HBU upsets SFA 31-24 in Southland Conference football action

Tony Dawson (11) rushed for 218 yards and two touchdowns.
Photo courtesy HBU Media Relations Department

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2016 TexSport Publications

HOUSTON, TEXAS (November 12, 2016) The Houston Baptist University Huskies jumped out to a 14-7 lead at halftime and when on to down the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks by the score of 31-24 at Husky Stadium on the campus of HBU on Saturday, November 12, 2016. The win was the first ever for the Huskies over the Lumberjacks and gave HBU their biggest win in program history.

The Lumberjacks got on the scoreboard on their first possession; driving 75 yards in 10 plays to put six points on the scoreboard when Zach Conque connected with Tamrick Pace on a 32-yard pass. Storm Ruiz booted the conversion to give SFA a 7-0 lead. The Huskies responded on their first possession with a 75-yard, 10 play drive. Tony Dawson hit Terrance Peters with a 26-yard pass for the score. Alec Chadwick added the conversion to tie the score at seven at the 6:57 mark of the first quarter.

HBU scored seven points in both the second and third quarters and 10 points in the fourth. SFA matches the Huskies’ scoring output in the second half. The Huskies achieved 437 yards of total offense while Dawson completed 9-of-22 passes for 139 yards and one interception. SFA’s Conque was 26-of-43 with one interception. Husky head coach Vic Shealy commented about the win after the game.

“We wished we could’ve played out the last six minutes of the game much more clean, that is part of the growing and maturation of your program. It was the first time we had been in that situation with the onside kicks, but you learn and we’ve got good coaches and players who want to better themselves and I’m confident we’ll learn and grow. I’m even more excited, as a football program, we can create memories with that 17-point fourth quarter. The turnover we created led to a score and that was a pretty clutch field goal, it wound up making a difference in the game, and that shows the maturity in our program. This is a really significant moment in our program.”

Dawson saw great success on the ground, breaking his Dawson broke his own school record with 218 rushing yards and two touchdowns. His 83-yard third-quarter touchdown is the longest play from scrimmage, then added a 41-yard early in the fourth. He had previously rushed for 191 yards against Nicholls on Oct. 15. He stated after the game:

“We just tried to come out and execute our offense – we didn’t try to do anything fancy, just took what they gave us. (Beating SFA) is a big accomplishment, to get a home win in my senior year for all of the other seniors and everyone else in this program, I’m just really proud of the guys. They had my back and I had their backs, so we just went out there and fought. (The onside kick recovery) was the biggest play of the night, by far, I misjudged the first one, but the second one was the play of the game to seal the deal.”

The Huskies has set new program records for wins (four) and conference wins (three) and finished the season with a winning record at home with a 3-2 mark.