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| Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved |
By Devin Brooks
Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved
Special for TexSport Publications
HOUSTON, TEXAS (October 7, 2017) Christmas came in October for the SFA Lumberjacks
as the Sam Houston State Bearkats gifted them with multiple turnovers, but SFA
wasn’t in a receiving mood.
As a
result, 26,792 fans watched the SFA Lumberjacks fall to the Sam Houston StateUniversity Bearkats 27-16 Saturday afternoon at NRG Stadium in Houston. This
was the 92nd edition of the Battle of the Piney Woods game and SFA
secured their seventh consecutive loss after failing to convert on the Kats’
multiple blunders throughout the game.
SFA
(2-4 overall, 2-2 Southland) forced four turnovers in the game that could’ve
been devastating to the Bearkats, but SFA couldn’t capitalize on the Kats’
mistakes and that proved to be the story of the game. Sam Houston committed 13
penalties that totaled to 144 yards. They fumbled three times, twice on special
teams, and threw one interception that lifted SFA out of the dark, but thanks
to the ineffectiveness of SFA’s offense, the Kats won their seventh straight
BOTPW game and now have a 54-35-2 record over the SFA during this 92 game
rivalry.
Early
in the first quarter the game was shaping up to be a classic blowout. Sam
Houston jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. Davion Davis, SHSU
running back, scored the first touchdown of the game when he rumbled into the
end zone from 10 yards out. Sam took 2:47 minutes to run eight plays that
totaled 71 yards. Afterwards, quarterback Jeremiah Briscoe and kicker Tre
Honshtein added to the lead making the score 17-0 in favor of SHSU after one
quarter. Briscoe broke the career record for passing touchdowns (85) for SHSU
after his first quarter touchdown pass. SFA gained 9 yards and SHSU gained nine
first downs during the first quarter.
SFA
came into the second quarter with a different mindset. Sophomore safety, Alize
Ward, intercepted Briscoe’s pass and returned it for 52 yards setting SFA up
inside the 20 yard line. Storm Ruiz, kicker, would make a 42 yard field goal
giving SFA their first score of the game. On SFA’s next possession, Blumrick
hooked up with Tamrick Pace for a 58-yard gain. That pass led to Blumrick
jumping into the end zone from the one-yard line. That cut the SHSU lead to
17-10 with 3:19 left in the first half.
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| Photo by Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography Copyright 2017, All Rights Reserved |
SFA
would go into the half down 20-13 after both team’s swapped field goals. After
a bevy of miscues that included interceptions, ejections, fumbles and confusing
challenges, the Jacks were in position to tie the game at 20 midway through the
fourth quarter. Blumrick got the team into the red zone after he hooked up with
receiver Frank Iheanacho for a 35-yard gain. Blumrick went through his
progressions during the drive on the goal-line and threw a pass into the back
of the end zone intended for Cody Williams, but Danzell Sims intercepted the
potential game-tying TD pass and ended all hopes of a Lumberjack upset. SHSU
would score late in the fourth quarter on a 26-yard TD run by Briscoe. The SFA
defense was simply fatigued and Briscoe was able to slip away and score to
dagger touchdown. Blumrick
completed 18 passes for 205 yards. Pace caught 6 passes for 100 yards. Ward has
recorded three interceptions on the season which ties for the most in the SLC.
SFA
will gather themselves and take their talents to Conway, Arkansas. The Jacks
will battle the eighth ranked Central Arkansas Bears. This game will be
featured as the SLC Game of the Week and will be streamed live on ESPN3.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 14, at Estes Stadium in Conway.
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