MARSHALL, Texas – A young team stepped onto the field at Ornelas Stadium for East Texas Baptist University (0-1) and matured quickly facing #3 Wesley College (1-0).  After opening up with a 12-0 lead in the first quarter, Wesley College answered with 28 points for a 14-point lead at the half en route to taking the game, 34-14.

The opening excitement of the season and playing on their own field opened up the momentum for East Texas Baptist as Seth Hubbard threw two touchdown passes five minutes apart for the 12-0 lead.  ETBU took a 6-0 lead, missing the extra point, when Hubbard hti Roy Denbow from 15-yards out just under five minutes into the game.  ETBU's score was set up when Dominique Bailey picked off Wesley's Justin Sottilare at the 33-yard line and returned it 17 yard to the 16.  Two plays later, ETBU found their first touchdown of 2012.

ETBU's defense stopped Wesley on the ensuing possession and drove the ball 62 yards on six plays for the 12-0 lead.  Hubbard started the drive with a 46-yard pass to Roy Denbow to put the Tigers on the 16-yard line.  After three rushing plays and on a third and goal, Hubbard dropped a pass to Chad Bowers to extend the lead to 12.

"The game didn't turn out the way we had planned today but it started out exciting.  When you pick on somebody early like that there is a reason why they are ranked #3 in the country," says head coach Mark Sartain.  "What I told the team after the game is what we need to learn is the ingredient that a championship brings to the table is that they overcome their mistakes and a slow start and to return momentum to their sideline after it has been taken away. "

Wesley College answered right back with a drive that took less than a minute to come within five, 12-7, and then took the lead, 14-12, in the second quarter at the 14:23 mark.  At the 8:38 mark, Wesley snapped the ball out the endzone on a miscommunication as the game became tied at 14. ETBU went three-and-out after the safety as Wesley scored on their next two possessions to take over the game, 28-14.

Both teams settled down in the seocnd half as Wesley scored only one time in the third quarter to make it 34-14 missing the extra point.

Hubbard went 17-of-38 in the pocket for 176 yards but threw four interceptions.  Denbow halled in four balls for 82 yards to lead the team.  John Gable finished the day with 15 rushes fro 45 yards.  ETBU's offense netted 310 yards with 215 in the air.  Wesley finished with 321 yards of total offense producing 265 in the air. Justin Sottilare was 20-32 with two interceptions for Wesley.

Alex Cloudy wrapped up eight Wesley players on the day to lead the team in tackles while Collin Bieschke and Bailey recorded the interceptions.  Mark Gray also recorded the team's first sack of the day.

ETBU travels to Sherman, Texas, next Saturday to face Austin College at 2:00 p.m. looking for their first win of 2012.