NMMI Sports Press
Eerily similar to last week's match vs. Navarro, the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco football team lost at home to the Northeastern Oklahoma Golden Norsemen, 34-27 Saturday, thanks to a simultaneous catch in the back of the end zone, which was ruled an interception.
After NMMI won the coin toss and elected to receive, the Broncos got the scoring started on a pass play from Cody Frampton to Fred Jackson for 10 yards to cap off an 11-play, 75-yard drive to give the Broncos a 7-0 lead with 9:30 left in the first quarter.
NEO would answer back before the period ended, tying the score 7-7.
NMMI's next points came after a nine-play, 58-yard drive stalled. Roland Tyson came in to convert on the 34-yard field goal attempt, giving the Institute a 10-7 lead with 9:29 to go in the half.
The Norsemen then put up 17 unanswered points — between 2:26 to go in the half and 1:34 to go in the third — to give them a 24-10 lead.
The Broncos finally found the end zone on a Cody Frampton keeper from 2-yards out, finishing off a 10-play drive for 75 total yards to make it a one-score contest: 24-17.
NEO ended the third quarter with a touchdown to give them a 31-17 lead going into the final quarter.
The Broncos came back quickly with a touchdown — 10:16 still to go in the quarter — on a pass from Cody Frampton to Tyreik Campbell from 16 yards out to get back within one score of the Norsemen 31-24.
A Norsemen field goal with 7:44 left in the fourth made for a 34-24 NEO lead.
The Broncos countered with a field goal of their own to get back to within a touchdown, but time was waning: just 2:59 left to play.
NMMI made the game very interesting after recovering the ensuing onside kick, then driving down to the NEO 26. But on a third-and-six, Frampton took a shot at the end-zone. His pass to Quantavius Moore seemed to be a catch, but Norseman DB Gervarrius Owens came down with the ball after the players hit the ground. The play was ruled an interception and ended NMMI's chance for the comeback bid.
The Broncos' leading rusher was Fred Jackson who had 74 yards on 16 carries. Jackson was also the leading receiver tallying 42 yards on five catches and a touchdown.
Head coach Joe Forchtner said, "We made too many mistakes on the field to win. We did not make the plays we were supposed to make."
The Broncos will play their final game of the regular season next week on Saturday in Brenham, Texas vs. Blinn College with a 3 p.m. CDT kickoff.
"Blinn is a really good football team," Forchtner said, "but it is whoever shows up to the field in this league."