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SFA Wins Opener, 30-14

Special to the N.E.T. Sports Gazette

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Derek Farmer rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown and Michael Williams passed for 222 yards and three touchdowns as SFA beat Henderson State, 30-14 in the 2004 opener for both teams.

Williams helped set the pace for the Lumberjacks with his accurate passing completing 17 of 28 passes for 222 yards and three scores. He also was intercepted once.

Farmer helped balance the SFA offensive attack with 132 yards on 26 carries. He averaged 5.1 yards per attempt and scored one touchdown with 7:44 in the fourth quarter to help seal the win. His two yard plunge capped a 10-play, 40-yard drive late in the game.

Nine different Lumberjacks picked up a catch on the night with Tony Tompkins leading the team with five receptions for 78 yards and a score.

Miguel Toulon and Michael Motte also had touchdown receptions in the game. SFA had 478 yards of total offense while allowing 327 yards to the Reddies.

Henderson State rushed for 288 yards on the night. Preseason all-conference linebacker Eric Robinson led the 'Jacks with 13 tackles on the night and LB Jeremy Davis also added 12 tackles for SFA. Included among Davis' 12 tackles were three tackles for losses. Jack Criss and Krys Williams each picked up a fumble recovery and Williams also added an interception as SFA forced three turnovers on the night.

The 'Jacks return to action Sept. 11 against top-25 ranked Northern Arizona in Homer Bryce Stadium.

SFA Ranked 16th In Sports Network Poll

Special to the N.E.T. Sports Gazette

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjack football team is ranked 16th in the nation in a preseason poll conducted by The Sports Network. The `Jacks open the season Sept. 2 against Henderson State. The initial Sports Network poll of the season ranks defending national champions, Delaware at number one, followed by Southern Illinois, Montana, Wofford and Colgate.

Four of the `Jacks 11 opponents this season are ranked in the preseason poll with Northern Iowa at number six, McNeese State at number eight, Northern Arizona at number 14 and Northwestern State at number 18.

SFA was also ranked 17th in the ESPN/USAToday coaches poll released last week.

Team (First-place votes) 2003 Record Points 2003 Final Rank

1. Delaware (57) 15-1 1,753 1

2. Southern Illinois (7) 10-2 1,569 9

3. Montana (3) 9-4 1,500 14

4. Wofford (1) 12-2 1,406 3

5. Colgate 15-1 1,323 2

6. Northern Iowa (2) 10-3 1,316 5

7. Furman (1) 6-5 1,225 NR

8. McNeese State 10-2 1,150 8

9. Villanova 7-4 1,039 25

10. Georgia Southern 7-4 969 24

11. Maine 7-5 893 NR

12. Western Illinois 9-4 839 6

13. Western Kentucky 9-4 816 7

14. Northern Arizona 9-4 728 10

15. Montana State 7-6 654 21

16. Stephen F. Austin 7-4 583 NR

17. Grambling State 9-3 576 17

18. Northwestern State 6-6 558 NR

19. Massachusetts 10-3 557 11

20. Appalachian State 7-4 462 NR

21. Eastern Kentucky 7-5 434 NR

22. Northeastern 8-4 395 20

23. Lehigh 8-3 328 23

24. North Carolina A & T 10-3 281 16

25. Penn 10-0 222 12

Others receiving votes (in order of points, minimum of five required): Southern (221), Northern Colorado (216), Bethune-Cookman (125), Jacksonville State (120), Idaho State (108), Eastern Washington (95), Cal Poly (78), Gardner-Webb (72), South Carolina State (69), Hampton (40), Harvard (37), Illinois State (26), Sam Houston State (24), Nicholls State (22), Yale (22), Samford (20), Alabama A & M (16), Weber State (15), Youngstown State (15), James Madison (10), Southeast Missouri (10), New Hampshire (9), Southeastern Louisiana (8), Fordham (7), Tennessee State (6), Alabama State (5), Portland State (5), VMI (5) ™

Lumberjacks Report Sunday To Open Fall Camp

Special to the N.E.T. Sports Gazette

Ninety players set to report Sunday afternoon to begin fall camp 2004.

NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Members of the Stephen F. Austin State University football team will report Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. in the SFA field house for the opening of fall camp. The first practice of the preseason is set for Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. in the stadium.

