MARSHALL, Texas – Two blocked kicks guided East Texas Baptist University to a 14-13 win over McMurry University in their final meeting for American Southwest Conference play. ETBU blocked a field goal just before halftime and then the tying extra point in the third quarter to hold onto the win over the Warhawks. ETBU is now 3-3 on the year and 2-1 in the ASC.
 
"I'm proud of our coaches and our players. I knew what they could do in the second half," said head coach Calvin Ruzicka. "Our team kept their composure and played their tails off in the second half."
 
ETBU's strong second half play by the defense was a big part in the win as of McMurry's six possessions they had three punts and two interceptions with just 80 total yards rushing on 2.8 yards per carry. On the day, the defense finished with four sacks and three interceptions with seven breakups and two quarterback hurries. Joey Verret led the defense with eight tackles and interception while Jahkamian Carr added seven tackles and a sack. Dominick Williams recorded two sacks while Coby Walker and Christian Booker each had a half sack. Keewan Grismore and Daevien Willis both had an interception as Robert Williams III added three pass break ups.
 
"This win was great. We stayed together and kept trusting each other and showed up when it mattered," said defensive back Williams III. "It felt good to get that win. That was a really good team we just played and we showed when we stayed together and locked in we can get it done."
 
Carlos Garibay received his first start at quarterback and he stepped up throwing for 246 yards, two touchdowns, and was 15-of-28 passing. He threw touchdowns to Zay Thomas and Trayjen Llanas-Wilcox in the second quarter. Garibay came through with clutch passes to his receivers of 33 yards, 31 yards, 49 yards, and 26 yards to four different receivers as six different players caught a pass from him.
 
"He (Garibay) made plays that he was suppose to make. He never got flustered and I am extremely proud of him. He went out and balled and I am proud of him," said Ruzicka.
 
Thomas posted a career day with 114 yards receiving on eight receptions and one touchdown. His longest catch was 33 yards. Devin Phillips recorded one big catch of 49 yards while Jamir Dewberry-Zarif had three catches for 36 yards. Llanas-Wilcox finished with 34 yards receiving on two catches with one touchdown. Paul Woodard led the ground attack with 65 yards rushing on 3.1 yards per carry.
 
"This was a good team win. We had adversity and we faced it," said wide receiver Thomas.
 
The biggest key to the game came on special teams as Williams and Carr each blocked a kick and Christian Piazza averaged 42 yards per punt with a 58-yard punt. He had three punts within the 20-yard line of his four punts on the game.
 
It was a sloppy first quarter for both teams. McMurry had four plays on their first drive before punting the ball to ETBU's 31-yard line. The Tigers drove to McM's 35-yard with momentum but Garibay was sacked and lost the ball as the Warhawks took over. That momentum led to a nine-play, 62-yard drive ending on a 28-yard pass for a 7-0 McMurry lead. ETBU punted on the ensuing drive for a touchback after a first down and then McMurry took over at their own 20-yard line. They took the possession into the second quarter with a 7-0 lead and were driving into ETBU territory.
 
One play into the second quarter and McM was into ETBU's territory on the 45-yard line. Moving to ETBU's 34-yard line and facing a third-and-four, the Tigers forced two incomplete passes with a break up from KJ Bradley and a quarterback hurry from Booker. On the fourth-and-four, McM threw a short incomplete pass turning the ball over on downs.
 
It was ETBU's turn to shine as seven plays later Garibay found Thomas from 33-yards out to tie the game at seven with 9:28 to go. ETBU had five straight rushes to start the drive as Woodard carried three straight times for 17 yards and Kylin Jackson twice for 11 yards to the McM 38-yard line. Thomas then caught a five-yard pass and then the 33-yard catch for the touchdown to end the drive and tie the game at seven. The defense stopped McM on four plays as ETBU took over on their own 22-yard line with 6:47 left in the half. ETBU drove 53 yards to the McM 25-yard line where they stalled on a fourth-and-eight.
 
Four plays later Verret gave the ball back to ETBU with an interception on the McM 44-yard line with 1:55 to go. In the next four plays, Woodard had a six-yard rush and Thomas a 23-yard reception to land on McM's 10-yard line with 56 seconds left to play. After an incomplete pass, Woodard bulled his way down to the three-yard line for a first-and-goal as 46 seconds were left. On the next play, Garibay threw a short pass to Llanas-Wilcox for the second touchdown of the quarter and a seven-point lead, 14-7.
 
On the kickoff, McM took over on their own 37-yard line with 37 seconds left. After two incomplete passes, McM had two 20-yard catches to get to ETBU's 35-yard line. With five seconds left in the half, McM spiked the ball to set up a field goal attempt. Attempting a 32-yard field goal to pull within four, McM's attempt was blocked by Carr with two seconds left as ETBU held onto a seven-point advantage, 14-7, at the half.
 
It was a gritty second half as ETBU started with the ball and drove to the McM 42-yard line before the punted the ball. McM responded on their first possession of the second half taking over four minutes off the clock going 83-yards finishing on a 38-yard pass to pull within one, 14-13. On the extra point attempt, Williams came through with his long arms to block the extra point and keep the lead.
 
ETBU's offense only made it into the McM territory twice in the second half with farthest to the 43-yard line as they had two turnovers on downs and three punts. McMurry looked the same as the defenses battled it out. After their touchdown on their first possession, they had three punts and two interceptions.
 
With 1:59 left in the game, McM took over the ball after ETBU turned the ball over on downs on a fourth-and-two. McM completed their first pass for a two-yard loss and then on the next play, Willis intercepted the ball at the ETBU 45-yard line. Four plays later, ETBU punted the ball to the McM 20-yard line with 1:01 left in the game. McM had a completion and then an ETBU penalty that put the ball on their 43-yard line. Three straight incomplete passes brought it to a fourth-and-10 with two seconds left in the game and 57-yards to win. On the last play of the game, McM's final pass was picked off by Grismore to end the game as ETBU earned the one-point win, 14-13.
 
ETBU will travel to Seguin, Texas, next Saturday for a 4:00 p.m. game against Texas Lutheran University in ASC play.