Redshirt freshman wide receiver Jesse Vester caught two touchdown passes to lead the Northeastern A&M Golden Norsemen to a 21-14 victory Saturday over Cisco Junior College before a small crowd at Robertson Field.


While earning their first victory out of five Southwest Junior College Football Conference games, the Golden Norse are 3-5 on the season. The loss dropped the Wranglers to 0-5 in the conference and 1-6 on the season.
Coach Sherard Poteete's Norsemen conclude the regular season next Saturday with a 1 p.m. conference matchup with the Navarro College Bulldogs in Corsicana, Texas. The No. 14th ranked Bulldogs carried a 2-2 league record and a 5-2 overall mark to Brenham, Texas Saturday for a conference clash with Blinn College.
Vester (5-11, 205 from Stillwater) ended a 60-yard drive on four plays by the Golden Norsemen with a nifty 46-yard pass from freshman quarterback Tony Kiefer on the opening series of the game. Tyler Cortez kicked the point-after with 13:14 left in the first quarter for a 7-0 NEO lead.
Cisco responded by mounting a 80-yard, eight-play drive on their third possession of the game. The Wranglers moved down to the NEO 8-yard line for a first-and-goal situation.
After two ineffective running plays, Wranglers quarterback Tanner Rodgers attempted to force a pass into the endzone to wide out Tre Johnson.
Veteran NEO free safety Kieshawn Richardson stepped in front of the pass to thwart the Cisco scoring opportunity with 1:23 left in the first quarter.
Cisco missed another chance to put points on the scoreboard with 11:27 left in the second quarter after freshman placekicker Dillon Westfall missed a 27-yard field goal attempt wide left.
With the Norsemen taking possession, Kiefer attempted a slant pass to Samory Collier only to have the ball intercepted and returned 55 yards for a pick-six by Cisco strong safety Deon Price. The extra point by Westfall at the 10:28 juncture created a 7-7 tie.
NEO failed to capitalize on a scoring chance as Cortez had a 46-yard field goal attempt blocked by Cisco middle linebacker Brian Hine with 3:44 until halftime.
Midway through the third quarter the Golden Norsemen marched 63 yards in seven plays before freshman tailback Kendall Holmes scored on a 3-yard run. Cortez added the extra point with 6:32 showing on the clock for a 14-7 NEO lead.
With time running out in the third quarter, Westfall was called upon for a 37-yard field goal try by the Wranglers, but once again the ball veered off to the left as Cisco trailed entering the fourth quarter.
After being pinned at their own 10-yard line by a 55-yard punt from Kiefer, the Wranglers put together a time consuming 90-yard, 11-play scoring drive.
Redshirt freshman fullback Dre Raindle concluded the drive with a 4-yard tounchdown run with 5:44 remaining in the game. The PAT by Westfall created a 14-14 tie.
Following a 49-yard return by NEO's Devron Moore to the Cisco 48-yard line on the ensuing kickoff, redshirt sophomore Mitch Manley replaced Kiefer under center for the Norsemen.
Manley found Vester in full stride on a post pattern for a 43-yard touchdown pass on the third play of the series. The extra point by Cortez with 4:18 left on the clock gave the Golden Norse a 21-14 cushion.
Richardson contributed his second interception of the game to virtually end Cisco's attempt at a comeback with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
Sophomore tailback Elliot Hawkins paced the Golden Norse ground game with 90 yards on 19 carries while Holmes contributed 40 yards on seven attempts with one TD.
Kiefer completed 3 of 8 passes for 56 yards and one TD with two interceptions. Manley completed 2 of 3 passes for 47 yards and a touchdown.
While NEO's offense managed only 249 total yards, the Wranglers generated 352 total yards after gaining no yards on five passes during the first two quarters.
Raindle led the Cisco ground game with 108 yards on 16 carries and one TD. Reserve running back Joseph Paden added 77 yards on eight carries.
After Rodgers went 0-for-5 in the passing department during the first half, redshirt freshman Jacorey McQueen entered the game at the 10-minute mark of the third quarter and connected on 6 of 13 passes for 63 yards.
Cisco;0;7;0;7 14
Northeastern A&M;7;0;7;7 21
Scoring summary
First quarter
NEO Vester 46 pass from Kiefer (Cortez kick), 13:14
Second quarter
CJC Price 55 interception return (Westfall kick)
Third quarter
NEO Holmes 3 run (Cortez kick), 6:32
Fourth quarter
CJC Raindle 4 run (Westfall kick), 5:44
NEO Vester 43 pass from Manley (Cortez kick), 4:18
Team statistics
CJC;NEO
First downs;17;13
Rushes-yards;49-289;49-146
Passing yards;63;103
Return yards;79;46
Passes-com-att-int;6-20-3;5-11-2
Punts-avg;3-35;5-46
Fumbles-lost;2-1;2-0
Penalties-yards;5-41;5-55
Individual statistics
RUSHING Cisco Raindle 16-108;Paden 8-77;Cowthran 13-50;McQueen 8-28;Rodgers 4-21;NEO Hawkins 19-90;Holmes 7-40;Kiefer 13-25;Collier 1-20;Warrington 1-8;Myers 1-4;Manley 1-(-2);Wilson 6-(-39).
PASSING Cisco McQueen 6-13-0-63;Rodgers 0-7-3-0;NEO Kiefer 3-8-2-56;Manley 2-3-0-47.
RECEIVING Cisco Johnson 4-47;Paden 1-11;Bustos 1-5;NEO Vester 2-89;White 2-10;Hawkins 1-4.