Kyleigh D’Spain

After four consecutive wins, the Apaches have entered the NJCAA national football poll.

Tyler Junior College is ranked No. 15 in the nation with a 4-2 overall mark and 4-0 in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference.

Hutchinson (Kansas) is ranked No. 1, followed by Iowa Western, Georgia Military, Snow (Utah) and Garden City (Kansas).

Other SWJCFC teams ranked include: No. 9 Kilgore College and No. 13 Navarro College.

The Apaches, coming off a 13-10 two overtime win at Blinn, return to play on Saturday, hosting Cisco at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. It will also be the Apaches’ annual Breast Cancer Awareness Pink-Out Game. Kickoff on Earl Campbell Field is scheduled for 5 p.m.

TJC is partnering with Christus Trinity Mother Frances in selling t-shirts for $15 for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The Apache defense has allowed 15.8 points per game this season, ranking 10th nationally, while also leading the country with 32 sacks. A major strength of Tyler’s defense is their stellar sophomore linebacker duo of Darion White (leads the nation in tackles per game at 12.7) and William Cornelson (11.5 tackles per game).

With a win against Cisco, TJC will clinch a postseason berth. The top four teams in the league make the playoffs.

In other SWJCFC play last week, Navarro defeated Trinity Valley, 61-10; and New Mexico Military dropped Cisco, 20-5.

TJC leads the conference at 4-0, followed by Cisco (3-1), Kilgore (2-1), Navarro (2-2), NMMI (2-2), Blinn (1-3), Trinity Valley (1-3) and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (0-3).

Other games on Saturday have Kilgore visiting Trinity Valley, 3 p.m.; NEO at NMMI, 3 p.m.; and John Melvin University at Blinn, 3 p.m.

SOCCER SQUADS

The TJC kickers are both in the national polls with the Apaches ranked No. 3 and the Apache Ladies are ranked No. 10.

The Apache Ladies (12-3, 7-2) return to play on Friday, hosting No. 1 Navarro (12-0-1, 8-0) at 7 p.m. Friday at Pat Hartley Soccer Complex on the TJC campus.

The Tyler women are coming off a 1-0 win over Paris on Tuesday in Paris.

Kyleigh D’Spain scored for the Apache Ladies with an assist from Ella Palframan. Saki Tsuchiya was in goal for the clean sheet.

The Apaches have clinched the North Zone of Region XIV with a record of 9-0-1. TJC (11-0-2) has won 10 straight games, including Tuesday’s 4-1 victory over Paris.

Hagan Cupido had a hat trick for the Tribe with Noe Robles scoring the fourth goal. Assists were by Carlo Romberg (2), Marc Perkuhn (1) and Steven Ngunga (1).

Joe Pollard was in goal.

The Apaches play host to Dallas College-Richland in a non-conference game on Saturday at Pat Hartley Field. The match has a 7 p.m. scheduled start.