COMMERCE – In a game in which the two offensive units combined for 92 points and 947 points, the East Texas A&M University football team found itself on the wrong side of a 50-42 shootout loss to the North Carolina Central Eagles on Saturday night in the Lions' home opener on Ernest Hawkins Field at Memorial Stadium.
 
The high-scoring affair got its first points in less than a minute as Ron Peace (Malakoff) found Tanner Harrison (St. Martinville, La.) for a 73-yard touchdown catch on just the second play from scrimmage.
 
The Eagles came into the game receiving votes in both the AFCA and FCS Stats Perform rankings. NC Central is now 4-2 on the season, including being 3-1 against FCS opponents this season, while East Texas A&M falls to 0-4.
 
On the first drive of the night, NC Central put together an eight-play 78-yard touchdown drive as Chance Peterson caught a 22-yard pass from Walker Harris. The drive was part of a 21-0 scoring run for the Eagles, with Chauncey Spikes adding a 32-yard touchdown catch and Chris Mosley running it in from three yards out.
 
EJ Oakmon (Pflugerville) rushed in a three-yard touchdown, while NCCU's Arthur Rodgers scored from three yards out as well. In the final stretch of the second quarter, Devin Matthews (Seguin) caught a 59-yard touchdown catch from Peace, and Kaleb Robison kicked in a 20-yard field goal to give the Eagles a 31-21 lead at the half.
 
Harris rushed in a touchdown from a yard away to begin the scoring in the third quarter. After a pair of fumbles, the Eagles were awarded a safety thanks to a sack in the end zone.
 
Rodgers added another touchdown in the third quarter, while Peace ran a six-yard touchdown rush and start cutting into the Eagles' deficit. Robison kicked in a 24-yard field goal, while Matthews caught an eight-yard touchdown pass from Eric Rodriguez (Fort Bend Travis).
 
The Lions attempted an onside kick on the next drive and recovered it to put the offense back on the field. Christian Jourdain (New Orleans) brought the Lions within one point with a 21-yard touchdown catch. East Texas A&M was not able to recover the second onside kick, essentially ending the game.
 
Making his season debut, Peace went 19 for 39 with 356 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Rodriguez went 7 for 12 for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns.
 
On the aerial route, Jourdain totaled 119 yards on seven catches, while Harrison recorded 107 yards on two completions, and Matthews picked up 103 yards on five receptions.
 
Defensively, Lavon Williams (San Antonio – Roosevelt) had 17 tackles, followed by 15 from Kyree Anderson (Cy-Lakes), and Koby-Sebasyen King totaled 14 tackles.
 

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The Lions start Southland Conference play at Northwestern State at 6 p.m. next Saturday.