KINGSVILLE, Texas – Humboldt State rallied from an 11-point deficit and scored 24 unanswered points to upend Texas A&M-Kingsville, 27-14, in the season opener for both teams Saturday.
 
The win snapped a 13-game losing streak for the Lumberjacks dating back to the 2012 season.
 
"It's obviously huge anytime you get a season-opening win," said Head Coach Rob Smith. "I am so happy for our players and coaches. Last year we had one of those seasons. It was a perfect storm where everything that could go wrong, went wrong.  Tonight our kids were resilient. Even down 14-3 at the beginning of the second half, there wasn't doubt. We needed someone to step up and make a play (and they did). Once we got momentum we never turned back."
 
Momentum seemed to swing in the Javelinas direction to begin the second half as Anthony Washington returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. But the Lumberjacks bounced back and scored 24 unanswered points to close out the game.
 
HSU opened the non-conference showdown with a seven-play, 40-yard drive that resulted in a 49-yard Matt Bruder field goal, which gave the Jacks a 3-0 advantage. The march was highlighted by a 35-yard strike from true freshman quarterback Robert Webber to receiver Kelechi Nwadibia, Webber's longest pass of the day.
 
"I thought he played with great confidence," said Smith about his freshman quarterback's first collegiate start. "I thought as the game went on, especially in the second half, that he began to settle in. The kid's got great confidence and even more importantly he has the confidence of his teammates."
 
After three unsuccessful drives, the Javelina offense scored its first points of the afternoon on a Jordan Thomas 72-yard end around run. The touchdown drive came after the Jacks failed to connect on 27-yard field goal on their previous offensive chance, one of two missed field goals in the opening half.
 
Neither team was able to add to its score for the remainder of the half and the Jacks trailed 7-3 at the break.
 
Washington's touchdown and the ejection of defensive leader Jeremiah Maluia for targeting seemed to spell doom for the Jacks. However, Codey Heidebrecht's blocked punt and Khaalid Abdullah's recovery in the end zone for a touchdown with nine minutes left in the third quarter reenergized the Jacks and silenced a Javelina crowd of 7,500.
 
Things went from bad to worse for the Javelinas on the ensuing possession when quarterback Trey Mitchell's pass was intercepted by Travis Hansen. Hansen returned the ball to the Javelina 18, but HSU was unable to capitalize on the field position and turnover. Hansen led HSU defenders with six total tackles (five solo), and Alex Markarian and Anthony Ezirm each had half a sack. Defensive back Nick Sharpe led the team with three pass breakups.
 
The Jacks' offense picked up on their next possession as freshman running back Ja'Quan Gardner carried the ball three times for 63 yards and a touchdown. Gardner's 17-yard touchdown run, the first of his college career, gave HSU a 17-14 lead.
 
Webber dialed up newcomer Cass White for a 12-yard touchdown on the team's first drive of the fourth quarter to put the Jacks ahead 24-14. White, a transfer from Southern Nazarene, finished the game with a team-high five receptions for 59 yards. 
 
Bruder added a 43-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach for the Javelinas. He was 2-for-6 in field goal opportunities Saturday, but 3-for-3 in PAT kicks.
 
HSU fed the ball to Gardner almost exclusively in the game's final quarter. He rushed for 74 of his team-leading 156 yards in the fourth quarter and averaged 9.2 yards a carry in the opener. Senior Nick Ricciardulli added 62 rushing yards and the Jacks compiled 209 total yards on the ground.
 
The Jacks return to action Saturday, Sept. 13, as they host Great Northwest Athletic Conference rival Azusa Pacific at the Redwood Bowl. The Cougars are fresh off a nationally-televised victory over No. 2 Grand Valley State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. PT.