Peter Dindinger – NMMI Sports Press
ATHENS, Texas – For the fourth time this season the New Mexico Military Institute Bronco football team was presented another challenge of taking on a ranked conference opponent.
The Broncos held a 24-21 lead over the No. 8 ranked team in NJCAA Division I, but fell to the Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals, 42-32, on Saturday afternoon at Bruce Field.
NMMI (2-3) got on the board first with 11:52 in the opening quarter when William Testa made a 39-yard field goal.
Trinity Valley answered back with a one-yard touchdown run by Jordan Davis three minutes later.
On a 16-play drive, the Cardinals extended their lead to 14-3 when Matt Morrissey connected with Julian Johnson for a 23-yard touchdown with 59 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Broncos cut the deficit in the second quarter with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Diego Pavia to Tyrique Thompson with 13:13 on the clock.
NMMI's defense forced the Cardinals to punt for the first time in the game on fourth-and-five.
On its next offensive drive, NMMI had an opportunity to get back within one but a 25-yard field goal was missed with 6:47 remaining.
Trinity Valley (4-1, 3-1) made the score 21-10 on a 29-yard touchdown reception by Johnson from Davis with under five minutes left until halftime.
Aided by a 48-yard pass from Pavia to Darren Rodriguez, the Broncos were able to march into good field position.
A 17-yard pass from Pavia to Quantavius Moore put NMMI at the TVCC eight-yard line. The Broncos later punched it into the end zone on a three-yard pass from Pavia to Yvan Andrew.
Trailing by four after the half, the Broncos took the lead on a 23-yard touchdown run by Anthony Grant with 12:51 in the third quarter.
After both teams stalled on their next drives, the Cardinals regained the lead with a five-yard touchdown pass from Morrissey to Codrick Dunn.
The Bronco offense was forced to punt for the second time on their next drive.
Trinity Valley extended its lead to 11 with a 38-yard touchdown strike from Morrissey to Johnson with 1:21 left in the third quarter.
NMMI didn't quit.
On the next drive, Pavia threw a 71-yard touchdown pass to Moore. The Broncos later converted two points on a pass from Pavia to Andrew to trail 35-32.
NMMI's defense came into the clutch when Tre O'Guinn grabbed an interception to spoil a possible fourth-and-four conversion for the Cardinals.
The Broncos were unable to score as a result of the interception.
Andrew Henry dealt the final score for the Cardinals with a 27-yard run with 2:42 left in the ballgame.
Pavia tallied 38 rushing yards in the final offensive series for NMMI. The Broncos got down to the TVCC 28 but were unsuccessful on a 45-yard field goal attempt.
UP NEXT: NMMI travels to Tyler Junior College for a 1 p.m. CDT kickoff next Saturday.