KINGSVILLE, Texas -- The Central Washington University football team scored 34 unanswered points to win its season opener over Texas A&M University-Kingsville by a score of 34-10.
 
The win also marks the first victory over the Javelinas, revenging a 21-14 loss in the 2013 opener in Ellensburg, and gives the Wildcats its first 1-0 record since 2009.
 
"Being 1-0 every week is something we always preach and this is the first time we can say that we are 1-0 to start the season," CWU Head Coach Ian Shoemaker said.   "This was a good win against a very good football team.  We looked around the stadium and saw their seven national championship banners, so to come down here and get a win on the road against this team is big, and our guys should be proud."
 
Junior quarterback Reilly Hennessey got the starting nod, and threw for 144 yards and a touchdown.  The nimble signal caller also led the Wildcats with 87 yards rushing on 14 carries.
 
Sophomore quarterback JoJo Hillel also helped the Wildcats across the goal line, throwing a 38 yard touchdown pass to Kyle Self on a trick play, followed by a four-yard touchdown run late in the 4^th quarter.  Hillel saw action at wide receiver and caught one pass for 15 yards.
 
"We knew we were, and are, going to use JoJo [Hillel] all over the place.  He is a dynamic athlete that makes a big impact in games, "  Shoemaker said of his sophomore quarterback.   "He is so versatile that if he isn't under center, he can still be an asset.  We are just scraping the surface of the type of weapon he can be for us this season."
 
Defensively, CWU was led by all-GNAC safety Jackson Huerta who had a game-high 12 tackles (6 solo), and hauled down an interception, taking it back 96 yards down to the TAMUK three-yard line late in the 4^th quarter to set up an Austin Pernell touchdown to put the Javelinas away for good.
 
The defense for the Wildcats held the Javelinas to just 88 yards on the ground and was especially dominant on third downs where TAMUK converted on just 1 of 14 attempts. 
 
"Getting off the field on third down is a big goal and Coach [Scott] Power and the defense did a good job of putting them [TAMUK] at the disadvantage," Shoemaker added.  "We hit the quarterback a lot.  Billy Greer was in the back field all night, and it was fun to see these guys pin their ears back and get after the QB."
 
Central totaled five sacks on the day with sophomore Billy Greer grabbing two, while seniors Nicholas Aumua, Bo Banner, and James Fakkema each recorded one.
 
1^ST HALF
The Javelinas kicked a field goal on the opening possession of the game, and followed two drives later with a 56-yard touchdown run by Nick Pelrean to take a 10-0 lead midway through the first quarter.
 
The Wildcat offense shook off a slow start to put together an 11-play, 81-yard drive, capped by a nine-yard connection from Hennessey to Nate Rauda, giving CWU its first points of the season and cut the TAMUK lead to three with 14-minutes to play in the first half. 
 
With 3:06 to go in the half, the Wildcats got the ball back and immediately got into Javelina territory off a 23-yard scamper by Hennessey.  On the next play, Justin Peterson hauled in a 39 yard pass down to the five yard line.  Following after a string of penalties by both teams, Christian Cummings rammed his way into the end zone from a yard out to give the Wildcats a 14-10 lead heading into halftime.
 
2^ND HALF
Central went 75 yards on the opening possession of the second half capped by a 38-yard touchdown pass from Hillel to Self.  Hillel lined up at wide out and took a jet sweep left.  When the defense crashed, he threw to his wide open tight end who danced around a defender for the score.
 
Hillel struck again at the start of the fourth quarter on a four-yard keeper from the pistol formation to put the Wildcats up 27-10.
 
After a pair of CWU turnovers, Huerta sealed the game with an interception on the goal line, returning the pick 96 yards to the TAMUK four yard line where Austin Pernell pushed through the defense three plays later to give Central the final 34-10 advantage.
 
UP NEXT
Central Washington will host its home opener next Saturday (Sept. 9) when Western Oregon comes to town. The game is set for a 1 p.m. kickoff at Tomlinson Stadium.
 
To purchase tickets to next week's game click HERE.