KINGSVILLE, Texas – Texas A&M-Kingsville reached the end zone on its first two possessions and held off a second half comeback effort by the Miners to come away with a 38-20 win Saturday night.

Shawn Vasquez scored twice in the first nine minutes of play to give the Javelinas an early lead that they would not relinquish, dropping the Miners to 0-2 in the process heading into their Great Lakes Valley Conference opener next week.

Following a three-and out by the Miners on their opening possession, the Javelinas scored on their first play from scrimmage as Vasquez reversed his field on a running play and went 66 yards for a touchdown just 1:07 into the contest.

On TAMUK's next possession, the Miners forced the Javelinas into a fourth-and-three, but on that play, Greg Pitre escaped from the defense and ran 28 yards to the S&T nine-yard line.  After a pair of penalties on the Javelinas pushed them back close to the 30, they got into the end zone again three plays later on a three-yard run by Vasquez.

S&T got a turnover on a sack of TAMUK quarterback Myles Carr the next time it went on the field, with Eli Thomas (Valdosta, Ga./Valdosta) recovering the fumble at the Miner 47-yard line.  Miner quarterback Lamar Wilkes (Maryland Heights, Mo./Pattonville) completed a third down pass to Ben Matthews (Platte City, Mo./Platte County) to continue the drive, then scrambled 13 yards on a fourth down play to get another first down.

However, the drive stalled and a 37-yard field goal attempt by Nolan Mannino (Waterloo, Ill./Waterloo) sailed wide to the left.

S&T thwarted another Javelina scoring chance early in the second quarter when Albert Yemitan (Houston, Texas/Western Illinois Univ.) intercepted a Carr pass in the end zone.  After an exchange of punts after the interception – including a 65-yard boot by Mannino – the Miners reached the Javelinas' four-yard line before settling for a 21-yard field goal by Mannino to get on the scoreboard at the 5:16 mark of the second quarter.

But after getting good field position with 1:28 to go in the half, Carr completed a third down pass to Jordan Thomas to reach the S&T 20, then scrambled away from the Miner pass rush to complete a scoring pass to Anthony Autry, giving the Javelinas a 21-3 advantage that they would take to the locker room.

Texas A&M-Kingsville added to its lead on the initial possession of the second half when Thomas caught a four-yard touchdown pass, but S&T answered with a scoring drive of its own.  Moments after Wilkes completed a 28-yard pass to Spencer Elrod (Lancaster, Calif./Eastside), he threw a 27-yard scoring pass to Braxton Graham (Seneca, Mo./Seneca) to make it 28-10.

The Miners nearly had a turnover midway through the third quarter, but Landon Compton (Lamar, Mo./Lamar)'s apparent interception was wiped out by a holding penalty.  Two plays later, the Miners got the ball on a fumble as the result of a bad snap, then moved deep into Javelina territory thanks to 16-yard runs by D'Luis West (Troup, Texas/Troup) and Wilkes.

Wilkes completed a third down pass to Elrod to reach the TAMUK 12-yard line, then completed the drive by scoring on a quarterback keeper from the four to cut the Javelina lead to 28-17.

The Javelinas responded as reserve quarterback Stevie Joe Dorman kept the possession alive by completing a third down pass, then followed by throwing a pass in the flat to Autry that he took 50 yards to the end zone.  Early in the fourth quarter, the Javelinas blocked a punt that led to a 19-yard field goal by Max Lehnig.

Mannino kicked a 28-yard field goal in the late stages of the contest to close the scoring.

The Miners were outgained by the Javelinas 445-267, although the teams played on essentially even terms after TAMUK took its initial 14-0 lead.  Elrod caught five passes for 64 yards, while Matthews had four receptions for 26 yards.  Wilkes had 38 yards on the ground as the Miners finished with 115 for the game.

Jeremi Ross (Valencia, Calif./Hollywood) led the S&T defense with 10 tackles, while Compton and Austin Truvillion (Kansas City, Mo./Park Hill) finished with eight apiece.

The Javelinas got big nights from Vasquez, who gained 116 yards on 13 carries and Autry, who caught six passes for 125 yards and two scores.

The Miners will open their conference schedule next Saturday when they face Truman State in Kirksville, Mo.  Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.