Top Memories from the Battle of the Piney Woods
9/23/2022 10:20:00 AM | Football
HUNTSVILLE - The 96th Battle of the Piney Woods is nearly here, the longest running FCS rivalry in the state of Texas, which has been dominated by Sam Houston in its history.Â
Generations of Bearkats have been privy to numerous memories in the history of this series, one that began in 1923 and has only been halted due to massive global events such as World War II and most recently the COVID-19 global pandemic.Â
But with Sam Houston departing the FCS in 2023 for the FBS and Conference USA, Bearkat Athletics will take a look back at some of the top games and moments in the history of the series, chosen by members of the Bearkat Athletics staff. We will start here with memories 6-10 and will follow up with the top five beginning Monday, September 26 with one a day leading up to Saturday's game with those games being released on @BearkatsFB on Twitter and also updated on GoBearkats.com
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10. October 30, 2004 - Sam Houston 31, Stephen F. Austin 28Â
Just one year after SFA had won on a walk-off field goal by Ryan Rossner, the Bearkats' Steven Hagler blocked a 40-yard field goal attempt by Rossner with just 17 seconds left to preserve a 31-28 victory over the 12th-ranked Lumberjacks in Nacogdoches. The Bearkats scored on their first offensive play, a 57-yard pass from Dustin Long to Jason Mathenia, in a seesaw match that saw four lead changes in the second half. Long completed 20 of his 36 attempts for 367 yards and four scores, including a 19-yard touchdown strike to Bernard Campbell with 8:59 to play that was set up by a halfback pass from Brad Baca and a 42-yard kickoff return from Robert Garmon.
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9. 1930 - Sam Houston 20, Stephen F. Austin 0
At the end of November in 1930, all that stood between head coach J.W. Jones' Sam Houston team and the Bearkats' first ever conference championship was the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. Stephen F. Austin under coach Gene White 1-4-1 in its first six games of the season and were coming off a 64–0 loss at the hands of West Texas A&M the previous week; however, Jones warned the Bearkats that the Lumberjacks would put up a strong effort against their arch rival. And the man who had coached Sam Houston in each of its battles with SFA since the first in 1923 was proven correct. The Sam Houston Alcalde reported "The men from our sister college put up a desperate fight." The article added "But their cause was lost. Driving with determination that could not be denied, the Bearkats steam-rolled the Lumberjacks and won their first conference championship." Dave James, Jackson and Coe each scored touchdowns.
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8. October 18, 2001 - Sam Houston 24, Stephen F. Austin 21
In front of a rowdy Bowers Stadium crowd and the largest regional cable television audience ever to watch a Southland Conference football telecast, the Bearkats defeated 19th-ranked Stephen F. Austin, 24-21. The Kats sacked SFA quarterback Wes Pate four times while not giving up a sack. Sam Houston scored twice in the last two minutes of the first half on a Jonathon Cooper touchdown catch and a 17-yard interception return by PJ Traylor. The Kats would go on to claim the Southland Conference title and advance to the Division I-AA playoffs, defeating Northern Arizona in the opening round for the program's first-ever playoff win.
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7. November 8, 1986 - Sam Houston 30, Stephen F. Austin 26
The Kats trailed SFA 26-21 in the final minutes before scoring the final nine points for a 30-26 win. The winning score came from sophomore tight end Ricky Eggleston who beat double coverage for a diving 39-yard touchdown catch with 34 seconds left after a bad snap by the Lumberjacks had accounted for a safety, cutting the lead to 26-23 with 1:05 to play. Quarterback Reggie Lewis directed SHSU to its second come-from-behind win in seven days. Playing with a tender ankle and bruised ribs, Lewis completed seven of his 10 pass attempts for 134 yards and the late score to Eggleston. Running back Vernon Fulbright carried 19 times for 108 yards and a score, while kicker Billy Hayes connected on field goals of 36, 48 and 36 yards to account for the Kats' first nine points.
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6. October 12, 1996 - Sam Houston 14, Stephen F. Austin 10
A 71-yard punt return for a touchdown with 4:04 to play by Yohance Bree provided the winning points as SHSU upset 4th-ranked SFA on homecoming at Homer Bryce Stadium. The Kats had an early 7-0 lead on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Chad Schramek to Derrick Kent early in the first quarter, but the Kats would not get into the end zone again until Bree's heroics. An SFA touchdown in the second quarter and then a 32-yard field goal by Ryan Smith had SFA ahead early in the second half, but a fired-up defensive performance led by Henry Cofer with 11 tackles, a critical interception and two other pass breakups kept the game within striking distance. Schramek finished with 19 completions for 198 yards and a touchdown while Kent had four grabs for 79 yards a score. After the go-ahead return, SFA drove to the Kat 25 in the final 17 seconds but threw two incomplete passes in the end zone as SHSU held on for the victory, which was only its second win ever in a Southland league opener.
