Peter Dindinger – NMMI Sports Press
MIAMI, Okla. – After suffering their first loss of the season last weekend, the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco football team was able to get back on track.
On Saturday afternoon, the eighth-ranked Broncos defeated Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College 17-7 at Red Robertson Field.
"It was huge to have a game like we did last week and to be able to redeem ourselves this week," said NMMI head coach Kurt Taufa'asau. "Proud of the way our guys played and fought all day."
To start the game, NEO put together a 12-play drive that resulted in the offense trying to convert a fourth-and-five situation.
Aaron Norment threw an incomplete pass to turnover on downs.
NMMI (7-1, 5-1) then scored on its first offensive series.
Diego Pavia had a 20-yard run and a 12-yard completion to Anthony Grant to help move the Broncos into scoring position.
NEO also aided the drive with a facemask penalty.
From five yards out, Pavia connected with Malik Phillips to give NMMI a 7-0 lead with 2:39 in the first quarter.
The Norseman answered back with a big 43-yard pass from Norment to Kobe Washington, which help setup a one-yard touchdown run by Jamoni Jones to tie the game with 13:33 in the second quarter.
Using a solid ground game, the Broncos put together a 13-play drive that was capped off by a 21-yard field goal by William Testa to put NMMI on top 10-7 with just under six minutes left in the first half.
The score remained the same at the break after each defense made a strong stand.
NMMI extended its lead to 17-7 when Grant punched it into the end zone from seven yards out with 7:13 in the third quarter.
NEO (3-5, 1-5) had a chance to cut the deficit to seven points with a field goal, but instead the Norseman tried to attempt a fake field goal pass on fourth-and-three.
The trickery got NEO one yard short of a first down from the NMMI 25 with 2:10 remaining in the third quarter.
From that point, the Broncos drained the clock by wearing out the NEO defense.
NMMI finished with 324 yards of total offense, 274 came on the ground.
Grant led the rushing attack with 113 yards on 18 carries while Pavia contributed with 97 yards on 16 carries.
Through the air, Pavia went 6 for 18 with 50 yards.
NEO was held to 214 yards of offense. Norment led the ground attack with 12 carries for 81 yards.
NMMI closes out the regular season hosting Trinity Valley Community College at 2 p.m. Saturday, which suffered a 34-19 loss to Kilgore College over the weekend.
The Broncos remain atop the Southwest Junior College Football Conference as the only team with one loss in league play.
"Credit to our players and also our staff," said Taufa'asau. "NEO is a great team, no matter their record. I can easily say that for all of the teams in our conference. Diego was huge. Our O-line was huge.
"We were able to keep the ball possessed enough to pull this thing out."