down plays, Quintero hit senior Brayln Kirby on a 5-yard slant across the middle to make it 35-13 midway through the fourth.

The Lions then chewed up most of the remaining 7½ minutes with a 76-yard drive, 13-play drive that appeared would end with one final Langston touchdown in the closing seconds. Instead, with Cooper rolling to his right and under heavy pressure from the Wayland defense, Buck came up with his second interception of the season, which he returned 98 yards for the TD. It broke the school record for longest INT return, held previously by David Garza who returned one 82 yards last season, also against Langston.

Kaleb Thornton tacked on the PAT for the final Pioneer points of the season with 25 seconds left. Wayland pooched the ensuing kickoff but Langston recovered.

Against Langston's defense ranked No. 1 in the NAIA against the run, the Pioneers were limited to 48 yards on 33 carries. Most of Wayland's offense came through the air where Quintero, starting for injured senior Mitchell Parsley, completed 20-of-38 for 263 yards. He was sacked six times.

Whitfield finished with 175 rushing yards on 24 carries, an average of 7.3 ypc. Cooper completed 18-of-35 for 301 yards, an average of almost 17 yards per completion.

Henderson thank the team's 15 seniors for their leadership, starting with David Garza. "He'll never get as much credit as he deserves for his ability to hold us together, and Mitchell the same way. Another one who kept us together was Caden Bailey, who stayed real positive despite his injuries."

Henderson also singled out running backs De'Sean Johnson and Jerrell Peterson, addition to wide receiver Brayln Kirby. "It's those type of kids and those types of leaders who make a big difference.

"It was not the season any of us thought we would have, but the biggest thing is the kids really rallied around each other. As a team we have to learn how to make some plays and win some more close ballgames, and I think that's coming. We have a great nucleus of kids coming back."