Withstanding a late push from the Rams, the Texas A&M University-Commerce Lions edged out Angelo State, 20-17, in a homecoming and senior day battle on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
A&M-Commerce improves to 4-5 overall and is now tied with Central Oklahoma and Southeastern Oklahoma atop the Lone Star Conference North Division with a 2-1 record in division play.
Angelo State fell to 2-5 on the season. Down 20-17 with 2:18 remaining in the contest, the Rams were settled at the Lions 38-yard line.
After taking advantage of an A&M-Commerce face mask penalty, Angelo State was set up with first and 10 at the Lions 14.
On the next play, running back Jeremy Hill, who replaced starter Daniel Thomas because of an injury, took a handoff and scooted down to the nine before he was upended by Lions linebacker Faoki Fifita, who forced a fumble. Cornerback Courtney Edmond pounced on the free ball and secured the third-straight victory for the festive Lions.
“We are always trying to strip it,” said Lions head coach Scotty Conley. “Fortunately, we knew they were playing for a win, but getting in position to where they still had a chance at a field goal. So we just have to try to stop a touchdown, get ourselves in a position to hold them to a field goal attempt or try to come up with a turnover or a sack.”
The Lions ran out the clock on a couple of quarterback kneels to equal the longest A&M-Commerce win streak since the 1996 season.
“One of the marks, I think, of a team that continues to improve is finding different ways to win, and that’s what today was all about,” said Conley. “I think we continue to play with confidence and we are really excited for them to win the home game, the last game for the seniors at home, and we do have a quite a few family members here today. Really proud for our players to get a win in front of family.”
The Lions never trailed and took their first lead on the opening drive of the game, capping off a 15-play, 80-yard drive as quarterback Terry Mayo powered in a 3-yard run. The PAT failed as the Lions took a 6-0 lead.
Running back Nabil El-Amin legged out 32 yards on seven carries to set up the score. After an A&M-Commerce punt, Hill took a run up the middle and had the ball swiped out of his hands by Lions linebacker Garnet Smith.
Cornerback Mark Fisher scooped up the fumble and raced 16 yards to the end zone as the Lions extended their lead to 13-0 in the second quarter.
“That’s impressive,” said Conley. “Those guys (defense) can score and that certainly changes momentum. It changes emotional attitude when the defense can score and this was a game (where) that play was a deciding difference in it.”
The Lions looked to put the game away deep in Rams territory late in the second quarter with the strong wind at their backs. The offense decided to stay on the field and go for a fourth and seven at the Rams 27, instead of a field goal.
Mayo dropped back and attempted a pass to a wide receiver, but Rams defensive back Quinton Butler jumped the hitch route for an interception and returned it to midfield.
Momentum swung in Angelo State’s favor as the Rams drove 50 yards in nine plays to score on a 2-yard touchdown run by Hill to trim the lead to 13-7 at the half. At the intermission, A&M-Commerce crowned Bridgette Miles homecoming queen and Kentrel Phillips homecoming king.
The Rams attempted to ruin the celebration on their opening drive of the second half. It looked as though quarterback Josh Neiswander hit wide receiver Antwon Williams on a fade route in the back of the end zone, but Williams was called for offensive interference that pushed Angelo State back to the 15.
One play later, placekicker Ryan Smith cut the Lions’ lead to 13-10 on a 32-yard field goal.
The ensuing kickoff return gave the Lions first and 10 at their own 36. El-Amin needed only one play as he dashed 64 yards along the right sideline, with blocking from his receivers, to give the Lions a 20-10 advantage. The 64-yard run is a season-long for both El-Amin and the offense.
He finished the game eclipsing the 100-yard mark for the third consecutive game going for 129 yards and one touchdown on 24 carries.
After a Lions punt, Hill kept the Rams in the game running through the tackles and slipping past the Lions defense on a 69-yard scamper down the right side of the field. Smith hit the PAT and Angelo State cut the lead to 20-17 at the 4:32 mark in the third quarter.
The fourth quarter saw no scoring, but big plays by the Lions defense. A&M-Commerce cornerback Elliot Jones picked off a Neiswander pass to start the fourth quarter and the Lions ended the game on the Edmond fumble recovery.
Mayo only had 136 yards and two interceptions on 13-of-24 passing for the game, but ran for 70 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries.
Wide receiver Meldrick Grice caught five passes for 85 yards to lead all receivers.Rams and Lone Star Conference leading rusher Thomas was injured early in the game and carried the ball one time for seven yards.
The Lions defense held the Rams to 246 yards and forced three turnovers.
“Coach Gibbs (defensive coordinator), he’s been putting us in position to make plays and the entire coaching staff believes in us,” said Smith. “The offense has been playing great. When you have confidence in knowing that the offense can put points on the board, that allows everyone on defense to play free and that’s what we’ve been doing because we know even if we make a mistake here and there, we know the offense is going to back us up, and that’s been the difference.”
Fifita led the charge with nine tackles and one forced fumble for the Lions.
Alonzo Meinfield contributed eight tackles and Smith recorded seven tackles and one forced fumble. Prior to the game, the 20 seniors from A&M-Commerce football team were honored for senior day.
The Lions travel to Ada, Okla. next week to face East Central in a Lone Star Conference North Division matchup at 2 p.m.