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MONDAY, OCT. 21, 2019 VOLUME 94 ■ ISSUE 17

www.DailyToreador.com

SPORTS

OPINIONS

Hill reaches preseason goal for career digs.

@DT_Photo @TheDT_sports

@DailyToreador

ONLINE

INDEX

“Zombieland: Double Tap” is a fun road-trip movie, perfect sequel.

Follow The Daily Toreador on social media and online for video and photo coverage throughout the week.

PG 4

ONLINE

PG 6

FOOTBALL

LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU

3 5 4 5 5 3

Tech suffers first home loss in offense-heavy battle versus ISU By MAX HENGST Sports Editor

Redshirt freshman wide receiver Erik Ezukanma is tackled during the Homecoming football game against Iowa State on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium. The Red Raiders were defeated, 34-24, by the Cyclones in an offensive battle featuring over 950 combined yards. IKECHUKWU DIKE/The Daily Toreador

With a 34-24 loss to Iowa State in its Homecoming game, the Texas Tech football team came up short at home for the first time this season. Before playing the Cyclones, the Red Raiders posted a 3-0 record at Jones AT&T Stadium. As Tech could not find the same success in its fourth home game of the season, the Red Raiders are now 3-4 overall this season, while posting a 1-3 record against teams in the Big 12. The loss also marked head coach Matt Wells’ first at home since he has been at Tech. “Every loss to me is always disappointing,” Wells said. “We’ll go back, and we’ll regroup and we’ll set our sights on the next one and try to get back to 4-4 (overall record), and obviously we’re still fighting to get bowl eligibility, and I think those are right in our sights. Our guys know that, and we’ve got to find a way to put this thing together and play better, obviously, and give a better effort and find a way to go win on the road.” At the start of the game, Iowa State scored on its second drive of the game as quarterback Brock Purdy completed a 24-yard pass to Charlie Kolar for a touchdown, giving the Cyclones a 7-0 lead. With the Red Raiders suffering a loss, Tech has now lost both games they have played when its opponent scores first, according to Tech Athletics. Tech is also 0-3 when

trailing at half as the Cyclones led 20-7 going into the break. “I thought we were emotionally ready to play, but there was just something really on both sides of the ball that wasn’t there,” Wells said, “and we didn’t have the fast start, especially on defense, that we’d had before.” Heading into the game, Tech’s defense gave up an average of 432.8 total yards per game, according to Tech Athletics. After the first half, Iowa State’s quarterback Brock Purdy threw for 308 yards as the Cyclones recorded 345 total yards. In the second half, Iowa State recorded 215 more total yards, finishing the game with 560 yards against Tech. Despite the Red Raiders giving up more yards than their average, Tech had the only takeaway of the game with junior defensive back Damarcus Field picking off one of Purdy’s passes in the fourth quarter. Fields’ interception came after he recovered a fumble for a touchdown, but the scoop and score was overturned as the ball was ruled down. “I just went full speed and I pray for the best every time,” Fields said regarding the scoop and score that was called back. “If it was a fumble it was a fumble, but I’m going to go 110, I’m going to go score it. If it’s not, that’s fine; put the defense back on the field.”

SEE FOOTBALL, PG. 6

CAMPUS

Homecoming King, Queen reflect on nomination process, coming year By AKHILA REDDY Copy Editor

Three years ago, Hunter Heck was standing on the sidelines of the football field during Texas Tech’s homecoming game in her cheerleading uniform, watching as her friend Casey Fleming was crowned Homecoming Queen. “I remember then I was like, ‘That’s actually so neat. That would be a really unique opportunity, but probably never going to happen for me,’” she said. Heck proved herself wrong as she and Reginald Lane were crowned Tech’s 2019 Homecoming King and Queen in front of thousands of Tech students, alumni, fans and more during Saturday’s Homecoming game. Heck, a junior Spanish major from Panhandle, represented Mortar Board, a national honor society for college seniors, and Lane, a junior agricultural economics and general business major from Bridgeport, represented Saddle Tramps, an all-male spirit organization supporting men’s athletics. Their crowning was the end to a busy week for the candidates, Sabrina Gonzalez, a junior restaurant, hotel and institutional management major from San Antonio, said. Gonzalez serves at the Royalty Chair for Student Activities Board. “I thought it was awesome to see this super intense, very hard week come to an end and have Reggie and Hunter crowned as our Homecoming King and Queen,” Gonzalez said. Although the candidates had

the bulk of their activities in the past week, the nomination process beings at the start of the semester when candidates are chosen by their organizations, Gonzalez said. Soon after, the candidates sent in résumés for a blind résumé screening. The résumés were evaluated by a panel of judges composed of various people involved at Tech, Gonzalaz said. There was one alumni member, one chamber of commerce member, one staff senate member, one Honors College member, one ROTC member, one Student Government Association member and one Residence Hall Association member. “This year we had 35 (résumés),” she said. “So, the top 10 queens and kings get chosen to continue on in the process, and those are the ones who actually are announced at S.O. (Student Organization) Sing.” The top 10 candidates then underwent a 10 to 15-minute interview with the panel of judges, who ranked the top five candidates for King and Queen, Gonzalez said. Throughout the process, the judges look at the candidates’ involvement at Tech, and how they were able to answer different questions and think on their feet. “They really get to know you in that short amount of time and depending on how you answer the questions really determines what they think about you, and if you’re the best face for Texas Tech,” Gonzalez said. The interview process is rigorous, Heck said. “In fact one of my friends, another of the top 10 nominees, noted that it was as difficult, if not more difficult, than her medical school

Reginald Lane (left) and Hunter Heck (right) are crowned Homecoming King and Queen during the Homecoming football game against Iowa State on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium. The Red Raiders were defeated, 34-24, by the Cyclones. IKECHUKWU DIKE/The Daily Toreador interview,” she said. Following the interviews, students had the opportunity to vote

for the top five candidates, Gonzalez said. The student vote and the interviews factor equally into which

candidates ultimately get named King and Queen.

SEE HOCO, PG. 3


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