RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas Tech quarterback Nick Graziano ran for 196 yards and passed for 350 more as the Wonder Boys defeated Delta State 35-23 on Saturday, which overshadowed a record-setting performance by senior linebacker Lardester Hicks-Green.

Hicks-Green became Delta State's all-time leader in tackles when he stopped Tim Childress for a –yard gain in the final two minutes of the fourth quarter. The senior from Chicago, Ill. now has 336 career tackles, one ahead of Jimmy Wilson, who had held the record since 1990.

But even though Hicks-Green set the record, it was the Wonder Boys (7-2) who were celebrating late into Halloween night as they remained in second place in the Gulf South Conference with a league record of 5-2.

Delta State (4-5) fell to 3-4 in the GSC after falling to Arkansas Tech for the first time since the 2004 season. The Statesmen ended up going 1-5 in road games this season.

Garrett DeWitt led the Statesmen aerial attack by passing for 244 yards on 22-of-39 passing. He threw touchdown passes to Trevar Deed and Eldred King in the game.

Xavier Rambo was Delta State's leading receiver, catching nine passes for 111 yards. Deed caught five passes for 62 yards and King had three receptions for 40 yards.

Deed also ran for a 12-yard touchdown late in the game and finished with 57 yards rushing on 16 carries. His two touchdowns in the game moved him into fifth place on Delta State's all-time scoring list.

Arkansas Tech opened the scoring when Tim Childress scored on a 3-yard scamper with 9:12 remaining in the first period to cap an 11-play, 90-yard drive on the Wonder Boys' first series.

Graziano had his running legs going in full gear early, rushing for 52 yards in the first quarter. Through the air, he was 6-of-12 for 75 yards during the first 15 minutes.

DeWitt was 9-of-12 for 79 yards in the first quarter, with four of those completions going to Rambo. However, the Statesmen were unable to sustain many drives, and their best scoring chance in the opening quarter ended when Matt Dean's 27-yard field goal attempt was blocked.

The Wonder Boys stretched their lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter when Childress scored his second touchdown of the game on a two-yard run at the 10:50 mark.

The Statesmen were on the wrong end of a 14-point swing in late in the first half. Trailing 14-0 with 6:37 remaining, the Statesmen took over after an Arkansas Tech punt on the home side of the 50-yard line. The Statesmen drove all the way down to Tech 9-yard line, but came away empty-handed with after the drive ended on a loss of downs with 3:08 remaining.

When the Wonder Boys offense returned to the field, Graziano led his team down the field and put Tech ahead 21-0 when found Scharvundrick Franklin for a 15-yard touchdown reception with 13 seconds remaining before halftime.

Long fields were not a problem for the Wonder Boys in the second quarter, as Arkansas Tech found the end zone on a 14-play, 80-yard drive and a 12-play, 91-yard drive.

The Wonder Boys carried their momentum early into the second half and stretched their lead to 28-0 when Graziano found Rolaundo Wright for a 20-yard touchdown reception at the 12:05 mark.

The Statesmen began to show signs of life late in the latter stages of the third quarter. Delta State embarked on an eight-play, 59-yard drive that ended with a 30-yard touchdown throw from DeWitt to King with 5:11 remaining in the quarter.

The touchdown started a brief momentum swing which saw the Statesmen put 17 unanswered points on the board. Deed scored on a 5-yard run with 3:35 remaining in the period that capped a two-play drive that was set up by a 40-yard pass from DeWitt to Rambo.

The Statesmen put themselves in good field position again when Byron Davenport intercepted a Graziano pass and returned 53 yards to the Tech 20-yard line. The Wonder Boys defense held the Statesmen out of the end zone, but Delta State was able to salvage points with a 34-yard field goal from Dean with 1:06 remaining.

But just as the Statesmen were on the verge of an epic comeback entering the fourth quarter, Graziano singlehandedly re-seized momentum for the Wonder Boys. Facing third-and-inches on the Arkansas Tech 19, Graziano took a quarterback keeper 82 yards down the Delta State sideline to help his team to a 35-17 advantage.

Deed added a 12-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but the ensuing onside kick was recovered by the Wonder Boys, who were able to run down the clock and secure the victory.

The Statesmen will conclude the season next Saturday when they host West Georgia as Delta State celebrates Homecoming at Parker Field-McCool Stadium. Opening kickoff is set for 4 p.m.