Texas College's Michael Sidberry (right) is tackled by Southwest Assemblies of God's Richard Embry on Saturday at All Saints' Mewbourne Field. (Sarah A. Miller | Tyler Morning Telegraph)

Southwestern Assemblies of God stormed back for two touchdowns in the final four minutes to deny Texas College its first victory of the season in a 31-20 win over the Steers in the regular season finale Saturday at Mewbourne Field.

Texas College (0-11, 0-5 in Central States Football League) finished winless for the second time in three seasons. The loss marked the 31st in the last 32 games for the Steers, whose lone victory during the span came in last year’s finale against SAGU.

SAGU (4-6, 1-4) avoided finishing in the CSFL cellar a second straight season. 

The Steers appeared on the brink of repeating the feat after Charles Jackson scored on a 6-yard trap inside, and Alex Poole ran in the two-point conversion, to give Texas College a 20-17 lead with 11:16 remaining. A botched punt near the goal line by SAGU set up TC for the go-ahead score.

The teams traded three-and-outs before SAGU went 53 yards in nine plays, capped by Jason Rice’s 2-yard keeper to give the Lions a 24-20 lead at the 3:54 mark.

TC moved right back in scoring position thanks to a 15-yard personal foul penalty before SAGU intercepted one of its three passes. O’Shae Cofer jumped a route and picked off Edrick Bronson at the SAGU 36. Cofer sprinted more than 40 yards before executing a lateral at the TC 17 to Brad Heathcock, who completed the 64-yard run back. 

SAGU scored twice on defense in near-similar fashion to offset TC’s stop unit, which held the Lions to 233 total yards. 

The Steers produced season-highs in total yardage (348) and points, but struggled inside the red zone. Houston Creighton kicked four field goals to keep TC close, including a 23-yarder for the lone points of the third quarter, which ended with the Steers behind 14-12.

Marques Thompson topped TC rushing with 74 yards on nine carries, with Jackson (17-58) right behind. Bronson completed 8 of 16 passes for 170 yards and three interceptions. 

In the first two quarters alone the Steers stalled inside the 30-yard line four times, and the red zone on three occasions. The Steers dominated total yardage (236-96) in the first half, with only three Creighton field goals (19, 45, 25) to show for it.

SAGU made two big plays to take a five-point lead into the intermission. Trevor McKinley’s 29-yard TD reception on a slant over the middle to convert a fourth-and-six, and Uriah Marcus Lester’s 78-yard fumble return featuring a lateral from Adam O’Banion near midfield. 

STEER SCOOP: In a showdown for the CSFL title, No. 15 Southern Nazarene nipped No. 19 Langston 38-34. Both SNU (9-2) and Langston (7-3) finished with identical 4-1 conference marks. Bacone (5-6) and Northwestern (4-6) tied for third in the CSFL at 3-2. Bacone beat Oklahoma Panhandle State 27-20 on Saturday. …TC seniors honored during halftime included Alex Poole, Randall Harper, Maurice Peterson, Edrick Bronson, Gary Minifee, Patrick Barrierre, Luther Sanders, Gerulius Moore and Travis Tate. 

 

Southwestern Assemblies of God 31, Texas College 20

At Mewbourne Field, All Saints HS

SW Assemblies 7 7 0 17—31

Texas College 6 3 3 8—20

First Quarter

TEX—FG Houston Creighton 19, 9:02.

SOU—Trevor McKinley 29 pass from Jason Rice (James Gish kick), 5:50.

TEX—FG Creighton 45, 11:51.

Second Quarter

SOU—Uriah Marcus Lester 78 fumble return (Gish kick), 4:17.

TEX—FG Creighton 25, :36.

Third Quarter

TEX—FG Creighton 23, 10:36.

Fourth Quarter

SOU—FG Gish 26, 14:48.

TEX—Charles Jackson 6 run (Alex Poole run), 11:16.

SOU—Rice 2 run (Gish kick), 3:54.

SOU—Brad Heathcock 64 interception return (Gish kick), 2:17.

EST.ATT.—500.

                                    SOU             TEX

First Downs    15     17

Rushes-Yards        30-92      56-178

Passing Yards        141      170

Com.-Att.-Int.       8-29-0      8-17-3

Punts-Avg.           5-42.4      4-34.5

Fumbles-Lost        6-2     2-1

Penalties-Yards     8-79     6-50

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING—Southwestern Assemblies of God, Jason Rice 13-43, Cade Lueschner 7-21, Reid Golson 6-15, Sean Haynes 2-11, Jeremy McDonald 1-10, Eric Smith 1-(-8). Texas College, Marques Thompson 9-74, Charles Jackson 17-58, Edward Burns 6-19, Darrian Foster 5-16, Michael Sidberry 12-7 Edrick Bronson 4-7, Josh Isaac 3-(-3). 

PASSING—Southwestern Assemblies of God, Rice 5-22-0—84, Golson 3-7-0—57. Texas College, Bronson 8-16-3—170, Isaac 0-1-0—0. 

RECEIVING—Southwestern Assemblies of God, David Howard 5-100, Trevor McKinley 2-33, McDonald 1-8. Texas College, Sidberry 2-85, Isaac 2-49, Brandon Goss 2-19, Je’Marius Allen 2-17.