5. October 3, 2015 - Sam Houston 34, Stephen F. Austin 28
4. October 6, 2012 - Sam Houston 51, Stephen F. Austin 43
3. October 1, 2016 - Sam Houston 63, Stephen F. Austin 28
2. October 8, 2011 - Sam Houston 45, Stephen F. Austin 10
Generations of Bearkats have been privy to numerous memories in the history of this series, one that began in 1923 and has only been halted due to massive global events such as World War II and most recently the COVID-19 global pandemic.Â
But with Sam Houston departing the FCS in 2023 for the FBS and Conference USA, Bearkat Athletics will take a look back at some of the top games and moments in the history of the series, chosen by members of the Bearkat Athletics staff. We will start here with memories 6-10 and will follow up with the top five beginning Monday, September 26 with one a day leading up to Saturday's game with those games being released on @BearkatsFB on Twitter and also updated on GoBearkats.com
---
10. October 30, 2004 - Sam Houston 31, Stephen F. Austin 28Â
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9. 1930 - Sam Houston 20, Stephen F. Austin 0
At the end of November in 1930, all that stood between head coach J.W. Jones' Sam Houston team and the Bearkats' first ever conference championship was the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks. Stephen F. Austin under coach Gene White 1-4-1 in its first six games of the season and were coming off a 64–0 loss at the hands of West Texas A&M the previous week; however, Jones warned the Bearkats that the Lumberjacks would put up a strong effort against their arch rival. And the man who had coached Sam Houston in each of its battles with SFA since the first in 1923 was proven correct. The Sam Houston Alcalde reported "The men from our sister college put up a desperate fight." The article added "But their cause was lost. Driving with determination that could not be denied, the Bearkats steam-rolled the Lumberjacks and won their first conference championship." Dave James, Jackson and Coe each scored touchdowns.
Â
8. October 18, 2001 - Sam Houston 24, Stephen F. Austin 21
In front of a rowdy Bowers Stadium crowd and the largest regional cable television audience ever to watch a Southland Conference football telecast, the Bearkats defeated 19th-ranked Stephen F. Austin, 24-21. The Kats sacked SFA quarterback Wes Pate four times while not giving up a sack. Sam Houston scored twice in the last two minutes of the first half on a Jonathon Cooper touchdown catch and a 17-yard interception return by PJ Traylor. The Kats would go on to claim the Southland Conference title and advance to the Division I-AA playoffs, defeating Northern Arizona in the opening round for the program's first-ever playoff win.
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7. November 8, 1986 - Sam Houston 30, Stephen F. Austin 26
The Kats trailed SFA 26-21 in the final minutes before scoring the final nine points for a 30-26 win. The winning score came from sophomore tight end Ricky Eggleston who beat double coverage for a diving 39-yard touchdown catch with 34 seconds left after a bad snap by the Lumberjacks had accounted for a safety, cutting the lead to 26-23 with 1:05 to play. Quarterback Reggie Lewis directed SHSU to its second come-from-behind win in seven days. Playing with a tender ankle and bruised ribs, Lewis completed seven of his 10 pass attempts for 134 yards and the late score to Eggleston. Running back Vernon Fulbright carried 19 times for 108 yards and a score, while kicker Billy Hayes connected on field goals of 36, 48 and 36 yards to account for the Kats' first nine points.
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6. October 12, 1996 - Sam Houston 14, Stephen F. Austin 10
5. October 3, 2015 - Sam Houston 34, Stephen F. Austin 28
We're counting down our favorite @BOTPW memories all week, and today we've got No. 5??
— Sam Houston Football (@BearkatsFB) September 26, 2022
A "Special performance from the Kats in 2015 #EatEmUpKats #BOTPW pic.twitter.com/qyamxYy0gj
4. October 6, 2012 - Sam Houston 51, Stephen F. Austin 43
We're counting down our favorite @BOTPW memories all week, and today we've got No. 4??
— Sam Houston Football (@BearkatsFB) September 27, 2022
We go back to 2012 with a 92-yard Pick6 that was one for the Books #EatEmUpKats #BOTPW pic.twitter.com/uoRNi4hK2U
3. October 1, 2016 - Sam Houston 63, Stephen F. Austin 28
We're counting down our favorite @BOTPW memories all week, and today we've got No. 3??
— Sam Houston Football (@BearkatsFB) September 28, 2022
How do you describe the 2016 game?
Blowout. Breakout. Briscoe. #EatEmUpKats #BOTPW pic.twitter.com/0bplMj6txb
2. October 8, 2011 - Sam Houston 45, Stephen F. Austin 10
We're counting down our favorite @BOTPW memories all week, and today we've got No. 2??
— Sam Houston Football (@BearkatsFB) September 29, 2022
The Kats showed up for a party in 2011, and had a Flippin' good time. #EatEmUpKats #BOTPW pic.twitter.com/tbBve0wvaV
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