Sul Ross State Beats McMurry

By MARK WILSON / Staff Writer

Sul Ross State University clinched the football co-championship in the American Southwest Conference Saturday with a 35-7 victory over McMurry University at Indian Stadium.

SRSU head coach Jim Hector, whose Lobos were 0-10 just two years ago and started off 1-3 this season before winning five of their last six, likes the sound of the title "co-champions."

"That sounds good - sounds great," Hector said. "It was truly a Cinderella story. Coming back from the 1-3 start showed the true character of this team. We built on character in that 0-10 season."

The Lobos, 6-4 overall, racked up 466 yards in total offense to finish the season 3-1 in conference play, tied for the crown with HSU, which beat Austin College Saturday. Sul Ross upset the nationally ranked Cowboys 31-26 last week.

McMurry closed out its season at 3-7 overall and 1-3 in league play, tied with Austin College for last place.

"We didn't start deciding to play on offense until the second half," said McMurry head coach Steve Keenum. "They've got a good football team - no question about it. But we didn't play our best. A lot of it has to do with us being a young football team."

The Sul Ross defense gave up just 58 net yards rushing on 25 attempts and came up with four turnovers. On offense, the Lobos converted just 2 of 11 third-down plays, but had just one turnover.

Quarterback Braxton Shaver, who was the ASC Offensive Player of the Week after throwing for 370 yards in McMurry's win over Oklahoma Panhandle State, attempted 64 passes Saturday. He completed 29 for 292 yards and was intercepted three times.

With leading receiver Reggie Sterns being double-teamed and the wind blowing throughout the game, McMurry went to a shorter passing game this time around - taking what the Lobos gave them. Fred Rau, a freshman from Cooper, caught a game-high 12 passes for 104 yards.

"The wind wasn't as big a factor in the throwing game as it seemed to be because we did throw a lot of short passes," said Shaver, who finished his freshman year with 1,574 yards passing. "Really what it affected was the kicking game, and their defense played like a conference championship defense."

The Indians will lose only five seniors - defensive end Brian Roach, receiver Herbert Mouton, and running backs Quincy Jones, Joe Cunningham and Darren Bailey.

"There's a little heart in that group," Keenum said. "They epitomize what this conference is about."

Bailey picked up McMurry's only touchdown on a 37-yard run at the 10:03 mark in the fourth quarter. But by that time, the Lobos were already up, 28-0.

SRSU quarterback Jeff Lefevre, a senior transfer from Cisco Junior College, completed 16 of 26 passes for 271 yards with three touchdowns - including two TDs totaling 99 yards to Raymond Alvarez - to lead the way for the Lobos on offense.

Keenum sees Lefevre as the key that lifted the Lobos to the co-title.

"Quarterbacks, at this level, are the difference," Keenum said. "Now, everybody's confidence (for Sul Ross) goes up. They believe they have a chance, so they play harder. They play harder, and they've got a chance to win."

The Lobos led 13-0 at halftime on two TD passes from Lefevre, but put the game away with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns with the 15-25 mile-per-hour wind at their backs.

Running back John Oncken hauled in a 16-yard TD pass from Lefevre with 4:33 left in the opening quarter, on the Lobos' second possession of the game.

Raymond Alvarez stretched upward to make an outstanding catch on a 34-yard TD strike from Lefevre with 5:15 to go in the second quarter.

Lucian Ebrom ran 42 yards for a TD on a fake punt with 12:44 remaining in the third quarter, with the Lobos facing fourth-and-2 at the McMurry 42-yard line.

McMurry drove from its 30 to the Sul Ross 9 after the ensuing kickoff, but Shaver was hit as he looked to pass and fumbled the ball away at the SRSU 15. The Lobos then drove to the McMurry 10, but Cole Adams intercepted a Lefevre pass and returned it to the Indians' 20, ending the threat.

But just five plays later, Michael Troutman intercepted a Shaver pass and returned it 43 yards for another Sul Ross score.

Bailey's outstanding cutback and resulting TD run, with 10:03 left in the game, cut it to 28-7. But Lefevre hit Alvarez on a 65-yard bomb down the right sideline at the 5:57 mark to end the scoring just two plays after the Lobo defense had stopped McMurry on downs at the SRSU 40.