GAMENOTES - GAME 2 - WESTERN NEW MEXICO

SBU vs. Western New Mexico gamenotes

Western New Mexico

September 4

Bolivar, Missouri

6 p.m.

The Series
Western New Mexico - Southwest Baptist
This is the first meeting between these two schools. Western New Mexico is an independant football team in NCAA Division II.

The Coaches
Western New Mexico - Charley Wade
Charley Wade has been the coach for four years at WNMU and has a 12-33 record for teh Mustangs. He will be returning to familiar territory as he has lived and coached in Missouri. He received his undergraduate degree from Southwest Missouri State in 1964 and then a master’s degree in 1968 from Truman State. He has also coached at Southwest Missouri State.

This is his second time around at WNMU as he was the offensive coordinator from 1991-1993 in which the Mustangs went to the NAIA playoffs in 1993.

Southwest Baptist - Ray Richards
Ray Richards begins his fourth year at SBU. He has led the Bearcats to a 12-21 record in three years and was 6-5 in his first season. The 2001 season was the first winning season in 10 years at SBU and because of his accomplishment he was named the MIAA “Coach of the Year/."

Richards came to SBU from NCAA Division I University of Louisiana-Monroe. He spent two years there as the defensive backs coach. Prior to ULM, he was at Southeastern Oklahoma State for 10 years. He has also made one more stop at the NCAA Division I level as he was a graduate assistant at Texas Tech for one season.

Graduating from Northern Michigan in 1981, Richards helped NMU to the NCAA Division II playoffs in 1980.

The Teams
Western New Mexico
It took four overtimes and a second chance to win but the Mustangs came away with a 23-20 win over Angelo State University. After each team combined to miss three field goals, had two interceptions and one fumble, ASU scored first in the fourth overtime. WNMU went on to try a field goal to tie the game and missed but a yellow flag flew. ASU had roughed the kicker and WNMU was alive again. On the very next play, WNMU threw for the game winning touchdown from 16-yards out.

Marques Reichl threw for 264 yards but had four interceptions. His leading receiver was Jason Ellison with six catches for 73 yards.

Southwest Baptist
Falling just one foot short of defeating Harding University, the time ran out for the Bearcats as they were getting ready to punch in the tying touchdown. Harding held off SBU for the 17-10 win. SBU had their chances to come away with the win, but missed their opportunities. The Bearcats missed two field goals and then were stopped twice at the goal line.

Marco Kirven picked up where he left off in the 2003 season as he rushed for 180 yards on 28 carries. Quarterback Robert Clardy threw for 159 yards while rushing for one touchdown and 47 yards. Defensively, Michael Pearl, Craig Edwards, and Ulexis Williams all had eight tackles.

Coach Richards in Home Openers
Head Coach Ray Richards has had success in home openers in his three years at SBU. He holds a 2-1 record when he opens up a season at Plaster Stadium with his only defeat coming last year to Central Oklahoma. In 2001, they defeated Quincy, 19-0, for his first collegiate win and then in 2002 SBU beat Kentucky Wesleyan, 35-7. Last year, a let down in the fourth quarter led to a 30-7 loss to Central Oklahoma.
Date Team Outcome
8/25/01 Quincy (IL) W, 19-0
9/7/02 Kentucky Wesleyan W, 35-7
9/13/04 Central Oklahoma L, 7-30

Home Openers
The Bearcats hold a 9-12 record in home openers and are 7-12 at Plaster Stadium since its first home game on October 12, 1985. SBU started off 4-3 in the first seven seasons at the new stadium and then hit a skid from 1992 through 1999 when they did not win a home opener. It was not until Coach Rolands last season as a head coach that SBU won a home opener over Quincy.
Date Team Outcome
*10/8/83 Tarkio L, 17-14
*9/8/84 Principia (IL) W, 32-3
10/12/85 Anderson L, 21-13
9/6/86 Central Methodist W, 28-9
9/12/87 William Jewel W, 31-28
9/10/88 Arkansas-Monticello L, 40-20
9/2/89 SE Missouri St. W, 22-15
9/8/90 NWMSU L, 20-9
8/31/91 Olivet Nazarene W, 42-7
9/5/92 CMSU L, 29-10
9/4/93 Ouachita Baptist L, 7-0
9/17/94 ESU L, 31-14
9/2/95 Ouachita Baptist L, 24-10
9/21/96 NWMSU L, 47-7
9/13/97 Ouchita Baptist L, 27-26
9/5/98 Arkansas Tech L, 44-12
9/11/99 Ouchita Baptist L, 28-21
9/2/00 Quincy W, 37-0
8/25/01 Quincy W, 19-0
9/7/02 Kentucky Wesleyan W, 35-7
9/13/03 Central Oklahoma L, 30-7
*Games not played at Plaster Stadium

First Starts
Last Saturday, wide receiver Anthony Hays saw his first start as a Bearcat. The junior from Tulsa, Oklahoma, has played in four games for SBU and now has worked his way into a starting position. In his career, he has two catches for 16 yards.

