STILL PERFECT: Strong defensive effort lifts Cards past NEO

STILL PERFECT: Strong defensive effort lifts Cards past NEO

The Cardinals have climbed four spots to No. 9 in the NJCAA football rankings after a 27-8 win at home Saturday night against then-ranked-No. 20 Northeastern Oklahoma A&M.

 

The win boosted the Cardinals to 3-0 on the season. All three wins were Southwest Junior College Football Conference contests, which puts second-year coach Sherard Poteete's squad atop the conference standings.

 

After three straight home games to open the season, the Cardinals take to the road for the first time Saturday, going to Brenham to face No. 12 Blinn College. The Buccaneers are 3-1 overall and 1-1 in conference. Blinn was a 72-7 winner Saturday in a non-conference outing against Rezolution Prep.

 

Against NEO, the Cardinals built a 17-0 halftime lead behind a tremendous defensive effort. The Cardinals forced nine NEO punts in the half, stopped another possession on downs and came up with a turnover.

 

TVCC-NEO SCORING SUMMARY

TVCC – Eddie Godina 33 FG

TVCC – Kyle Wakefield 12 pass from Riley Russell. (Godina kick)

TVCC – Bernard Dankyi 44 pass from Russell. (Godina kick)

TVCC – Wakefield 19 pass from Russell. (Godina kick)

NEO – Safety (Connor Wilcoxen tackles Russell in end zone)

NEO – Adrian Wilson 74 pass from Jack Diamond. (Pass fails)

TVCC – Godina 43 FG.

 

Godina had an impactful game for the Cardinals. In addition to three field goals, he punted nine times for a 44.2-yard average.

 

Russell, who came in at quarterback for injured starter Jeremy Hunt in the opening quarter, completed 14-of-25 passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns. He was not intercepted.

 

Marques Williams had a huge game for the Cardinal defense. He had 12 tackles, (six solos, six assisted), one sack and three pass break-ups.

 

Race Moser also had double-digit tackles with 10 (three solos, seven assists).

 

Jaeden Ward, Jaiden Dockery and Joren Dickey finished with nine, eight and eight tackles, respectively.

 

Derrick Ray, who was in on seven tackles, had two sacks to lead the Cardinals in a four-sack performance.

 

In all, the Cardinals had 11 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, led by Keshawn Jackson and Ward with two each.

 

In other SWJCFC contests Saturday, it was: Navarro 42, Tyler 37 and Cisco 38, Kilgore 23. In non-conference action, NMMI was a 31-17 winner against Air Force Prep.

 

This week's SWJCFC schedule finds Kilgore at NEO, Navarro at Cisco and Tyler at home against Texas A&T in a non-conference game.

 

The TVCC-Blinn game kicks off at 7 p.m. at Brenham High School's Cub Stadium.