November 2, 2015
FOOTBALL: ALPINE, Texas (10/31/15) - It's been ten years since the East Texas Baptist University football team has had a winning season and with a 61-21 win over Sul Ross State University they will have it. The six wins are the most since 2005 five and ETBU has two games left to try for more wins and will now be playing for the right for first place in the American Southwest Conference next Saturday vs. Hardin-Simmons.
"This win is huge. This is the first step in building up this program," says head coach Joshua Eargle. "We have been working at this for three years and gotten better each year. To have the first winning season since 2005 is the first major step for our program. This is a great honor. Those guys in the locker room are playing hard, they come to play every day, and they do everything we ask of them."
It was another big day for both sides of the ball as the offense finished with 658 yards of total offense with 445 yards passing. The defense forced four turnovers, three of which were interceptions, and had three sacks.
Josh Warbington had a career day passing for 455 yards just missing the ETBU single game record of 450 yards passing. He found four different receivers in the end zone and now has passed for four or more touchdowns seven times in his career. Kendall Roberson continued his rushing dominance with 157 yards and three touchdowns. Jourdan McNeill added 53 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns. Tyler Bates had his second best day in his career with 229 yards receiving and one touchdown. He now has 11 touchdowns this season and needs two more to break the single season record.
Defensively, Jeremiah Simpson, Tyrell Williams, and Jarrell Williams all recorded their first career interceptions. Xavier Davis added to his yearly total of sacks with one and Dylan Bowman led the team with six tackles. ETBU also held SRSU on the goal line, once, and stopped them three times on fourth downs.
ETBU scored on their first eight possessions of the game and didn?t have to punt until late in the third quarter. The first series of the game only took 51 seconds as they went 63 yards ending in Roberson?s first touchdown of the day. It only took 2:50 on their second possession as Roberson ran in from three-yards out for a 14-0 lead at the 7:37 mark. SRSU cut the lead to seven, 14-7, following Roberson's score but McNeill bounced in from five-yards out at the 2:48 mark in the first quarter for a 21-7 lead.
Just under two minutes into the second quarter Xavier Gray collected his first touchdown of the year on a 62-yard strike from Warbington that took just 1:26 to go 68 yards to go up 28-7. Seven minutes later Roberson recorded his third touchdown of the day from seven yards away making it 34-7. The final four minutes of the first half finished in two passing touchdowns with the first to Chase Sojka on a seven-yard pass and then Bates took a 79-yard pass to the house as the score ended up 47-7 at the half.
McNeill was awarded his second touchdown run in the third quarter from three-yards out after SRSU scored on the possession before. That run put ETBU up by 39 points, 54-15. In the fourth quarter Cameron Peters caught his first collegiate touchdown from 13-yards out as ETBU went up 61-15. SRSU added one more score in the fourth quarter for the final of 61-21.
ETBU's 61 points was the second most in the Eargle era behind the 68 points scored last year against Millsaps College. With a 3-0 record in the American Southwest Conference, ETBU will play Hardin-Simmons University for first place next Saturday in Ornelas Stadium at 2:00 p.m.
ETBU Makes ASC Tournament as #8 Seed
ASC: RICHARDSON, Texas (11/2/15) - Advancing to the post season as the #8 seed in the American Southwest Conference tournament, the East Texas Baptist University women's soccer team will play Texas-Tyler on Tuesday. It is the fifth time that ETBU has made the ASC Tournament in nine years under Paul Grant.
ETBU will travel to Tyler, Texas, to face #1 seed Texas-Tyler in the first-round of the ASC Tournament. ETBU advanced to the tournament by winning percentage over Howard Payne University when the Yellow Jackets were defeated by Louisiana College. The match time vs. Texas-Tyler will be 7:00 p.m.
Soccer Silences McMurry, 4-0
SOCCER (W): ABILENE, Texas (10/31/15) - Finishing the 2015 regular season in style, the East Texas Baptist University women's soccer team shut out McMurry University, 4-0, for its fifth win of the year. ETBU had a 1-0 lead at the half before drilling in three goals in the second half for the victory. With Howard Payne University's loss to Louisiana College, ETBU earns the No. 8 seed in the American Southwest Conference Championship Tournament, opening against top-seeded University of Texas-Tyler on Tuesday.
With match scoreless in the 36th minute, Kristi Freund hit a rebound shot in, and teammate Sasha Kotowych earned an assist. That 1-0 edge held at the halftime buzzer.
During the 56th minute, a Chase Swann corner kick ended up leading to a Heather Brady goal and a 2-0 ETBU advantage.
Deep into the 66th minute, Stephanie Castillo temporially fell near the penalty box, but she quickly recomposed and kicked in a goal. Erin Miller would complete the evening's scoring in the 83rd minute with header off a pass from Castillo.
ETBU had a 17-to-7 advantage in shots as well as a 7-to-4 edge in corner kicks. Goalkeeper Christina Salas stopped three shots, while McMurry goalkeeper Simone Heinle stopped nine shots.
Soccer Falls To Hardin-Simmons, 7-2
SOCCER (W): ABILENE, Texas (10/30/15) - The East Texas Baptist University women's soccer team scored the final two goals of the match, but ended up losing to host Hardin-Simmons University, 7-2, on a rainy Friday afternoon at the HSU Soccer Complex.
