Final Stats

SAN ANGELO, Texas – In an emotionally charged game that honored 24 seniors at San Angelo Stadium Saturday, the Angelo State football team came up short to Lone Star Conference foe Tarleton State, 28-23.  The Rams' defense – that features nine seniors – helped limit the Texans to just nine yards rushing for the game, while senior running back Tristan Carter had a career high 145 yards rushing.
 
“It was a tough experience (Saturday) being a first-time head coach and having these guys play their last game and it not ending the way we wanted it to,” said head coach Will Wagner. “We have a great group of 24 seniors that gave everything they had and just came up short.”
 
Angelo State (5-6, 2-6 LSC) rushed for 181 yards in the contest and finished with 472 yards of total offense, which is the second-highest offensive output this season. Tarleton (6-5, 5-3 LSC) was one dimensional in its offensive attack, as 387 of its 396 total yards came through the air. Texans' quarterback Nick Stevens was 26-of-43 for 387 yards and a touchdown.
 
Angelo State had no problem moving the ball in the first half, as the Rams recorded 11 first downs compared to Tarleton's six. ASU was threatening late in the first quarter, but an errant throw by starting quarterback Jake Strickler was picked off by Tarleton's Desmond Jackson. The junior safety returned the ball 88 yards for a score to give the Texans an early 7-0 lead.
 
The quick-scoring Texans' offense bit the Rams for another touchdown after a three-play, 20-second drive resulting in six. The drive was capped on an 8-yard scamper by Tarleton running back Courtney Vaughn.
 
Angelo State's confidence was not shaken by the early deficit, as the Rams' orchestrated a 14-play, 85-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown. Carter finished the drive for ASU, as the senior powered his way into the end zone from 10-yards out. ASU would enter halftime trailing 14-7.
 
An inspired Angelo State offensive came out of the locker room at halftime and took just three plays to equalize the score at 14-14. On a delayed handoff, Carter made the first Tarleton defender miss then sprinted 70-yards for his 11th touchdown of the season.  The Tucker, Ga., native finished the season with 926 rushing yards and concluded his career with 1,529 yards on the ground, which ranks 11th in program history.  
 
“I felt like I played well,” Carter said, “I just tried to leave everything on the field; I wanted to play my heart out.”
 
After converting on a fake punt in the first half, the Rams' gambled again in the third quarter but came up empty. With a short field, the Texans needed just three plays to take a 21-14 lead after Stephens' found Vaughn on a 13-yard touchdown strike.
 
ASU's Jarred Martin chipped in a 20-yard field goal to trim the deficit to 21-17, but the Texans' countered with a nine-play drive that resulted in six.
 
Now trailing 28-17, Angelo State methodically marched the ball down the field. The eight-play drive concluded when Strickler threw a touchdown strike to senior tight end Nate Bayless with 2:08 left to play.
 
After a failed onside-kick attempt, the ASU defense forced the Texans into a 34-yard field goal attempt. Blake Weist pulled the kick left, and Angelo State took over on the 20-yard line with 0:21 left.
 
On the first play, Stickler connected with C.J. Akins for 26 yards to put the ball near midfield. With no timeouts and time running out, Strickler was forced into a desperation heave that resulted in his second interception of the game.
 
Angelo State finished the 2011 season 5-6 and 2-6 in the Lone Star Conference.