Tyler Junior College’s No. 12 Apaches secured a spot in the Southwest Junior College Football Conference (SWJCFC) semifinals, clinching the No. 3 seed with a 31-14 victory over New Mexico Military on Saturday, October 24, at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. The Homecoming win moved TJC to a 6-3 overall record and 4-3 in conference play.
The Apaches will advance to face No. 2 seed Navarro (6-3, 5-2) in the SWJCFC semifinals. The playoff game is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, at Community Bank & Trust Stadium in Corsicana. Navarro enters the semifinals after a 27-14 loss to Snow (Utah) on Saturday.
In Saturday’s contest, Tyler Junior College established an early lead with two sustained offensive drives in the first quarter. The first drive spanned 13 plays for 85 yards, culminating in a 4-yard touchdown run by Luke Ullrich. Aiden Moore’s extra point put TJC ahead 7-0. The Apaches then marched 93 yards in 10 plays, capped by a 1-yard score from freshman tight end Austin Boren on a motion handoff, extending the lead to 14-0 after another successful PAT from Moore.
New Mexico Military scored early in the second quarter when Jaydn Wood caught a 6-yard pass from Brandon Mann, followed by a Cohen Hurst extra point, narrowing TJC's lead to 14-7. However, Tyler responded by scoring the final 10 points of the half. Moore connected on a 21-yard field goal, and Ullrich threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Bradyn Walker, with Moore adding the extra point, giving the Apaches a 24-7 advantage at halftime.
The second half saw limited scoring from both teams. New Mexico Military added a touchdown when Sumo Stubblefield caught a 15-yard pass from Mann, followed by a Hurst PAT. The Apaches sealed their victory with Gavin Black’s 1-yard rushing touchdown and Moore’s final extra point, setting the score at 31-14.
Tyler Junior College's offense totaled 225 rushing yards on 50 attempts. Gavin Black led the ground attack with 107 yards on 17 carries and one touchdown. Quarterback Luke Ullrich contributed 39 yards on seven carries and one touchdown, while also completing 9 of 14 passing attempts for 144 yards and a touchdown. Backup quarterback Jayson Zardavets completed 2 of 8 passes for 23 yards. The receiving corps, with seven different players catching passes, was led by Braylyn Brandon with three catches for 66 yards.
The Apache defense played a critical role, limiting New Mexico Military to 99 rushing yards on 30 attempts. Defensive highlights included an interception by DeKayden Carter and sacks recorded by David Langi, Daeante Bedford, Nazir Adams, and Carson Johnson. Kejuan Houston tipped away a pass for Tyler. New Mexico Military quarterback Brandon Mann completed 15 of 28 passes for 128 yards and two touchdowns, with Antonio Muniz leading their rushing efforts with 55 yards on 11 attempts.
Apache Chief Brady Davis emphasized the team's focus on Homecoming week. Davis stated, "We talked about it all week. Our job during Homecoming is to win the football game." He also noted the team's desire to contribute to the Homecoming festivities, adding that they "wanted to be the show of the evening by playing well."
The other SWJCFC semifinal match will feature No. 4 seed Snow (4-4, 3-4) against No. 1 seed Trinity Valley (7-1, 7-0) at 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, at Bruce Field in Athens. The winners of these semifinal games will advance to the championship, scheduled for Saturday, November 7, to be held at the higher remaining seed's home field.
Saturday’s game was part of Tyler Junior College’s Homecoming festivities, which included the crowning of Kennedy Miller as Homecoming Queen and Amari Furlow as Homecoming King. The event also marked a celebration of the school's 100 years with the theme "Soaring through the Decades." Over 100 Apache Band Alumni were in attendance, and Robert Adkins, a member of the 1965 and 1966 Apache football teams, served as an honorary captain for the coin toss. During pregame, 2025 Homecoming King Khahlil Ewell relinquished his crown. The TJC men’s and women’s basketball teams were also introduced between the first and second quarters. The Apache Ladies, led by Coach Trenia Tillis Hoard in her 27th year, will have their first home game on November 13 against Temple at 7 p.m. at Wagstaff Gymnasium. The Apache men, under first-year Coach Riley Davis, will open their season on October 31 against Pratt (Kansas) at 3 p.m. at Wagstaff Gymnasium.
