COMMERCE – For the second week in a row, the game was in the balance in the final minute, and for the second week in a row, the East Texas A&M University football team came out victorious, beating the HCU Huskies 41-40, on Saturday afternoon on Ernest Hawkins Field in Memorial Stadium.
 
The Lions fell behind 40-28 in the second half, but scored a touchdown with just 36 seconds left in the game on a 2-yard touchdown catch from Sean Sallis (Carrollton – Creekview) from Ron Peace (Malakoff) to put the Lions ahead, but they missed the two-point try.
 
The Huskies got the ball at their own 25-yard line and drove down and attempted a game-winning field goal from 44 yards away with 11 seconds left. The kick was no good, but the Huskies got another try on an untimed down due to a Lion penalty, but the 39-yard penalty was no good either.
 
The Lions have won two in a row to improve to 3-8 on the season and are now 2-3 in Southland Conference play. HCU falls to 4-7 overall and 2-4 in conference play. The Lions move to 3-1 all-time against the Huskies.
 
HCU scored the first points of the game with a 36-yard interception returned for touchdown by Semaj Brown in the first quarter. The Lions tied the game with 3:24 left in the quarter on a one-yard touchdown run by BK Jackson (Missouri City – Ridge Pointe).
 
Less than two minutes later, Max Epps (Spring – Dekaney) put the Lions ahead with a 55-yard interception returned for a touchdown. Christian Jourdain (New Orleans, La.) put the Lions up 21-7 with a 20-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter.
 
The Huskies climbed back into the game with 45-yard touchdown catch AJ Wilson from Cutter Stewart to trim the Lion lead down to 21-14 at the half.
 
Dillon Fedor added a pair of field goals in the third quarter, from 36 yards and 29 yards out, respectively to make it a one-point game. Wilson caught a 67-yard touchdown pass, and then broke away for a 75-yard touchdown catch to put the Huskies up 33-21.
 
The Lions halted the Huskies' scoring stretch with a 15-yard touchdown from Peace to Jourdain, but Champ Dozier returned the ensuing kickoff, 97 yards, for a touchdown.
 
Trailing 40-28, Jourdain caught his third touchdown of the day, this time a 17-yard pass from Peace with 25 seconds left in the third quarter to bring the Lions within six entering the fourth quarter.
 
Fedor came in the game having made all his 13 field goal tries on the season, but had one kick blocked by Devante Keys (Cy Ranch) and missed the game-winning attempt at the end of the game.
 
Peace finished the game, throwing for 400 yards and four touchdowns on 40 for 65 passing with two interceptions. Jourdain totaled 105 yards and three touchdowns on six catches. The Lions outgained the Huskies, 488-425.
 
Brandon Tucker (DeSoto) had team-high 11 tackles along with a fumble recovery, while both Kyree Anderson (Cy Lakes) and Jacory Brown (Rowlett) forced fumbles. Epps stuffed the stat sheet with four tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, one fumble recovery, one interception returned for touchdown, and one pass breakup.
 
Luke Jackson (Bensalem, Pa.) went 5 for 5 in point-after attempts, though did miss a field goal attempt.

POST GAME INTERVIEW
 
UP NEXT
The Lions welcome No. 6 UIW, who has already clinched the SLC title, next Saturday for Senior Day with kick-off set for 1 p.m. for the season finale. Tickets can be purchased at LionAthletics.com/tickets.