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OUAZ Athletics

Jermaine Trotman - September 11, 2021
Richard Martinez
42
Winner OUAZ OUAZ 2-0 , 2-0
28
SAGU (Texas) SAGU 1-1 , 1-1
Winner
OUAZ OUAZ
2-0 , 2-0
42
Final
28
SAGU (Texas) SAGU
1-1 , 1-1
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
OUAZ OUAZ 14 14 0 14 42
SAGU SAGU (Texas) 7 0 14 7 28

Game Recap: Football |

No. 23 Spirit Win at SAGU, 42-28

WAXAHACHIE, Texas – The first road game of the 2021 season for OUAZ saw the Spirit jump out to an early lead and then make enough plays in the second half to secure a 42-28 win at SAGU on Saturday afternoon at Lumpkins Stadium.

Shamar Moreland opened the scoring for OUAZ (2-0, 2-0 SAC) with a 15-yard run to cap a seven-play, 74-yard drive on the game's first possession. After SAGU (1-1, 1-1) missed a field goal on the ensuing possession, the Lions tied the game with a pick-six on the first snap of the next Spirit possession.

OUAZ would then dominate the remainder of the half by scoring 21 consecutive points. Austin McCullough had three touchdown passes in the half – two to Ian Zamudio that included an 80-yard strike late in the half – as the Spirit took a 28-7 lead into halftime.

SAGU came out of the break and scored a rushing touchdown from Keaton Dudik on their first possession. After forcing an OUAZ three-and-out, the Lions again drove for another score from Dudik, and with 6:00 to play in the third quarter, it was a one-possession lead for the Spirit.

Neither team would score again until the 9:15 mark of the fourth quarter when McCullough found Jordan King for 15 yards. That scoring drive was set up by Jonah Alicea tipping a punt that gave the Spirit excellent field position.

SAGU again answered with a 75-yard drive that saw Jordan Barlow find Jamal Long in the endzone with 6:42 remaining and the Spirit leading 35-28. OUAZ would put the final stamp on the win by going 51 yards in nine plays and getting a rushing touchdown from Marcelous Chester-Riley with 3:26 remaining.

SaMaury Alexander would seal the Lions' fate on the following possession by intercepting a Barlow pass that allowed OUAZ to run nearly two minutes off the clock and leave SAGU in desperation mode.

When it was over, OUAZ had gained 536 yards of offense with 23 first downs. The Spirit gained 181 yards on the ground and converted 7 of 13 on third-down. SAGU would total 427 yards of offense with just 178 through the air.

McCullough threw for 355 yards and four touchdowns. He completed 19 of 36 passes to nine different receivers. Zamudio turned his three catches into 126 yards, and the two scores. Jonah Alicea had 70 yards on two catches, while Brandon McLaughlin had four grabs for 54 yards. Jermaine Trotman Jr. had one touchdown on three catches for 50 yards.

Chester-Riley led the rushing attack with 92 yards on 20 carries. Moreland gained 80 yards rushing on12 attempts and totaled 140 all-purpose yards.

Brandon Tomerlin Jr. led the OUAZ defense with 13 tackles (six solo), with Kevon Owens and Josh Gutierrez making eight tackles apiece. This was the first game the Spirit defense didn't record a sack since the end of the 2019 season.

OUAZ now returns home with a six-game winning streak dating back to last season. They will host Texas Wesleyan next Saturday at 7 p.m. at Spirit Field. Tickets are available now at OUAZSpirit.com/tickets.
 
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