The 'Jacks will work out each evening at 7:30 p.m. for the first week in a series of conditioning drills. The first two-a-day practices will be next Saturday, Aug. 14.

SFA opens the season Sept. 2 against Henderson State, in Nacogdoches. The opener is the first of seven home games on the schedule for 2004.

SFA Picked High In Both Preseason Football Polls

Sports Information Directors pick 'Jacks as preseason favorite while head coaches pick them second.

Special to the N.E.T. Sports Gazette

PLANO, Texas -- Three-time defending Southland Conference football champion McNeese State University has been picked by the head coaches of the league to once again capture the SLC title. Unlike a year ago, the Cowboys are not the overwhelming picks in 2004 as they narrowly edged second-place Stephen F. Austin State University in the coaches' voting and were picked second to the Lumberjacks in this year's sports information directors poll.

McNeese received three first-place votes from the head coaches while SFA picked up two and Northwestern State University got one nod as the teams to beat. McNeese, which has won its last 16 Southland Conference games, dating back to the 2001 season, tallied 23 points from the coaches while SFA picked up 22. Northwestern State is a close third with 18 points while Sam Houston State University (12), Nicholls State University (10) and Texas State University (5) round out the coaches selections. SFA picked up three first-place votes from the SIDs, McNeese received two and Northwestern State one to finish in that order in the poll. Nicholls State and Sam Houston State flip-flop spots in the SID's predicted order with Texas State rounding out the list.

Last year, McNeese posted a 10-2 record and won the league title with a 5-0 mark. The Cowboys, who were ranked No. 1 nationally all but one week in 2003, played in the NCAA I-AA playoffs for the third straight year and the 11th time in the past 13 years. McNeese returns 49 lettermen from that squad, including five starters on offense, four on defense and both the punter and place kicker.

Quarterback Scott Pendarvis, who ranked second in the SLC in both passing and total offense last year, returns for his senior season. He completed 142-of-244 passes for 2,186 yards and 18 touchdowns and now ranks fourth on McNeese's all-time passing chart with 4,673 yards. SFA returns a number of offensive weapons from the 2003 team, which posted a 7-4 record and finished second to McNeese with a 4-1 league mark. The 'Jacks have added transfer running back Derek Farmer from Texas A&M. Quarterback Michael Williams returns after earning first-team All-SLC honors a year ago. In addition, three of the five offensive starters up front return for the Lumberjacks.

Northwestern State is expected to be in the hunt with the return of 53 lettermen, including six standouts named preseason first-team All-SLC. Derrick Johnese leads that group as the junior is the top returning running back in the league after compiling 923 yards and 11 touchdowns a season ago.

Sam Houston State University is expected to be much improved with a lot of excitement generated by a couple of transfer quarterbacks. Texas A&M transfer Dustin Long and Oklahoma transfer Noah Allen went through spring practices with the Bearkats and will battle for the starting spot this fall. Long (6-3, 210) was listed as the starter after a very solid showing in spring drills.

Jarod Fuller and Vincent Cartwright return as starting receivers for the Bearkats after finishing first and sixth in the Southland in receptions per game last year. Fuller, a sophomore, averaged 5.33 catches while Cartwright came in at 3.30 a game. Teammate Bernard Campbell ranked tied for seventh with 3.00 a game and returns for his senior season. Add to that list, four returnees who are preseason first-team All-SLC picks in tight end Corey Roberts, running back Jason Godfrey and offensive linemen Steve Izevbizua and Chris Louvier.

Nicholls State continued its climb up the standings a year ago to finish in sole possession of third place in the Southland. The much-improved Colonels finished tied for seventh in both 1999 and 2000, climbed to sixth in 2001, tied for third in 2002 and took over third place a year ago. Now, the challenge will be replacing eight offensive and seven defensive starters off the 2003 squad.

Texas State University first-year head coach David Bailiff will take on an aggressive schedule with six road games, including a battle with the Baylor Bears, as he starts the rebuilding process. A former player and assistant coach of the Bobcats, Bailiff was hired on Feb. 5 by his alma mater after a 4-8 season in 2003.

Sunday Sept. 5, 2004

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