In a match that was delayed nearly two-and-a-half hours by lightning delays, threats of further inclement weather forced the match to be called after 70 completed minutes. With the defeat, ETBU goes to 4-12-0 overall and 3-7-0 in American Southwest Conference matches. Hardin-Simmons ups its overall record to 13-2-1 and 8-1-0 in ASC competition.
Hardin-Simmons scored the match's first seven goals, including a half dozen in the opening half alone. ETBU's offensive output came in the form of Stephanie Castillo and Chase Swann goals in the 58th minute and 63rd minute, respectively.
Hardin-Simmons finished with a 20-to-9 edge in shots, and a 14-to-5 shots on-goal advantage. ETBU goalkeeper Christina Salas played the full duration, making six saves.
ETBU completes its regular season on Saturday at McMurry University starting at 5 p.m.
Soccer Prevails, 2-1, Over McMurry
SOCCER (M): ABILENE, Texas (10/31/15) - It took all of 110 minutes for the East Texas Baptist University men's soccer team (3-13-1) to earn the win over McMurry University (1-15-1), 2-1, in double overtime as it finishes the season on a high note. Brett Forbus found Gunner Gibson for the golden goal as ETBU came away with its third and final win of the 2015 season.
Near the middle of the 30th minute, ETBU got on the scoreboard as Pablo Jaimes converted, and Gibson earned an assist. McMurry would, however, find the equalizer in the 43rd minute. Martin Ornelas scored the match-tying goal.
In the end, McMurry held a 14-to-12 edge in shots, while ETBU held a slim 5-to-4 advantage in corner kicks. Goalkeeper Tyler Garner stopped a half dozen shots for ETBU. McMury goalkeeper Austin Long made four saves. ETBU's season closes with a victory, and it now bids farewell to seven seniors.
Soccer Closes Conference Play With 1-0 Loss At Hardin-Simmons
SOCCER (M): ABILENE, Texas (10/30/15) - A goal in the fifth minute proved to be the difference as the East Texas Baptist University men's soccer team lost to Hardin-Simmons University, 1-0, on Friday afternoon at the HSU Soccer Complex. The loss moves ETBU to 2-13-1 overall and 2-6-1 in American Southwest Conference competition. Meanwhile, Hardin-Simmons improves to 7-5-2 overall and 4-3-1 in ASC matches.
Following a Tristan Huber corner kick, Cole Johnson finished for what turned out to be the decisive goal. During the opening half, Pedro Guerra, Pablo Jaimes and Gustavo Vasquez each had a shot on-goal for ETBU, but Hardin-Simmons goalkeeper Michael Vargas was there to stop every shot. In the second and final half, ETBU goalkeeper Juan Perales made a half dozen saves.
At the final buzzer, Hardin-Simmons held a 14-to-8 advantage in shots as well as a 7-to-3 edge in terms of corner kicks. Perales stopped six shots in goal for ETBU, while Vargas made five saves for Hardin-Simmons.
ETBU finishes its regular season on Saturday vs. McMurry.
Cross Country Places Third At ASC Championships
CROSS COUNTRY (W): TYLER, Texas (10/31/15) - Putting together one of the best team efforts in the history of the East Texas Baptist University women's cross country program, ETBU finished third at the American Southwest Conference Championships, qualifying as a team for the NCAA Regional Meet. ETBU scored 101 points, edging fourth-place Concordia University-Texas by two points.
Shelby Taylor finished fifth to earn All-ASC First-Team honors, and Megan Merrill was given the ASC Sportsmanship Award for the second year in a row.
Among ETBU runners, Taylor had the top time and finish, completing the course in 25:16.98, good enough to place fifth in an 82-runner field. Merrill finished right outside the top 20, clocking in at 27:11.06 to place 21st. Sarah Brotzman claimed 33rd with a final time of 28:17.67, and two slots down Chloe Hudson placed 35th as she completed the course in 28:28.54. Clocking in at 29:30.48, Alyssa Cummings came in 42nd. Amy Daly placed 47th with a time of 30:17.27, while teammate Hannah Crisp finished next in 48th with a final time of 30:24.02.
Courtney Stevens placed 51st as she completed the course in 31:00.08, and Shelby Sparks clocked in at 32:03.77 to claim 57th. Vicky Gutierrez finished the race in 32:43.45 to place 61st, and Caroline Lowe placed 69th with a final time of 34:23.35.
Cross Country Claims Fourth At ASC Championships
CROSS COUNTRY (M): TYLER, Texas (10/31/15) - With a fourth-place finish at the American Southwest Conference Championships, the East Texas Baptist University men's cross country team continues to be one of the best in the conference. ETBU finished with 93 points while University of Texas Dallas had 69 points in third place.
For the third year in a row, Landon Price was All-ASC First Team on the strength of his seventh-place finish, and Ian Spencer earned All-ASC Second Team. Price was also honored with the ASC Sportsmanship Award.
Price completed the 8K course in 28:32.29. Spencer also earned a top-20 finish, placing 16th with a time of 29:34.40. Aaron Durham (32nd; 30:54.99), Ramiro Mendez (33rd; 31:08.30) and Beau Billings (34th; 31:19.73) finished one after the other, while Kevin Martinez placed 45th with a finish of 32:41.88. Seth Powers clocked in at 33:07.84 to place 49th and round out ETBU's contingent of runners.