‘Riders Drop to 3-4 After ATU Loss

Magnolia, AR—Arkansas Tech, leading 10-6 at halftime, pitched a shutout the second half against injury-riddled Southern Arkansas University in route to a 24-10 Homecoming win in Russellville Saturday. The Wonder Boys, with no injuries and all hands available, improved to 4-3 overall and to 4-2 in the Gulf South Conference while the Muleriders slumped to 3-4 for the year and top 2-4 in conference play.

It took the Wonder Boys two plays to score the first touchdown from 55 yards away. Tailback Travis Horn scored from the 11 and Paul Peletz added the extra point to make it 7-0 with 9:59 left in the first quarter. SAU drove 79 yards in seven plays but had to settle for a 29-yard field goal by Jason Williams, trimming the deficit to 7-3.

ATU came right back with a 22-yard field goal after moving 66 yards in 10 plays to up the lead to 10-3 with 2:50 still remaining in the first period. The ‘Riders countered with an 11-play, 46-yard march but again had to option for another field goal with Williams splitting the uprights on a 41-yarder, 7:23 left in the second period. That would be the halftime score.

Quarterback Josh Price scored on an eight-yard keeper with Peletz adding the PAT for the only score of the third quarter, pushing the ATU margin to 17-6 with 1:55 on the clock.

In the fourth, the Wonder Boys added the clincher with Horn breaking a 66-yard touchdown jaunt and Peletz converting to put it out of reach, 24-6, 10:47 remaining.

SAU rushed for 305 yards and ATU 302 but the Wonder Boys adding 131 yards passing, completing nine of 21 with two intercepted while the ‘Riders managed a mere 19 yards, completing five of 17 attempts with three intercepted.

SAU had to go with two freshmen quarterbacks, Ted Williams and Derrick Berry, because of an injury to senior Tim Barrington, who was closing in on two school records before limping off the field midway the fourth quarter against Delta State.

Horn rushed 25 times for 189 yards for ATU while halfback Forrest Curry gained 113 yards on eight carries for SAU.

It will be Homecoming for SAU when they meet Arkansas-Monticello next Saturday. UAM ran their record to 7-1 with a 44-24 drubbing of Central Arkansas Saturday at Conway.