WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Midwestern State (1-4) secured its first victory of the season with a 31-24 win over Texas A&M-Kingsville (2-3) at Memorial Stadium, highlighted by a late 69-yard punt return touchdown.
Midwestern State opened the first quarter by receiving the kickoff, setting the stage for an early offensive drive that concluded with a 30-yard field goal by
Kohen Maroney, granting a 3-0 lead. The Mustangs' defense then shifted momentum when Mehki Prospere intercepted a pass at the opponent's 42-yard line, although the subsequent drive ended in a punt.
Tex. A&M-Kingsville responded with a long 65-yard touchdown pass, taking a 7-3 advantage. However, Midwestern State's defense struck again when
Trevor Brooks returned an interception 45 yards to set up the offense at the opponents' 40-yard line. Seizing the opportunity,
Sean Jastrab connected with
Kelby Hickerson on a 3-yard touchdown pass, reclaiming the lead at 10-7. The quarter ended with Midwestern State holding a slight advantage.
Midwestern State began the second quarter on defense, halting Tex. A&M-Kingsville's drive with a key play from
Kam'rin Devault, who sacked the quarterback, forcing a fumble that
Kaston Vega recovered. This defensive stop set up a successful offensive drive, highlighted by Jastrab's 14-yard pass to
Conner Dunphy and
Reginald Williams' 17-yard rush, culminating in a 47-yard field goal by Maroney to extend the Mustangs' lead to 13-7.
Following a kickoff, the Javelinas regained possession and mounted a steady drive downfield, capitalizing on an interception to regain momentum. The visitors ultimately scored with a 34-yard rush to take the lead, 14-13. The quarter concluded as the Maroon & Gold attempted to respond, advancing to the opponent's 44-yard line but were stalled by a sack, entering halftime trailing by one point.
The third quarter began with MSU defending against a promising drive by TAMUK, which was halted by a crucial turnover on downs at the MSU 35-yard line. This defensive stand set the stage for the Mustangs' own offensive efforts, which were stifled by the Javelinas' defense, leading to a punt after a short series.
Midwestern State's defense continued to make key plays, including a sack by
Oliver Jack at their own 19-yard line, forcing a missed field goal attempt by the Javelinas. However, a fumble by
Josh Thomas on the ensuing drive was recovered by Doug Brooks, who returned it for a touchdown, extending the visitors' lead. The Mustangs responded with a drive into the red zone but couldn't convert as time expired in the third quarter with Tex. A&M-Kingsville leading 21-13.
Midwestern State opened the fourth quarter with a 28-yard field goal by Maroney, narrowing the deficit to 21-16. Following a defensive stand that included a pass breakup by
CJ Anderson, the team regained possession but was unable to capitalize, ultimately punting back to the Javelinas.
MSU's subsequent drive was marred by penalties but culminated in a 15-yard touchdown pass from Jastrab to
Malakai Matthews. A successful two-point conversion tied the game at 24-24, with Jastrab and Matthews connecting again. The defense then held firm, forcing a punt that
Cedonyae Lott returned 69 yards for a touchdown, pushing the score to 31-24.
As Tex. A&M-Kingsville attempted to rally, the Mustangs' defense came up with critical pass breakups, including one by Jaylen Broadus on fourth down, sealing the game.
Jastrab led the passing game with 146 yards on 16-of-27 completions, finding the end zone twice through the air. Dunphy contributed significantly as a receiver, collecting 58 yards on five receptions. Matthews was alos key in the recieving game, catching a touchdown and two-point conversion. The Mustangs defense forced the Javelinas into four turnovers, with a pair of interceptions and fumble recoveries.
For Texas A&M-Kingsville, senior defensive lineman Doug Brooks made a significant impact with a fumble recovery returned for a 23-yard touchdown. Quarterback Jack Turner completed 18 of 37 passes for 240 yards, throwing one touchdown despite two interceptions. On the receiving end, sophomore wide receiver King Phillips led with 80 yards on eight receptions. Defensively, senior linebacker Charlie Moore and junior linebacker Julian Payne each contributed with five total tackles, with Payne also intercepting a pass and recording half a sack.
In their next game, the Mustangs will face Sul Ross State on Saturday, October 11, at Jackson Field. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
