StangMom2
09-18-2006, 11:50 AM
Big win over Linfield for HSU
By Nathan Sanders / sandersn@reporternews.com
September 17, 2006
How huge was Hardin-Simmons' 21-6 victory over Linfield on Saturday night? One bear hug said it all.
After taking a knee to run out the clock, HSU quarterback Jordan Neal ripped off his helmet, made a beeline for head coach Jimmie Keeling and joyously lifted the 71-year-old off the ground.
It was a fitting scene. For the No. 7 Cowboys (2-0) undoubtedly gave themselves a boost on the national scene by beating an 11th-ranked Linfield team that had won 41 consecutive regular-season games before the start of 2006 and was a national champion two years ago.
''This game was a great chance to see what we were made of,'' junior linebacker Eric Daniels said. ''This just shows us we can be as good as we want to be.''
Neal moved within 25 yards of tying the HSU career record for total offense with 281 yards passing and a diving 2-yard touchdown run that provided the game's final points with 5:07 left in the third quarter. But on at least 66 of those passing yards, he had some help.
On the opening play of the second half, Neal audibled to a quick pass to receiver Mychal Carrillo on the left side. Carrillo caught the ball behind the line of scrimmage and immediately squirmed his way out of a tackle, then swerved down the left sideline like a slalom skier for an amazing 66-yard score that gave HSU a 14-6 lead and an extra-large injection of momentum.
''I knew when he started to audible that (the Linfield defender) was cheating up, so I knew that I'd have to make a move to the inside to get by him,'' said Carrillo, who finished with seven catches for 155 yards. ''But I knew that if I broke that tackle, I'd be in good shape.''
Said Keeling: ''That's one thing that we wanted to do is have a great start to the second half. That's about as great of a way to start as I can think of.''
The finish could have been better. HSU had three turnovers inside the Linfield 7-yard line, including two in the fourth quarter on potential game-clinching drives. But considering how the night started, it should have been expected.
Both spread offenses showed their skill early, embarking upon lengthy opening drives (69 yards for Linfield, 75 for HSU). Those drives were equally fruitless, however, as both ended with interceptions in the end zone.
The Cowboys broke through first, thanks to the equivalent of a neighborhood football game ''do-over.''
Neal scrambled toward the right sideline for a short gain on third-and-15 from the Linfield 25, but an inadvertent whistle gave HSU another chance. Neal took advantage, rolling to his right and finding Matt Fields in the end zone on the third play of the second quarter.
After Linfield's first two trips to the HSU red zone earned no points, the Wildcats (0-2) made up for it by going 89 yards in seven plays, capped by a 32-yard pass from Tim Benzel to Jared Thomas with three seconds remaining in the first half. The drive took just 58 seconds. However, a high snap on the extra point attempt kept HSU ahead 7-6 at the half.
All told, the Cowboys and Wildcats combined for 769 total yards and 41 first downs. Linfield had 382 of those yards, but the HSU defense managed to keep the Wildcats out of the end zone in the second half. A Rob Galusha interception at midfield all but sealed it with 4:30 to go.
''I thought our defense played really well,'' said Keeling, whose team held Linfield to 19 total yards in the third quarter. ''We seemed to come up with the plays when we needed to. I'm really proud of the way we've progressed.''
Linfield 0 6 0 0x966
HSU 0 7 14 0x9621
SCORING SUMMARY
Second Quarter
HSU x96 Matt Fields 25 pass from Jordan Neal (Scott Bryant kick), 13:57
L x96 Jared Thomas 32 pass from Tim Benzel (kick failed), 0:03
Third Quarter
HSU x96 Mychal Carrillo 66 pass from Neal (Bryant kick), 14:13
HSU x96 Neal 2 run (Bryant kick), 5:07
Linfield HSU
First downs 21 20
Rushes-yards 26-99 35-106
Passing yards 283 281
Comp-Att-Int 26-47-2 19-28-1
Punts 5-37.2 2-34.0
Fumbles-lost 2-1 3-2
Penalties-yards 2-14 2-35
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RECEIVING x96 Linfield: Thomas 10-120; Josh Vierra 5-64; Tyler Kaluza 4-39; Cruickshank 3-15; Tyson Banker 2-13; Montalvo 1-27; Brett Smedley 1-5. Hardin-Simmons: Mychal Carrillo 7-155; Matt Fields 6-74; Will Galusha 3-21; Patrick Shelby 2-35; Greene 1-(-4).
RUSHING x96 Linfield: Pete Cruickshank 8-24; Tim Benzel 6-24; Drew Ragan 6-20; Jon Montalvo 2-18; Tyler Kaluza 1-12; Trevor Scharer 1-2; Jared Thomas 2-(-1). Hardin-Simmons: Quinton Jones 16-71; Justin Greene 7-35; Will Galusha 2-7; Jordan Neal 8-(-5); Team 2-(-2).
PASSING x96 Linfield: Benzel 20-34-1-217; Scharer 6-13-1-66. Hardin-Simmons: Neal 19-28-1-281.
