The No. 24 WTAMU Buffalo football team hosted the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds on Oct. 22 in the twenty-fifth installment of the Wagon Wheel rivalry. WT grabbed its sixth-straight Wagon Wheel win, defeating ENMU 52-21.
The Buffs struck early when sophomore Dustin Vaughn hit fellow sophomore Lance Ratliff for a 26 yard score to take a 7-0 lead just three minutes in. WT went up 14-0 on a two-yard run by senior Tommy Hampton with 6:36 left in the first quarter.
The Buffs started hitting big plays in the second, as senior Brittan Golden caught a Vaughn pass and took it 94 yards to pay dirt; giving WT a 21-0 lead with 9:09 remaining in the second quarter. Vaughn’s third touchdown of the first half came when he found sophomore Jeremy Watson for a 68 yard score, which gave the Buffs a 28-0 lead heading into the half. This was the second straight home game where WT held its opponent scoreless at halftime.“We actually wanted them to throw at us, but they ran it more than we expected,” sophomore defensive back Curtis Slater said.
The Greyhounds got their first points on their first possession in the second half. Wesley Wood hit Darren Dale for a 13 yard score to make the score 28-7 WT with 12:53 left in the third. The Buffs answered immediately as Vaughn connected with Ratliff for a 71-yard touchdown, putting WT up 35-7 with 11:36 to go in the third. The Buffs went up to 42-7 when junior Tanner Marsh hit sophomore Nathan Slaughter for a six yard score at 2:27 in the third.
Junior Khiry Robinson ran for a 15 yard score that gave WT a 49-7 lead with 12:40 to go in the game. ENMU got two late touchdowns from Wood to Seth Bailey, but the Buffs’ lead was just too big.
Vaughn had an outstanding night going 14 of 20 for 402 yards and four touchdowns. Junior Aarrhon Flores got his first career start and carried the ball 12 times for 134 yards. Robinson had nine rushes for 97 yards and one score. Ratliff led the receivers with five catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns, and Golden had three receptions for 108 yards and a score.
“[Starting] was amazing, it brought me back to my first action as a freshman,” said Flores.
WT’s next game will be against Central Washington at Kimbrough on Oct. 29. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
