ECU Sports
Teri LaJeunese, Sports Information Director
ADA – The East Central University football team fell, 38-10, to Arkansas Tech on the 2017 Homecoming and Senior Day game at Norris Field at Koi Ishto Stadium.
The Tigers (2-7 GAC) trailed the Wonder Boys (7-2 GAC) 425 to 316 in total offensive yards, with the biggest difference coming in the air (288-172).
ECU was led by freshman Ontario Douglas, who recorded his fourth 100+ yard game of the season. Douglas rushed 22 times for 111 yards. Junior Rayjohn Austin-Ramsey went 17-of-32 for 172 yards a TD, with junior Trinity Benson and sophomore Dilland Gardner earning five catches each. Benson garnered 68 yards and Gardner 60, while senior Devyn Williams recorded the lone touchdown for ECU with 21 yards rushing.
The Tiger defense was well balanced, with five players recording six tackles, two fix and two four. Freshman RJ Williams earned six (4-2) tackles and five tackles-for-loss (seven yards), while junior Chauncey Davis added six (3-3) tackles, a sack (two yards) and three tackles-for-loss (six yards).
ATU started the scoring on their first offensive possession and pushed the lead to 14-0 by the end of the first quarter.
ECU cut the deficit by three (14-3) at 10:11 in the second quarter when freshman Bobby Schmidt connected on a 36-yard field goal.
The Wonder Boys responded with a touchdown five minutes later (21-3), before the Tigers scored the final points of the first half, with 1:37 left.
Williams caught a 20-yard pass from Austin-Ramsey that capped off an eight-play; 77-yard drive and ended the half with ATU leading 21-10.
The rest of the scoring in the game came from the Wonder Boys, as ATU added a TD and field goal in the third quarter (31-10) and a touchdown in the fourth for the 38-10 final.
The Tigers will now spend the rest of the 2017 season on the road. ECU will first head to Searcy, Ark., to face Harding, Saturday, Nov. 4 at 2 p.m.