Jacket Defense Overwhelms Pirates

Brownwood News – (courtesy HPU Sports)  Howard Payne University forced five Southwestern University turnovers in a 24-16 victory for the Yellow Jackets Saturday afternoon.  The Howard Payne defense forced four fumbles and picked off one pass while holding Southwestern to just 108 yards of offense in the second half to gain the 24-16 conference victory.

After the Yellow Jackets forced a fumble on Southwestern’s opening drive, HPU got on the scoreboard first when Tauren Bradley scored on a 1-yard run to cap a six play 83 yard drive.

The Pirates scored midway through the second quarter but the Jackets would respond on their next drive. This time a Bradley 3-yard TD run to put the Jackets up 14-7 with 12:07 left in the first half.

With the game tied a 14-14 at the half, the Howard Payne defense would dominate from that point only allowing the Pirates to score on an HPU safety on a fumbled punt in the endzone.

A DunTayviun Gross 9-yard TD reception from Kolbi Tate with 10:30 left in the fourth gave HPU a 21-14 lead. Then a Blake Phipps 32-yard field goal with 7:55 left extended HPU’s lead to 24-14 before the HPU safety on the punt.

After starting QB McGwire Martin and Caleb Estes leave the game due to injury, Kolbi Tate finished the game out going 5 of 10 passing for 110 yards with one touchdown. In the start, Martin was 4 of 9 passing for 61 yards and rushed for 50 yards. Estes was 11 of 17 passing for 119 yards.

Tauren Bradley had 20 carries for 53 yards and two TDs for HPU. Cameron Keener had eight carries for 22 yards.

Gross had 105 yards receiving on five eight catches and one TD, Jake Parker had six catches for 104 yards and Thomas Williams followed with four catches for 75 yards.

Brady Wade anchored the HPU defense with 10 tackles, seven solo, with three for loss, two forced fumbles and assisted sack. Britt Boler also had 10 tackles and one fumble recovery. Austin Killgore followed with eight tackles, one for loss and one sack. Zeno Barnum picked off one pass for the Jackets.

Howard Payne is now 4-5 overall and 3-5 in American Southwest Conference action. Southwestern stands at 4-5 overall and 3-5 in league play. The Yellow Jackets will close out their season at home next week versus Belhaven University. It will be a 1:00 pm kickoff.