A redshirt sophomore, Klint King will get his first start in the secondary vs. Western New Mexico. He has now played in 12 games for SBU and has 35 career tackles. In the game against Harding, he had one tackle and one forced fumble.

Freshmen Sitings
Several freshmen saw their first action in a collegiate game against Harding University. On defense, three freshmen recorded tackles. Cornerback Zach Porter finished with five solo tackles and one for a loss. Defensive lineman Josh Trimble had three solo tackles and safety Calvin Dennis had two tackles.

Offensively, running back JoJo Rawls rushed for three yards and caught two passes for 27 yards. Nick Smart, converted from quarterback to wide receiver, caught three passes for 20 yards.

Make the Ground Trimble
In his first collegiate start, freshman Josh Trimble made Harding aware that he was around. He picked up his first collegiate sack and ended the game with three solo tackles in which two were for a loss. In the second series vs. Harding, he had his first collegiate tackle which was a sack as he put down Adam Lybrand for a three-yard loss.

Kirven Kicking Again
Picking up where he left off in the 2003 season, junior Marco Kirven ran for 180 yards on 28 carries. That is the fourth highest total in his career and the 10th game in which he has rushed for over 100 yards in a game. He now has 2,185 career yards and needs just 1,707 to catch Lester Baker’s career record for rushing yards.

Kirven 100-yard games (ranked from highest yardage)
Date Team Yardage
10/28/03 WU 198 yards
11/8/03 NWMSU 196 yards
9/7/02 Kentucky Wes. 192 yards
8/28/04 Harding 180 yards
10/11/03 UMR 176 yards
11/1/03 MSSU 169 yards
11/16/02 WU 140 yards
11/2/02 UMR 120 yards
9/4/03 Kentucky Wes. 116 yards
9/13/03 Central OK 103 yards
4 A Former Defensive End
Senior tight end Dan Sundberg had an outstanding game in his first game as a tight end. The past three years, he has been a defensive end and this year he was moved to offense to see if he had any hands to catch the ball. In his debut, he caught five balls for 57 yards and led the team in receiving. Not bad for former defensive end.

NFL Watch
In his final season at SBU, senior L.V. Hill is being watched by the NFL scouts. Early on in spring practice, through summer, and now two-a-days, several NFL scouts have come to see what L.V. Hill is about. L.V. is a 6’5", 300 pound, offensive tackle that use to play tight end. Last year, he moved from tight end to strong tackle in the middle of the season because of injuries on the offensive line. Since that move, he has not left and was awarded 2003 all-MIAA honorable mention at the tackle spot.
Specs on L.V. Hill
4Squat 545
4Bench 400
4Clean 300
440 5.19
4Broad 9 ft.
4Pro I 5.2

Sacking it Up
In their first game as a young defensive team, the Bearcats came away with two sacks. Junior Joey Maiwelmal and freshman Josh Trimble each had a sack. In the 2001 season, Maiwelmal had four sacks as a defensive back. This year, he is playing a new position as a linebacker.

Last year, the defense only had 13 team sacks. By gaining two sacks, SBU is on pace to record 22.

Warm Welcome Williams
After redshirting last year, junior free safety Ulexis Williams is back in where he belongs on defense. He let Harding know he was around as he led SBU with eight tackles.

Two years ago, the honorable mention all-MIAA selection led the conference in interceptions with six. He also had 44 tackles and 11 passes deflected. The eight tackles ties his career high as he had eight tackles vs. Missouri-Rolla in 2002 and against Truman State in 2001.

Total Offense
Compiling 432 yards of total offense against Harding, SBU is almost averaging 100 yards more than last season. Last year, they averaged 356 yards of total offense per game with 189 on the ground and 166 in the air.

Last Saturday, the Bearcats came away with 273 yards on the ground and 159 yards passing. Clardy was 18-34 passing with no interceptions and Kirven had 180 of the 273 yards rushing. Clardy had 47 yards, Boykin 43 yards, and Rawls three yards rushing.