MARSHALL, Texas – Finishing the 2022 season in style, East Texas Baptist University celebrated 20 seniors with a 43-6 victory over North American University. ETBU ends the season at 5-5 and continues the streak of finishing .500 or above for the eight straight seasons.
"This was a great team win. Our defense played great again and is by far one of the best in NCAA Division III. It was a great first half for our offense as we came out and scored. Guys made great plays. I am proud of the team across the board," says head coach
Brian Mayper. "Our seniors have great character and are going to be great leaders when they go out into the world and disciple others. I am grateful for all 20 of them and wish them the best. This will always be home for them and I couldn't be prouder of them."
ETBU sent out 20 seniors with a huge win finishing the season on a three-game winning streak defeating Texas Lutheran, Sul Ross State, and North American. It is the first time since 2003 that ETBU has ended the regular season on a three-game winning streak. They have won their final to games in 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2011. The 2003 final three games were over Louisiana College, 30-3, Mary Hardin-Baylor, 28-21, and Mississippi College, 45-6. They went on to win in the first round of the NCAA playoffs, 42-41, over Trinity University before losing to Lycoming, 13-7.
A balanced offensive attack led to 322 yards with 145 yards rushing and 177 yards passing. Cornelius Banks threw for 104 yards and one touchdown as both
Alek Child and Beau Kilgore had passing touchdowns. Banks also led the rushing efforts with 75 yards on eight carries with one touchdown and Melek Hamilton had 50 yards with one touchdown. Kaleb O'Bryant finished with 46 yards receiving and one touchdown as Zay Thomas and Cade Fant also recorded touchdowns.
The defense held NAU to just 131 yards of total offense with only 64 yards rushing and 67 yards passing. They recorded one interception and three sacks. Cameron Kaufert led the team with seven tackles and half a sack as Anthony Rodriguez recorded his first collegiate interception. The defense finished the year with 34 sacks and 12 interceptions forcing 14 fumbles.
In the first half, ETBU had five possessions as they scored on three of them. One ended in a punt as the other came to end the half. On the first possession of the game, Child drove ETBU 49 yards on eight plays as he connected with Cade Fant from four-yards out for the score. A botched extra point attempt turned into a two-point conversion as Keegan Patty caught the pass to make it 8-0 (8:48). It took just one play on the next drive as Banks went 37-yards to O'Bryant to push the lead to 15 points, 15-0.
Kristopher Creel found the endzone at the start of the second quarter when NAU punted the ball to the ETBU 47-yard line. After bobbling it on the ground, Creel picked it up, broke two tackles, and finished finding his way into the endzone on a 53-yard punt return and 22-0 lead (14:04). Hamilton then squeezed in from two-yards out with 2:11 left in the quarter on a 12-play 61-yard drove to finish off the first half scoring, 29-0.
In a quiet third quarter, Banks made it 36-0 on a tip-toe run down the sideline with 24 seconds left extending the lead to 36-0. NAU finally made it on the board with a 45-yard pass at the 8:16 mark in the fourth quarter as ETBU was up 30-points, 36-6. Zay Thomas was the final score of the day with a 45-yard catch from Kilgore breaking tackles for a final of 43-6.
With the three-game winning streak, ETBU ends their season at 5-5 for the second year in a row.
