- Box Score

STEPHENVILLE – It was a special night in Memorial Stadium on the campus of Tarleton State University as the Tarleton Texans claimed their first win of the 2010 season Saturday with a come-from-behind 37-34 victory over Angelo State for Family Weekend.

On a night when the Texans honored the family of fallen teammate Zach Shaver, Tarleton head coach Cary Fowler waited longer than he anticipated for his first career victory, but the first-year skipper was quick to turn the attention.

“It feels awesome, not for Cary Fowler, but for these kids,” Fowler said. “We had 18 starters out and played with a bunch of freshman and a bunch of young guys. These kids wanted this game. They wanted it for Tarleton State University.”

And it was Shaver's best friend Cole Vitolo who forced a Ram fumble inside their own five-yardline that led to the Texans being able to run out most of the clock to end the game with a win.

The Texans had trouble on special teams with a couple of blunders, but one bright spot was Jacob Rowe who blocked a field goal in the first quarter and another in the fourth.

“Champions want it in their hands when the game is on the line, and Jacob Rowe is a champion,” Fowler said.

The Texans scored 17 of the first 24 points, but the Rams outscored the Texans 20-0 over the next quarter to take a 27-17 lead. 

Tarleton struck first on a 14-play, 87-yard drive that took 7:36 when Evan Robertson took a sweep left around the corner to put the Texans in the endzone and give the purple and white their first lead of the season. Blake Wiest added the extra point to make it 7-0.

The Texans then added to the score with a 24-yard field goal with 1:58 left in the first quarter. The Texans got the ball after Rowe blocked his first field goal of the evening, this one from 36 yards out. Deshaun Phillips picked up the ball and returned it to the Angelo two-yardline. The field goal came foru plays later to give Tarleton the 10-0 advantage.

ASU then scored on a Dakarai Pecikonis 10-yard run with 1:37 on the clock that was set up by an 80-yard kickoff return by Garrett Tidwell to the Tarleton 10-yardline. Ryan Smith added the extra point to cut the lead to three.

The Texans responded with a an eight-play, 71-yard drive that was capped with a 15-yard pass from Nick Stephens to Devon Gray in the endzone. Wiest's kick made it 17-7 in favor of the home team.

The Tarleton defense forced a punt with 7:54 left in the first half, but Matt Cole muffed the return attempt, and ASU's Bradan Ritchey recovered the ball. One play later, John Norcott punched it in from six yards out. Smith's kick cut the lead to 17-14.

With the Texans backed up to their own six yardline, Stephens was called for an intentional grounding while throwing out of the endzone, resulting in a safety. The lead was cut to one, 17-16.

The ensuing kick was returned 14 yards to the ASU 35, but Josh Neiswander completed a 65-yard pass to C.J. Akins for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage. Tidwell's rush attempt was good, and the Rams led 24-17 with 3:33 left in the second quarter.

The Rams were driving again at the end of the second half, and Neiswander tried a pass from the Tarleton 36 that was intercepted in the endzone by Phillips for a touchback as the clock ran out.

ASU got the ball to start the second half and drove 42 yards on 10 plays to score when Smith hit a 31-yard field goal with 10:25 left in the third quarter to make it 27-17.

The Texans took the ensuing drive 60 yards on six plays to cut the lead to seven when Wiest nailed a 24-yard field goal with 7:48 on the clock in the third period.

Angelo State wasted just 3:29 on its next drive to increase the lead to 34-20 when Tidwell completed a 17-yard pass to Pecikonis on a reverse. Smith's kick was good.

On the next play from the line of scrimmage, Stephens found Saalim Hakim for a 52-yard completion to the Angelo eight, but Robertson's rush for two yards ended in a fumble that was recovered by the Rams. 

ASU drove the field to the Tarleton 12 where Smith set up for a 29-yard field goal that was blocked by Rowe, and the ball eventually went out of bounds. Tarleton took the ball down to the ASU end of the field, but turned the ball over on downs before the Rams did the same.

Tarleton's Stephens then connected with Hakim for 39 yards before he found him again for a 27-yard touchdown. Wiest added the kick to make it 34-27.

On the Rams' next play from the line of scrimmage, Carter was hit behind the line of scrimmage by Cassius Bradley and Rowe recovered the fumble at the four. Robertson punched the ball in for the Texans on the next play, and Wiest's kick tied the score at 34 all with 4:40 left to play.

Tarleton's defense forced a punt, but Phillips slipped while calling for a fair catch and touched the ball. Luckily for the Texans, he recovered the muffed punt and the Texans were in business. Stephens found Frye for a 26-yard completion before hooking up with Clarke Renfro for 40 yards, but a fumble forced Stetson Edwards went out of bounds.   Tarleton moved the ball to ASU 10-yardline where Wiest hit the game-winning field goal from 27 yards out with 1:34 on the clock.

Tarleton scored the final 17 points before it forced a fumble on the Rams' side of the field (by Vitolo) and worked the clock down to two ticks. A Hail Mary pass by Josh Neiswander was broken up by Damian Perkins to end the game.

The Texans outgained the Rams 458 to 394. Tarleton gained 66 yards on the ground and 392 yards in the air while ASU had 143 yards rushing and 251 yards passing. 

Robertson had 19 carries for 63 yards and two touchdowns while Stephens was 22-of-39 for 392 yards and two scores in his first action since the season opener. Jeken Frye led the Texans with six catches for 88 yards while Hakim had five catches for 166 yards and a touchdown.

Brandon Johnson and Perkins led the team with 13 tackles. Johnson had nine solo and four assisted tackles while Perkins had three solo and 10 assisted stops. The Texans had one sack (Michael Washington), seven tackles for a loss of minus-21 yards, two forced fumbles, four pass break-ups and four quarterback hurries in the win.

Tristian Carter led the Rams with 19 carries for 70 yards while Neiswander was 20-of-34 for 234 yards and one touchdown. Both quarterbacks had one interception each. Pecikonis had five receptions for 68 yards and a score to lead the visitors.

Brandon Mayse had seven total tackles to lead the Rams' defense, including one solo and six assisted stops. The Rams got one sack, three tackles for a loss of minus-nine yards, two forced fumbles two pass break-ups and three quarterback hurries in the loss.

Tarleton will return to action at West Texas A&M on Saturday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. for their fourth road trip in five weeks.