Texans Boot RiverHawks

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. --- Northeastern State and Tarleton State locked up into an old fashioned Lone Star Conference defensive battle Saturday night at Doc Wadley Stadium.

Neither team generated a great deal of offense, as  the Texans made good on two field goals in the first period to take a 6-0 victory over the RiverHawks.

Northeastern State remains winless at 0-2, while the Texans go to 2-0 on the season.

Tarleton totaled just 224 yards in offense, and Northeastern State 148, as both defenses stymied each other's offensive threats throughout the game.

The Northeastern State defense held the LSC's preseason offense player of the year, Roderick Smith, to just 58 yards rushing on 16 carries.

RiverHawks' quarterback Woody Wilson led the Northeastern State running attack with 43 yards on 12 carries with Prince McKinney adding another 35 yards on 13 carries. Northeastern State finished with 101 yards on the ground and 47 passing. Wilson was 8-of-14 with two interceptions.

Tarleton scored on its opening drive of the game when Garrett Lindholm booted a 47-yard field goal with 10:25 left in the first quarter. Lindholm kick capped an 8-play drive. Lindholm had missed on a 41-yard attempt that went wide left at the 5:04 mark.

The Texans made 6-0 with 1:34 remaining in the opening period when Stephen Arnold booted a 32 yard field goal for a 6-0 lead. Arnold's kick completed an 8-play32-yard drive. Arnold missed on another field goal attempt in the second quarter of 30-yards, missing wide right.  

Tarleton's field goal was set up when the Texans' Lonnie Hewitt intercepted a Wilson pass at the RiverHawks' 32-yard line.

Northeastern State's Jared Homer attempted a 38 yard field goal, but mishandled snap ended the scoring threat with 4:15 left in the second quarter.

Northeastern State did not mount another scoring threat until the final drive of the game.

Following a Tarleton punt of 46 yards by Kyle Hopf to the RiverHawks' 36, Northeastern State appeared to march toward the winning score.

The RiverHawks drove to the Texans' 25-yard line behind the running of Prince McKinney, who had jaunts of 9 and 19 yards, along with Wilson's running.

However, with the RiverHawks facing a fourth-and -five at the Tarleton 20, Wilson's pass to Jamaal Streamer  fell incomplete to end Northeastern State's scoring  threat with :53 remaining.

The Texans then ran out the clock to escape with the victory.

The RiverHawks go on the road next week to Wichita Falls, Texas to play Midwestern State in another LSC crossover clash. Kickoff is 7 p.m.