Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Javelinas aim to avoid grim ride home after facing Tarleton State

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Saturday, October 2, 1999

Javelinas aim to avoid grim ride home after facing Tarleton State
Texans seek to avenge last year's drubbing against Texas A&M-Kingsville when the schools clash today in Stephenville
By Javier Becerra
Caller-Times

What Craig Wederquist remembers most about last season's game against Texas A&M-Kingsville is the bus ride home.
   The Javelinas' 42-7 thrashing of Tarleton State left the Texans a lot to think about during the 400-mile trip back to Stephenville.
   This year, Tarleton is hoping it's the other way around.
   The Texans host A&M-Kingsville in a 7 p.m. Lone Star Conference South Division showdown tonight at Memorial Stadium in Stephenville.
   After seeing A&M-Kingsville build a 35-0 lead last year, Wederquist doesn't want the Javelinas to get on a roll early.
   "When they're on all cylinders, it tends to snowball pretty quick," said Wederquist, the Texans' third-year head coach. "Against Kingsville, we've never played the way we wanted to play them. In 1997 the game got away. Last year they took the opening kickoff back and we kind of laid down. That bus ride home was one of the lowest points of the year."
   A&M-Kingsville is 5-0 against Tarleton since the Texans rejoined the LSC in 1994. The Javelinas have outscored the Texans 237-55, an average of 47-11 per meeting.
   Still, A&M-Kingsville head coach Ron Harms isn't taking the Texans lightly.
   "We dare not go into game thinking it's going to be like the previous four or five years," Harms said. "Because of the weakness we've shown them in our game films I'm sure they'll be fired up and come in here thinking they have the chance to whip this team. We have to be aware of that and go into the game with our best stuff. Otherwise we'll be in trouble."
   A&M-Kingsville is coming off a 34-24 loss to Division I-AA Sam Houston State. The Javelinas were buried, 27-0, in the first half by a dominating Bearkats' passing attack. Tighter coverage and a boost by the offense in the second half pulled the Javelinas to within nine points, but they couldn't finish the rally. Harms said the Javelinas' second-half performance was the team's focal point heading into conference play.
   "Last week was difficult for us on the defensive side in the first half, but second half is what we need to focus on," Harms said. "We could have just laid it down, but I felt like we actually had a chance to win the game."
   Led by quarterbacks Terrance Bennett and Abel Gonzalez, the Javelinas engineered a three-touchdown rally in the third period. A&M-Kingsville broke Sam Houston's momentum with a 75-yard scoring pass and two key interceptions.
   A&M-Kingsville fullback Mack Pittman said the Javelinas need to show the same intensity against Tarleton.
   "The problem right now is that we're too laid back," Pittman said. "I think we're more focused right now, but we're still missing people in certain spots. Now it's time for everybody to do what they need to do."



Staff writer Javier Becerra can be reached at 886-3734 or by e-mail at becerraj@caller.co, m

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