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After dominating most of the game, the Apaches suddenly saw their two-touchdown lead whittled down to four points in the fourth quarter.

TJC then came up with big plays on defense and then offense to secure a 21-10 victory over New Mexico Military Institute on a hot Saturday afternoon on Military Appreciation Day at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium in Tyler.

The win moves Tyler Junior College to 3-2 on the season and 3-0 in Southwest Junior College Football Conference play, while NMMI falls to 2-3 and 1-2.

With the Broncos at the Apache 31-yard line with under just over four minutes remaining and a 14-10 lead, the Tribe’s defense forced quarterback Elliot Paskett-Bell into two incompletions and on third down, Samuel Robles sacked the QB for a 12-yard loss, forcing a punt.

After the kick, TJC set up shop at the 20 with 3:29 on the clock. The Apaches wanted to milked the clock, but running back Bryce Burgess helped his team locked up the victory.

After an 11-yard gain on first down, the freshman from Pearland Dawson High School, broke through a huge hole on the right side and Brugess was off to the races. He outran the Broncos, finishing off a 69-yard touchdown dash.

Christian Baxter, the former Tyler Legacy standout, made the PAT and TJC led 21-10 with 2:32 on the clock.

“I was really proud of (the Apaches),” Tyler Coach Tanner Jacobson said. “When the game got to 14-10 … I was proud to see the response and finish the game the right way and finish strong. Just to move the chains and have the back-breaking long run by Bryce Burgess was huge for us.

“We’ve got a lot to clean up and we’ve got a lot to improve on offensively, defensively and special teams, including the turnovers (2 interceptions, 1 fumble) we gave away. That’s something we definitely need to correct. Happy with the toughness we had.”

The Apaches got their ground game going with Lavarion Logan (10 carries, 147 yards) and Burgess (12 carries, 121 yards) leading the way.

Quarterback Nathan Greek got his second consecutive start with fellow QBs Josh Thomas and Tre Guerra out with injuries. Greek hit on 14 of 28 passing attempts for 197 yards and a 29-yard TD pass to Terrance Naulings. He also scored on a 1-yard run.

Kam Robinson had an interception for the Apaches with Matthew Cooks and Knowledge Davis recovering fumbles.

NMMI’s Stilton McKelvey had both picks for his team. He also forced a fumble that Daylan Chichester recovered.

Military Appreciation Day

TJC student and purple heart recipient Staff Sergeant Robert Rivera joined the captains at mid-field for the pre-game coin toss. The Tyler High School ROTC color guard presented the colors.

SSgt. Rivera is a retired member of the United States Army. Rivera enlisted in 2003 as a combat medic and would go on to serve with the first brigade, first armored division in Iraq, earning a purple heart after receiving injuries from an improvised explosive attack. He continued to serve for 13 years and now continues to support veterans as the president of the Apache Vets, TJC’s veteran student organization, and as an emergency medical technician for the last 21 years.

Between the first and second quarters, current military and veterans were honored with the TJC band playing The Armed Forces Medley — Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard.

Around the SWJCFC

In other SWJCFC games: Cisco 42, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M 35; Trinity Valley 13, Blinn 10; and Kilgore 63, Community Christian (Louisiana) 0.

Next week’s Saturday schedule: New Mexico Military (2-3, 1-2) at Cisco (3-1, 3-0), noon; Trinity Valley (3-2, 1-2) at Navarro (2-2, 1-2), 2 p.m.; and Tyler (3-2, 3-0) at Blinn (2-2, 1-2), 3 p.m.; Kilgore (4-1, 2-1), bye; and Northwestern Oklahoma A&M (1-4, 0-3).

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TYLER JC 21, NEW MEXICO MILITARY 10

NMMI 0 0 3 7 — 10

Tyler 7 7 0 7 — 21

SCORING SUMMARY

First Quarter

TJC — Terrance Naulings 29 pass from Nathan Greek (Christian Baxter kick), 5:21

Second Quarter

TJC — Greek 1 run (Baxter kick), 11:18

Third Quarter

NMMI — FG Jack Nelson 32, 6:56

Fourth Quarter

NMMI — Elliott Paskett-Bell 1 run (Nelson kick), 11:56

TJC — Bryce Burgess 69 run (Baxter kick), 2:32

TEAM STATISTICS

NMMI TJC

First downs 17 21

Rushing 44-76 42-273

Passing 197 197

Total 273 470

C-A-I 14-42-1 14-28-2

Punts-Ave. 11-35.5 9-36.6

Fumbles-Lost 3-2 1-1

Penalities-Yards 7-65 9-79

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING — NMMI: Alvin Johnson III 10-56, Elliot Paskett-Bell 20-19, Zahir Favors 11-5, Bryce Sanchez 1-2, Javion Mckay 2-(-6). Tyler: Lavarion Logan 10-147, Bryce Bugress 12-121, Carson Green 31, Hawk Patrick-Daniels 3-(-2), Team 3-(-5), Nathan Greek 3-(-13).

PASSING — NMMI: Elliot Paskett-Bell 14-42-1-197. Tyler: Nathan Greek 14-28-2-197.

RECEIVING — NMMI: Javion Mckay 6-51, Kendall Jones 3-58, Karl Peterson 3-40, Maurice Collier 1-40, Kris Harbin 1-7, Sampson Alofipo 1-1. Tyler: Ja’Quan McGee 3-70, Hawk Patrick-Daniels 3-20, Cam Thomas 3-14, Terrance Naulings 1-29, Lazarus Rosario 1-25, Lavarion Logan 1-16, Kevin Odikpo 1-14, Elijah Baesa 1-9.