The first UTEP moved away from shame in a 24-14 season-opening win over Stephen F.Austin, and then generated a genuine explanation of why to wait.
After digging a first 14-3 hole against the Woodmans in the football championship subdivision, the Miners did not give a point in the last 42 minutes by forcing two ball losses and closing the victory door.
Quarterback Gavin Hardison made smart use of his number one goals, Jacob Cowing and Justin Garrett, and Parkland student-designed runner Deion Hankins showed moments of brilliing that made him one of the great delays in the history of El Paso High School.
“Our defense plays at a dominant level,” coach Dana Dimel said after winning an inaugural match for the time of the consecutive season.”You can see how much more athletic we are defensively with what we do, much more immediate contraction on our football team..
“I saw how we bet faster, how much we bet more physically.We’re at this level where we know how to win football matches.We offensively brought in game makers and played some.”
The defense turned the game around with a loss of ball to put a direct landing in the end of the first half, the UTE turned a 14-3 disadvantage into a partial advantage of 17-14 in the area of two and a half minutes, then was given an interception in the goal zone of Duron Lowe in the last quarter when the SFA seemed to be about to regain the lead.
“It’s a wonderful game and it’s not easy,” Dimel said of Lowe’s interception in the game.”It’s a winning game, a big difference in this ball game.”
“They’re a team after the corner in the red zone,” Lowe said.”I saw No.1 (Jermiah Miller) run a crushing field, sink and play with the ball.That allowed us to get the ball, back.”
SFA passed for 89 yards in the middle of the moment, adding minus-13 to its final property after UTEP took the two-point lead.
“We’ve made all the adjustments, ” said Dimel.
The offensive responded to last-quarter winnings with an 80-yard series that included an impressive conversion catch in Garrett’s third and 12th and a 41-yard Run from Hankins.Hankins finished with 113 yards and two touchdowns, while Cowing had 116 yards.seven catches.
Hankins was overwhelming, at one point, across the defense of the SFA and passing over a security.
“It exceeded my expectations,” Hankins said of his first primary action.”That total day, I visualized myself interrupting a career. God is a god without limits and this exceeds my expectations.I don’t even know how many guys I’ve met.I struck and kept my feet.”
“Deion ran as physically as I’ve noticed in a back race for a long, long time after all my years in the Big 12,” Dimel said.”He played the way he trains every day.”
Hardison finished 17 out of 28 for 212 yards with an interception and a loose ball, but treated the game well and made the winning shots on the final touchdown.
“The boys around me did very, very well, ” said Hardison.”The offensive line played very well and the boys in the skill position made a lot of plays.We were the ones who remained patient and competitive.”
The attack ended with UTEP on the SFA 1 meter line, and ended with the Miners on the far right of the scoreboard after dominating the final 42 minutes.
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You can contact Bret Bloomquist at 915-546-6359; [email protected]; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.