Two interceptions and one returned for a touchdown by junior defensive back Curtis Slater helped lead visiting West Texas A&M to a 35-9 win at Angelo State Saturday evening. With the win, the 21st-ranked Buffaloes improved to 5-1 overall with their fifth-straight win and a league-best 4-0 in Lone Star Conference play. Angelo fell to 3-3 on the year and 2-1 in conference play.
Junior quarterback Dustin Vaughan threw for 236 yards and three scores on 16 of 32 with one interception. Senior running back Khiry Robinson followed up his Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Week honor with a career-high 145 yards on the ground on 18 carries for an impressive 8.1 average.
As a team, the Buffs had 398 yards of total offense, while ASU had 332. The Buff defense was all over the field tonight as it held ASU’s high-powered rushing attack to a season-low 49 yards on 25 carries (2.0 avg.). Junior linebacker Kyle Voss had a game-high 11 tackles with 2.5 tackles for loss. Slater had four tackles with three solo stops, the two interceptions, one tackle for loss, a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries.
After the Buffs had to punt on their opening possession, the Rams went seven plays for 40 yards in 2:46 for a 40-yard field goal by Jarred Martin for a 3-0 lead with just over nine minutes remaining in the first quarter.
On the Buffs next possession, Vaughan hooked up with senior Alphonse Coleman, who started for the injured Lance Ratliff, for 42 yards followed by a 32-yard run from senior Khiry Robinson setting the Buffs up with a first and goal at the four. Vaughan then threw his 18th touchdown pass of the season from 10 yards out to junior Torrence Allen for a 6-3 lead. WT went for two for an 8-3 lead with 6:53 remaining in the first quarter.
The Buffs had to punt on their next possession as junior Kevin VanVoris pinned the Rams inside the 20. The Buff defense came up with a three-and-out and on 4th down the snap went over the punter’s head and junior defensive back Dwight Morrison recovered the fumble at the ASU three. WT kicked a 24-yard field goal from junior Sergio Castillo, Jr., for an 11-3 lead early in the second quarter.
After a couple of punts by both teams, Angelo State had a great scoring opportunity as it started at the WT 28 and got to the Buff nine, but Martin missed the 26-yarder wide right as the WT defense came up with a red zone stop.
WT found itself with a 3rd and 10 from its own 20 on its next possession when Robinson broke free for a 46-yard run down to the ASU 34. From there, Vaughan hooked up with junior Nathan Slaughter over the middle for a 23-yard touchdown pass and an 18-3 lead with 4:06 remaining in the half.
Angelo held the ball for the majority of the rest of the half and got inside the 20 as Martin attempted a 39-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining in the half and pushed it wide left as the Rams came up empty in the red zone once again.
For the half, WT had 101 yards on the ground on 17 carries and Vaughan went 11 of 20 in the air for 164 yards and two scores. The defense came up huge in the run game as it held ASU to just 22 yards rushing on 14 carries. Robinson had 84 yards rushing, while Coleman led the team with 75 yards receiving in the half on three receptions.
Angelo State began with the ball in the second half as WT forced a fourth down, but on the punt a personal foul was called on WT for roughing the kicker giving the Rams new life on the drive. Despite the foul, the WT defense came up with the stop forcing a punt.
The Ram defense got a piece of the VanVoris punt setting ASU up again in Buffalo territory, but junior defensive back Curtis Slater stepped in front of the Blake Hamblin pass at the WT 15-line and returned it 85-yards for a touchdown and a 25-3 lead. It was the first interception return for a touchdown since Caleb Randolph returned an interception 97 yards versus Incarnate Word last season (Sept. 24).
On the ensuing Rams’ possession, Slater again was on the receiving end of a Hamblin pass. This time, he returned it 39 yards setting up a field goal by Castillo, Jr., as he moved into fifth all-time in scoring with eight points thus far as he has 209 career points surpassing Norman White (1993-1996). Castillo, Jr., is 26-36 all-time in field goals and 131 of 133 in extra points.
Hamblin hooked up with Dakarai Pecikonis for a 20-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. On the extra-point the Buffs brought the house as ASU couldn’t get the kick off for a 28-9 score.
After a stop on a fake punt by the Buff defense, the offense took over at the ASU 40. WT converted a fourth in inches on the drive and then Vaughan hooked up with Allen once again for a 23-yard touchdown strike for a 35-9 lead with 7:33 remaining.
WT returns home next week for a huge game on Homecoming against rival Abilene Christian next Saturday at 6 p.m. at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium.
