#7 Apaches survive in OT over NEO
By Phil Hicks phicks@tylerpaper.com
In a matter of two plays, TJC's football team and their fans went from agony to ecstasy.
Despite four turnovers, the No. 7 Apaches survived as Christian Baxter hit a field goal in overtime for a 16-13 victory over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M on Saturday at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.
After Baxter's 32-yard field goal gave Tyler Junior College its only lead of the game, it appeared the Tribe were headed for a loss when NEO quarterback Bryce Bodkin had a jump pass, ala Tim Tebow, that found Hunter Tipton with a 12-yard TD pass.
During Bodkin's move toward the line of scrimmage, a delay resulted in linemen downfield, negating the touchdown to the dismay of the Golden Norsemen and the delight of the Apaches.
After the five-yard penalty, NEO tried a double-reverse pass. With Apache pressure barreling toward him, Reis Taylor launched a pass toward the end zone. TJC's Sam Fongang leaped high and snagged the interception, preserving the victory for Tyler.
"Credit goes to NEO," TJC Coach Tanner Jacobson said. "Coach (Zach Crissup) had a great gameplan to shorten the game. They were tremendiously exceptional at in the first half. They had some long drives. They possessed the ball and got up early. Everything went right for them to start the game.
"I am proud of our team how we showed some resilience, some calmness and togetherness. We didn't fall apart, which is very easy to do at this level of junior college with 18- and 19-year-old kids. I am proud of the maturity and the reilience and how they kept clawing back"
Tyler Junior College won its third-straight game to improve to 3-1 on the season and 2-0 in Southwest Junior College Football Conference play. The Golden Norsemen fall to 0-5 and 0-2.
NEO led 10 at halftime, outgaining the normally explosive Apaches 201 yards to 88. Jason Smith scored on a 2-yard run with 2:02 in the first quarter with Levi Hoffman adding the PAT and later a 40-yard field goal with 16 seconds before halftime.
The Golden Norsemen could have been up by more, if not for the hustling play of Kaden McHahon.
With NEO at midfield, quarterback Bryce Bodkin scrambled and found Hayden Hack behind the TJC secondary. Hack caught the ball at the 19-yard line and appeared set to score on a 50-yard TD pass and catch. But McHahon turned on the speed and polked the ball out of Hack's arms about the two and the ball bounded out of the end zone for a touchback and the Apaches took possession at 12:03 of the second.
The Apaches had a TD negated when Gabe Adams returned a kickoff 96 yards for a TD. However holding brought the ball back.
In the second half, things shifted toward TJC. The Apaches ended up with with a total of 425 yards to the Oklahoma squad's 345.
On the second play of the second half, TJC quarterback Jaden Pete hit Tray Taylor for a 68-yard TD pass. However, the PAT failed and the Apaches were within 10-6 with 14:33 showing. Peter, who led the nation by averaging 334 yards passing coming into the game, threw for only 15 yards in the first half, but connected for 151 in the second half. He was 12 for 23 passing.
With TJC's defense coming up big, including a sack from Ziggy Loa, the Apaches had their chances, but an interception (Jadrian Gibbs) and fumble (Braxton Street) halted the Tribe.
After the fumble recovery, NEO drove down the field, but a key tackle for a four-yard loss by Kam Curry halted the march. Hoffman then booted a 41-yard field goal to the put Golden Norsemen up 13-6 with 4:31 showing.
NEO stopped the next TJC drive with another interception, this time by Tyron Amacker. The Golden Norsemen went on another long march, starting at their own 33 with 2:25 on the clock in the third. The drive used 13 plays, helped by an offsides by TJC on fourth down that gave the Miami, Oklahoma squad a first down at the TJC 29.
The Golden Norsemen eventually reached the 13, but Hoffman's 30-yard FG attempt hit the left upright, giving the Apaches hope.
TJC moved to the NEO 12-yard, but once again the Apaches fumbled and Smith recovered.
Tyler got another chance as the TJC defense forced a three-and-out.
The Apaches started at their own 35 with 3:55 on the clock in the fourth quarter. They overcame 15 yards in penalties and converted a fourth-and-5 from the 35 when Pete hit Gabe Adams for 15 yards to the NEO 45.
After a holding call, the Tribe was facing a second-and-20 and Pete found Jerome Bowser for 16 yards to set up a third-and-3. Logan Johnson bulled his way up the middle for 12 yards to the 27.
After an incompletion, Pete hit Mehki Rice for 10 yards to the 17 for a first down. On the next play, Pete broke loose and rambled 17 yards into the end zone.
Baxter's PAT was good and the game was tied at 13-13 with 1:04 remaining in the fourth quarter.
The Golden Norsemen got to the TJC 48, but the clock read 0:00, forcing OT.
The Apaches got the ball first and moved to the 16 on runs of nine and three yards by Johnson. But then Pete was called down, resulting into an 11-yard loss. The QB thought his knee did not touch and got out of the grasp and was heading toward the end zone. But he was ruled down at the 24.
After a Pete 1-yard loss, the Apache signal caller got his team in field goal range with a 10-yard jaunt to the 15.
Baxter, the Tyler Legacy High School graduate, was true on the 32-yard field goal to give his team their first and only lead of the game.
That set up the final possession and the Apache defense came through.
Ashton Haynes, a freshman from Gilmer, led the Apache rushing attack with 108 yards on 14 carries Pete added 81 yards on 11 attempts. Johnson had nine totes for 64 yards.
The Apaches return to play on Saturday, Oct. 7 with another long road trip. TJC travels to Roswell, New Mexico to face New Mexico Military Institute. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. (Mountain Time) at the Wool Bowl.
In other SWJCFC games on Saturday, Navarro defeated Blinn, 44-13, in Corsicana; and Kilgore won over Cisco, 40-27, in Cisco. Trinity Valley and NMMI were open.
SMOKE SIGNALS: During the football game, the Class of 2023 TJC Sports Circle of Honor were represented. They included: Mitch Berger (football, 1990-91); Jerry Champion (basketball, 1948-50, represented by daughter Wendy Veal, Mr. Champion passed away in 2021); Mack Cope (football, 1959-61); Ron Ellis (basketball, 1987-89); Larry Harwood (Football, 1960-62; represented by sister Charlotte Wilson, Mr. Harwood passed away in 2020); Dr. Joe Prud'homme (basketball, 1955-57); Miguel Valor (tennis, 1989-91) and Brenda Vlasak Gallegos (1997-1999). They were honored during a luncheon earlier Saturday in The Michael and LaVerne Gollob Room of TJC's Rogers Nursing and Heath Sciences Center.