By Nathan Sanders / sandersn@reporternews.com
September 17, 2006
How huge was Hardin-Simmons' 21-6 victory over Linfield on Saturday night? One bear hug said it all.
After taking a knee to run out the clock, HSU quarterback Jordan Neal ripped off his helmet, made a beeline for head coach Jimmie Keeling and joyously lifted the 71-year-old off the ground.
It was a fitting scene. For the No. 7 Cowboys (2-0) undoubtedly gave themselves a boost on the national scene by beating an 11th-ranked Linfield team that had won 41 consecutive regular-season games before the start of 2006 and was a national champion two years ago.
''This game was a great chance to see what we were made of,'' junior linebacker Eric Daniels said. ''This just shows us we can be as good as we want to be.''
Neal moved within 25 yards of tying the HSU career record for total offense with 281 yards passing and a diving 2-yard touchdown run that provided the game's final points with 5:07 left in the third quarter. But on at least 66 of those passing yards, he had some help.
On the opening play of the second half, Neal audibled to a quick pass to receiver Mychal Carrillo on the left side. Carrillo caught the ball behind the line of scrimmage and immediately squirmed his way out of a tackle, then swerved down the left sideline like a slalom skier for an amazing 66-yard score that gave HSU a 14-6 lead and an extra-large injection of momentum.
''I knew when he started to audible that (the Linfield defender) was cheating up, so I knew that I'd have to make a move to the inside to get by him,'' said Carrillo, who finished with seven catches for 155 yards. ''But I knew that if I broke that tackle, I'd be in good shape.''
Said Keeling: ''That's one thing that we wanted to do is have a great start to the second half. That's about as great of a way to start as I can think of.''
The finish could have been better. HSU had three turnovers inside the Linfield 7-yard line, including two in the fourth quarter on potential game-clinching drives. But considering how the night started, it should have been expected.
Both spread offenses showed their skill early, embarking upon lengthy opening drives (69 yards for Linfield, 75 for HSU). Those drives were equally fruitless, however, as both ended with interceptions in the end zone.
The Cowboys broke through first, thanks to the equivalent of a neighborhood football game ''do-over.''
Neal scrambled toward the right sideline for a short gain on third-and-15 from the Linfield 25, but an inadvertent whistle gave HSU another chance. Neal took advantage, rolling to his right and finding Matt Fields in the end zone on the third play of the second quarter.
After Linfield's first two trips to the HSU red zone earned no points, the Wildcats (0-2) made up for it by going 89 yards in seven plays, capped by a 32-yard pass from Tim Benzel to Jared Thomas with three seconds remaining in the first half. The drive took just 58 seconds. However, a high snap on the extra point attempt kept HSU ahead 7-6 at the half.
All told, the Cowboys and Wildcats combined for 769 total yards and 41 first downs. Linfield had 382 of those yards, but the HSU defense managed to keep the Wildcats out of the end zone in the second half. A Rob Galusha interception at midfield all but sealed it with 4:30 to go.
''I thought our defense played really well,'' said Keeling, whose team held Linfield to 19 total yards in the third quarter. ''We seemed to come up with the plays when we needed to. I'm really proud of the way we've progressed.''
Linfield 0 6 0 0x966
HSU 0 7 14 0x9621
SCORING SUMMARY
Second Quarter
HSU x96 Matt Fields 25 pass from Jordan Neal (Scott Bryant kick), 13:57
L x96 Jared Thomas 32 pass from Tim Benzel (kick failed), 0:03
Third Quarter
HSU x96 Mychal Carrillo 66 pass from Neal (Bryant kick), 14:13
HSU x96 Neal 2 run (Bryant kick), 5:07
Linfield HSU
First downs 21 20
Rushes-yards 26-99 35-106
Passing yards 283 281
Comp-Att-Int 26-47-2 19-28-1
Punts 5-37.2 2-34.0
Fumbles-lost 2-1 3-2
Penalties-yards 2-14 2-35
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RECEIVING x96 Linfield: Thomas 10-120; Josh Vierra 5-64; Tyler Kaluza 4-39; Cruickshank 3-15; Tyson Banker 2-13; Montalvo 1-27; Brett Smedley 1-5. Hardin-Simmons: Mychal Carrillo 7-155; Matt Fields 6-74; Will Galusha 3-21; Patrick Shelby 2-35; Greene 1-(-4).
RUSHING x96 Linfield: Pete Cruickshank 8-24; Tim Benzel 6-24; Drew Ragan 6-20; Jon Montalvo 2-18; Tyler Kaluza 1-12; Trevor Scharer 1-2; Jared Thomas 2-(-1). Hardin-Simmons: Quinton Jones 16-71; Justin Greene 7-35; Will Galusha 2-7; Jordan Neal 8-(-5); Team 2-(-2).
PASSING x96 Linfield: Benzel 20-34-1-217; Scharer 6-13-1-66. Hardin-Simmons: Neal 19-28-1-281.