NMMI Sports Press
Sophomore outside linebacker Horacio Moronta – last week's NJCAA Defensive Player of the Week – had another huge game for the New Mexico Military Institute, and sophomore quarterback Mason Myers led two touchdown drives in the fourth quarter, helping the Bronco football team come back for a 27-24 win over Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in front a big homecoming crowd at the Wool Bowl stadium on Saturday.
The Broncos overcame a slow start, yet again, and found themselves down to the visiting Golden Norsemen, 17-6, at the end of the first half.
NMMI was forced to punt on their opening possession after a pair of incomplete passes, a false-start penalty and rush for no gain.
Sophomore punter Robert Cole then ripped off an excellent 57-yard punt to pin NEO back on their own 23 yard line.
The Norsemen rushed the ball five times, picking up double-digit gains on two plays, and making it a first-and-10 at the NMMI 33. Moronta then recorded his first of three tackles for losses, making it second-and-long from the NMMI 42. But the next play, NEO QB Quintevin Cherry was flushed out the pocket and during the scramble, the secondary coverage broke down. Cherry hit a wide open Najee Ellis down the sideline for the 42-yard TD.
The Broncos came right back, mounting their own 10-play, 81-yard touchdown drive. Freshman QB Koby Muasau had a pair of passes totaling 38 yards, one to sophomore WR Malik Phillips of 25 yards, and another to freshman TE Quadarius Harrison for 13. Sophomore running back Jeiel Stark posted three double-digit carries of his own during the drive, along with the final four-yard rush to cross the end zone plain. Sophomore place-kicker William Testa missed the extra point, however, and it was NEO 7, NMMI 6, with 6:18 left in the first quarter.
Despite NMMI interceptions on the next two Northeastern possessions – the first by freshman DB Charles Henderson, the second by Moronta – the Bronco offense struggled to produce positive yardage, netting just 13 total yards and no first downs during their next four possessions.
The Golden Norsemen kicked a 23-yard field goal with 4:42 left in the second quarter after an eight-play, 78-yard drive stalled at the NMMI 6. They got the ball back again with one minute and four seconds left in the half and managed a 7-play, 60-yard TD drive against a very tired Bronco defense, making it 17-6.
In the second half, the Bronco offense got back on track. After a defensive stop, NMMI put together a 9-play, 37-yard drive, but elected to punt on fourth down at the NEO 44. Cole's high, purposefully end-over-end punt was fumbled by the Norseman returner and recovered by Moronta at the NEO 14.
Muasau connected with Harrison on a 1-yard touchdown pass on the ensuing 5-play drive, and it was 17-13 with 12:22 left in the third.
NMMI surged ahead on their first drive at the start of the fourth quarter. This time Myers tossed the TD pass, 14 yards to sophomore WR Lemario Larry, finishing a 10-play, 69-yard drive and the Broncos were up for the first in the contest, 20-17, with 10:57 left to play.
NEO then drove down to the NMMI 13, but a third interception by the 'Black Swarm' defense stopped that scoring attempt. Sophomore linebacker CJ Tuliloa got credit for the pick.
NEO's next drive, however, put them ahead 24-20, with just 2:55 remaining.
The Broncos came storming back, going 75-yards in eight plays for what would become the game-winning drive. Myers got the touchdown on a 26-yard rush, but it was his critical completion on a fourth-and-five that was the highlight of the game. Under pressure and scrambling to his right, Myers left fly a perfect pass down the sideline to a well-covered Andre Hall. Hall made the leaping catch, good for 34 yards, and, more importantly, a new set of downs.
But the game wasn't over just yet.
NEO got the ball back on their own 40-yard line, thanks in part to an excessive celebration penalty after the go-ahead touchdown. With 56 seconds left, the Norsemen drove down to the NMMI 36. Faced with a fourth-and-seven and less than 3 seconds on the clock, they decided to try the tying field goal. NMMI then jumped off-sides, making it a somewhat shorter 48-yard FG attempt, after the five-yard penalty.
And that's when Moronta again came up big. The sub-200 pound linebacker squeezed through the middle of the line, got the block, and helped his team earn the hard-fought come-from-behind victory.
"We gotta stop starting slow," said a relieved Kurt Taufa'asau, NMMI's head coach. "But I'm glad our guys fought hard and fought to the end."
"Credit to Moronta and the preparation he put in all week," continued Taufa'asau. "Last week he got the NJCAA Player of the Week and he stepped up big-time again this week, making plays. Credit to Myers, too, for staying ready. He came in during a tough situation and got the go-ahead TDs. Just a great job of staying posed. And thanks, also, to Andre Hall, for making the great catch down the sidelines. Just a great job by all our guys staying in it and executing down the stretch."
With the win, NMMI moves to 7-1 on the season with a 5-1 mark in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference. The Broncos are currently ranked fifth in the NJCAA polls, and they'll next face Trinity Valley Community College, currently No. 8 in the NJCAA, next Saturday, Oct. 29, on the road in Athens, TX at 1:00 pm CDT.
TVCC sits atop the SWJCFC standings with an unblemished 5-0 record, and is 6-1 overall.