WAXAHACHIE – Wayland Baptist fell behind 10-0 and could never catch up as the Pioneers fell to Southwestern Assemblies of God University in a high-scoring Sooner Athletic Conference shootout here Saturday afternoon, 54-29.
The Lions (6-3, 4-3 SAC) got a touchdown on their first possession and a field goal on their second. Wayland (2-6, 2-5) was within reach, 17-10, after getting a field goal by Jeffrey Lucido and a 73-yard touchdown toss from
Nick Quintero to
Brenden Strickland, but SAGU put up 20 unanswered points spanning halftime to begin putting it out of reach.
Justyn Harrison provided the Pioneers with a pair of points when he returned a PAT 97 yards. SAGU scored the next 10 points to assume a commanding 47-12 lead midway through the third.
Wayland's
Andrew Villa came up with a pick-six with a 44-yard interception return and Lucido booted another field goal to make it 47-22. SAGU scored its final points early in the fourth before Quintero hooked up with
Skyler Whitten for a 10-yard TD toss to finish up the scoring midway through the last quarter.
Quintero, who was sacked six times, completed 16-of-36 passes for 263 yards, two TDs and a pick. SAGU's Jordan Barlow threw for 419 yards and six scores while the Lion ground game accounted for another 193 yards.
Strickland caught three passes for 89 yards while Whitten hauled in six aerials for 83 yards.
WBU linebacker
Manny Arguijo was credited with 10 tackles, including 1½ tackles for loss.
Stefano Sanchez added six stops and an interception.
Tari York broke up three passes.
Wayland plays its final home game and next-to-last game of the season at 2 p.m. Nov. 6 against No. 16 Ottawa (Ariz.). The Spirit (6-1, 6-1) were off this weekend after suffering their first loss to Langston on Oct. 23, 44-41.
