The No. 20 WTAMU Buffalo football team hosted the Central Washington Wildcats on Oct. 29. WT outlasted CWU 49-35 after both teams traded touchdowns for most of the night.
The Wildcats found the end zone first when quarterback Jose Mohler connected with Leon LaDeaux for a 56 yard score to put CWU up 7-0 just 2:43 into the game. The Buffs answered with an eight yard touchdown run by senior Tommy Hampton to tie the score at seven with seconds left in the first quarter.The Wildcats struck again in the second quarter when Mohler hit Levi Taylor for a nine yard score with 7:20 to go. WT quickly answered as sophomore Dustin Vaughn found junior Khiry Robinson for a 10 yard touchdown to even the score at 14 with 5:55 left in the half. After the Buffs defense got a stop, Hampton fumbled the ball and CWU’s Matt Mosely took it in from the eight yard line to give the Wildcats a 21-14 lead with 3:26 left until the half. WT tied it with a minute and change to go in the half on a two yard run by Robinson.
The Buffs took their first lead when Vaughn connected with senior Brittan Golden for a 26 yard touchdown to give WT a 28-21 lead with 8:38 left in the third. Vaughn and Golden hooked up again on the next drive, this time for a 16 yard score, to give the Buffs a 14 point lead at 35-21 with 5:08 remaining in the third.
“We didn’t really switch up anything after the half; we just executed a little better.” Golden said.
After a WT pick six was called back for roughing the passer, Mohler hit Justin Helwege for a 22 yard touchdown to bring the score to 35-28 with 2:48 to go in the third. The Wildcats tied it at 35 when Mohler found Helwege again for an eight yard score with 12:29 remaining in the fourth. The Buffs’ answer came when Robinson completed a 14 yard touchdown run by stretching the ball across the plane to put WT back up 42-35 with 10:36 left.
“I knew I was in there,” Robinson said. “I reached out my arm and it was in.”
The Buffs put the final nail in CWU’s coffin on the next drive. Vaughn hit Golden for a 70 yard strike to give WT a 49-35 lead with 8:09 to go in the game.
Vaughn finished completing 32 of 42 passes for 430 yards and four touchdowns. Robinson led all rushers with 12 carries for 75 yards and two scores; he also had a touchdown through the air. Golden led all receivers with nine catches for 170 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore Lance Ratliff also had seven receptions for 96 yards.
The Buffs’ next game will be in Wichita Falls against the No. 8 Midwestern State Mustangs on Nov. 5. Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is set for 2 p.m.
