Every year we are subjected to the fans, players, and coaches from down
south talking about how this is the year. How they are a good team. They run
their mouths. They talk trash. All week we were subjected to their yapping in
the newspapers, on TV, on radio, and of course the message boards, but in the
end the Lobos are a better football team and program.
Quick side note, it was great to watch the game with former Lobo Patrick Hodges as he dropped by to hang with The Red Menace! I know how much he enjoyed
being with us and how much we enjoyed having him with us. I did get a little
scared however as I suggested that maybe it was time to retire the Got Syrup?
sign and not bring it anymore. Patrick said no way! We need Got Syrup? in The
Red Menace So rest assured Hitmen that tradition will continue!
So of course we got into the game as soon as we could and started getting
on the Aggies. It is a tradition and one thing I learned tonight is that
tradition is important to our players. We have started some and we must maintain
them. So yes the pre-game razzing will continue. As usual we got into the
Aggies’ heads as they acted the fool, prancing, swearing, crying…
The Lobos took the opening drive and rammed it down the Aggies throats as
the Hitmen were plowing the Aggie defense over. The drive was capped off with
Marcus Smith lining up at QB and sprinting into the end zone for a 7-0 score
after John Sullivan kicked a rough extra point. The Aggies received the kickoff
as the Lobos used one of those squib kicks and quickly tied the score up on a
Chase Holbrook TD pass.
Donovan Porterie
Donovan Porterie caught a lot of heat after last week’s performance but
this week he was golden as once the Lobos got the ball back he led them on a
quick hit 4-play drive that ended with Donovan hitting Josh Fussell for a 36
yard TD run. What a play as Fussell snuck in under the coverage and rumbled for
the score.
Aggies respond immediately as Chris Williams scores one of his 3
touchdowns of the night. Williams drew the boos and jeers of the crowd for
trying to Shush the crowd… Very bad move as The Red Menace will never be
silent.
Things settled down as the defenses started to make plays and Porterie
went through a weird streak where he missed a couple of wide-open receivers… The
half ended with the Lobos moving the ball into field goal range and the crowd
held their collective breath as John Sullivan came out to attempt a 30-yard
field goal. Sullivan who went 2 of 4 last week looked like he had ice water
coursing through his veins as he stepped up and nailed it to close out the half.
Huge shot in the arm for Sullivan and this football team.
The second half started out with the Aggies promptly marching down the
field and taking their first lead of the night, and it looked like we had a
game!
After trading field goals with the Aggies the Lobos found themselves with
a 4-point deficit. However, both the Aggies and Lobos were just squibbing kicks
giving each other great field position all night. The ensuing kick off from the
Aggie field goal allowed the Lobos to promptly march down the field as Rodney Ferguson found pay dirt to give the Lobos a 3-point lead.
The Aggies wouldn’t go away at this point and tied up the game with a
field goal and all of a sudden there was a spark o’ magic for the Lobo offense.
They received the ensuing kick off and Donovan Porterie hit Marcus Smith with
two of the most exciting plays of the young season as Marcus laid out and snared
a 38-yard pass. The play was replayed and reviewed. On the very next play it
looked like Porterie was throwing an interception down field, the Aggie defender about to
catch this early Christmas gift was shocked as a streaking Marcus Smith swooped in like Superman to
catch the ball in front of him. Just so you know Marcus started on the left side
and came across the entire field for this catch! What a pair of great plays!
Rodney got the call for his 2nd TD of the night and a 34-27 Lobo
lead.
Rodney Ferguson
Like we said the Aggies have a prolific offense so no lead is safe… With
some nervous Lobo energy coming forth Holbrook and Co. took to the field and
Chase dropped back and fired a bomb deep to a wide-open Aggie receiver. Just as
the receiver caught the ball Clint McPeek aka Killer McPeek obliterated the
Aggie receiver in a vicious collision jarring the ball out of the Aggie
receivers hands into the waiting hands of Frankie Solomon. This hit set the
tempo for the game as the Aggie receiver was knocked the bleep out!
John Sullivan boots his 3rd field goal and the very next drive
Chris Mark gets into the end zone in a clever play drawn up by Coach Baldwin and
the Lobos never looked back.
NMSU tried to make it interesting as they scored a look good TD and
picked up the onside kick. However, in the end it was too little too late as the
Lobos finish the evening with a 44-34 victory.
Offensive
Player of the Game
So tough this decision as many Lobos had super games. In the end I’m
going with kicker John Sullivan. He caught a lot of flak last week after going
2-4 and I’m sure he had to feel horrible. A kicker has to have a short memory
and tonight that is exactly what Mr. Sullivan had as he didn’t miss one kick
this evening!
Defensive
Player of the Game
#11 Killer McPeek
For the 2nd week in a row the Killer went up and hit a
receiver so hard that WR’s momma felt it.
All photos courtesy of NewMexicoSportsNews.com... Go check out em out and
see a nice video highlight of tonight's game.
Click here for video of the
greatest Lobo Leap Ever!
Post game interviews with Rudy C.
Paul Krebs
Rocky Long
Anthony Kilby
Donovan Porterie
Killer Mcpeek
Podcast with Dom, Bandito, and
Wes