For the first time in a quarter of a century, the TJC Apaches are conference champions. No. 3 Tyler Junior College captured the SWJCFC title on Saturday with a 33-14 victory over No. 11 Northeastern Oklahoma at Christus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. “There’s so many people that go into making this work,” said TJC Coach Tanner Jacobson, still dripping from the Gatorade drenching his team gave him. “. just to all the people you may not think about, the trainers who tape ankles, the people who get the players back on the field, everyone who works with the scholarships, admissions who get the students into school. It’s great to see them on the field and take part in this.” After the game, Jacobson invited everyone to Earl Campbell Field to join in the celebration. The Apaches are now 11-0 for the first time since 1960, also the last time they won a national championship. It was TJC’s first conference title since 2000. Now, they await for an invitation to the NJCAA semifinals. The four-team bids are expected to be announced on Monday, Doug Wren, TJC’s athletic director, said. It was the final game for NEO as a member of the Southwest Junior College Football Conference as the school will join the Kansas Jayhawk Conference next season. As far as the 2025 conference championship, Tyler jumped out to a 17-0 lead before NEO pulled within 17-14 in the second quarter. However, the Tribe scored the final 16 points of the game to clinch the win. Missing their all-everything star receiver Gentz Hilburn, who suffered a broken ankle last week against Cisco, several Apaches stepped up. Running back James Lee rushed for 136 yards on 17 carries, including a key 51-yard dash toward the end of the first half to set up a field goal. And on defense, the Apaches came up with three interceptions, including an 81-yard pick six by standout linebacker Janard Lockhart, who looked like Tony Dorsett weaving in and out around the Golden Norseman to score. Also picking off passes were Quinton McDowell and Tyson Wilson, the sopho TJC took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter as Lockhart, the cornerback from Baltimore, picked off the pass and jetted down the field for the score. Daniel Matthys’ PAT gave Tyler a 7-0 lead at 12: 11. Later in the quarter, TJC took over at its own 41 and marched 59 yards on six plays. There was a face mask penalty on the drive and Jamari Evans made a fantastic one-handed catch for 24 yards to the three. On the next play, Bryce Burgess bulled his way into the end zone. Matthys’ extra point put Tyler up 14-0 at 7: 04. In the second quarter, Matthys kicked a 26-yard field goal for a 17-0 advantage at 8: 21. Just as the Apache fans were trying to relax a little bit, the Golden Norseman got back into the game, rather quickly. On a third-and-10, NEO QB Carson Cooksey found MiShaun Graham for a 15-yard TD pass. Francisco Perez made the PAT to cut the TJC lead to 17-7 at 3: 17. The Apaches then turned the ball over on a fumble at their own 31 and on the next play Cooksey hit Graham for 31 yards and the touchdown. Perez’s PAT brought the Oklahoma team within 17-14 at 3: 01. TJC turned the ball over again as Tre Guerra’s pass was intercepted by Jordan Warrior, who returned the ball to the Tyler 27. On the next play, Qwontrel Walker ran 20 yards to the seven. But the Apache defense came up big, first throwing Walker for a two-yard by DaDa Ross, followed by King White’s batted pass. On third down, Wilson picked off the pass, but he was ruled out of the end zone. The Golden Norsemen then tried a 26-yard field goal attempt, but the snap was high and TJC smothered the kick and TJC took over at the 25. Lee then took the handout for 51 yards. That set up Matthys’ 33-yard field goal with 18 seconds showing and TJC went into halftime up 20-14. In the second half, the Apaches kept their cool for the most part with NEO being assessed six unsportsmanlike penalties (two others were offset by TJC’s penalties). In the third quarter, TJC had a chance to add to its score but they had a fumbled snap on the 39-yard field goal attempt. Then it was time for homecoming king Khalil Ewell to set up a score as the freshman from Dallas returned the punt 52 yards to the NEO six. On the next play, backup QB Kyle Ullrich came in the Wildcat formation and ran around right end for the TD. Matthys’ PAT made it 27-14 with 3: 19 showing. On the next play from scrimmage Wilson intercepted the ball at the TJC 8. The Apaches then went on a 92-yard march that was topped off by Lee scoring from the three on a fourth-and-1 play. TJC went for two, but the pass failed and Tyler led 33-14 with 14: 31 to go. PLAYOFFS! PLAYOFFS! As one of two undefeated teams in the nation, the Apaches would love to host. “The committee will make that determination,” Jacobson said. “To me, it just matters that we have the opportunity and we’ll go play in New York, Washington, D. C., Texas or anywhere. We are grateful to have the opportunity.” The semifinal games will be played on Dec. 5 and 6 at the top two seeds locations. Both No. 1 Hutchinson (Kansas) (defeated Garden City, Kansas, 27-14) and No. 2 Iowa Western (defeated Highland, Kansas 64-13) on Saturday. Hutchinson is the defending national champions and are 10-0 and defeated Iowa Western 30-27 on Sept. 13 in Hutchinson. Iowa Western is 10-1. Northwest Mississippi, champions of the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference, is 10-1 and ranked No. 4. Georgia Military is 10-1 and ranked No. 5. The last time a team was unbeaten after the SWJCFC playoffs was Cisco, who was 7-0 in the shortened spring season of COVID year in 2021. In 2014, Trinity Valley was 12-0.
https://tylerpaper.com/2025/11/23/making-history-unbeaten-apaches-capture-swjcfc-championship/
