BELTON, Texas – Hardin-Simmons' sixth-ranked football team picked up a dominating 44-21 win over Mary Hardin-Baylor on homecoming at Fredenburg Field in Belton on Saturday afternoon.
 
Dameon Gomes took the opening kickoff 39 yards to put the Cowboys in good position and Kyle Brown hit Kris Sims for a 37-yard completion. HSU ended up with a Grayson Bearden 33-yard field goal to take the early lead.
 
HSU added to the lead late in the first quarter when Brown hit Wes Douglas on a 388-yard touchdown on a flea flicker. Bearden's PAT was blocked, making the score 9-0.
 
Early in the second quarter, freshman Micah Henderson had his second interception of the game and returned the ball 28 yards for a touchdown.
 
HSU added a 29-yard touchdown run from Noah Garcia with 3:17 to play in the half. The Cowboy defense then forced a quick punt by the Cru and HSU went 61 yards in :54 and Brown hit Dozie Ifeadi on a 28-yard touchdown pass to push the lead to 30-0 at halftime.
 
In the first half, HSU's defense forced four interceptions and limited the Cru to 108 yards in the half. UMHB was 1-for-13 passing in the half.
 
HSU forced a punt on the second half's opening drive for the Cru and then Brown hit Sims on an 82-yard touchdown pass. The defense then stopped the Cru again and HSU went 83 yards in eight plays to take a 44-0 lead with 2:47 to play in the third quarter.
 
The Cru scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter. Kamerin Ferguson had a 2-yard run with 8:11 to play, Cameron Bibbins a 4-yard run with 2:00 to play and after an on-side kick recovery Jake Wright hit Myller Royals on a 34-yard touchdown with :24 to play.  
 
Kyle Brown went 16-for-23 for 307 yards with four touchdowns. Harrison Foster and Charlie Patterson led the defense with 10 tackles each and Henderson had two of the four interceptions.
 
The win was the first for the Cowboys in Belton since a 49-22 win in 2004 and the first ever at Crusader Stadium. The 44 points are the most the Cowboys have scored in the series since that game.
 
HSU improved to 5-0 overall and 2-0 in ASC action. UMHB fell to 3-2 overall and 1-1 in league play. The Cowboys will play at McMurry next week in the Wilford Moore Trophy game. Kickoff is slated for 6 p.m.  
 
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