DURANGO – Five days after pulling off a monumental upset of the previously second-ranked CSU-Pueblo ThunderWolves, the Fort Lewis College Skyhawks couldn’t repeat the magic in front of a national audience tuned into the CBS Sports Network for the first nationally televised game in FLC history.
It was the No. 15 Colorado School of Mines Orediggers (7-0, 5-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) who stole the show, as sophomore quarterback Justin Dvorak torched the Skyhawks for 308 yards and four touchdown passes in just one half, as he led Colorado Mines to a 56-14 win Thursday in the first night game played at Ray Dennison Memorial Field since 2007.
Dvorak also rushed for 53 yards and one touchdown in his 30 minutes of action.
The Orediggers, which used four quarterbacks in the rout, totaled 92 offensive plays for 662 total yards to just 345 for FLC.
FLC quarterback Jordan Doyle finished the game 15-of-24 passing for 177 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. PJ Hall led the Skyhawks with 100 rushing yards on 23 carries for his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game. Juquelle Thompson finished with three receptions for 97 yards and two touchdowns.
FLC will hit the road next week to face Colorado Mesa (4-2, 3-1 RMAC), a night game in Grand Junction. Colorado Mines will host CSU-Pueblo (5-1, 3-1 RMAC) next week at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada.
No. 14 CSU-Pueblo 41, Chadron State 13
PUEBLO – One week after being upset by Fort Lewis College, the ThunderWolves (6-1, 4-1 RMAC) flexed their muscles back at home against the Eagles.
The two teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of total offense, but three turnovers prevented Chadron State (4-3, 3-2 RMAC) from hanging in the game.
Cameron McDondle rushed for 167 yards and two touchdowns for CSU-Pueblo, and quarterback Chris Bonner was 15-of-25 passing for 325 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Kieran Duncan had 105 yards and one touchdown on four receptions.
Chadron State quarterback John McLain passed for 303 yards and two interceptions on a 31-of-49 passing day.
CSU-Pueblo will play No. 15 Colorado Mines (7-0, 5-0 RMAC) at noon Saturday in Golden in the most anticipated RMAC game of the season. Chadron State will return home to host Black Hills State (2-5, 1-4 RMAC).
New Mexico Highlands 46, Western State 43
LAS VEGAS, N.M. – A Zach Tapia 46-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Cowboys over the Mountaineers.
An Austin Ekeler 31-yard touchdown pass gave Western State (3-4, 2-3 RMAC) a 43-36 lead, its first of the game, with just 1 minute, 27 seconds to go. But Lance Orender and the Cowboys (3-4, 3-2 RMAC) answered with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Slavin to tie the game at 43 with 42 seconds to play.
A Western State fumble with 35 seconds to play gave the Cowboys possession with a chance to win the game, and Tapia didn’t miss.
Orender finished with 405 passing yards and four touchdowns on a 41-of-58 passing day. He also was intercepted twice. Arrivey finished with 277 yards and three touchdown passes on a 29-of-51 day, and he also was picked off twice. Ekeler also rushed for 116 yards and one touchdown on 27 carries.
Slavin continued his record-setting pace with another 16 receptions for 164 yards and three touchdowns.
N.M. Highlands will go on the road next week to face Adams State (2-5, 1-4 RMAC), while Western State will host Western New Mexico (2-5, 1-4 RMAC).
Colorado Mesa 45, Western New Mexico 35
SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Mavericks outscored the Mustangs 24-14 in the second half to claim a 10-point victory.
Colorado Mesa (5-2, 4-1 RMAC) kept pace with the top of the conference with a road win.
Andrew Cota led the Mavericks with 74 rushing yards and 202 passing yards with one passing touchdown and two interceptions. Daryl Hawkins rushed for three Colorado Mesa scores to go with 67 yards on 12 carries.
Marques Rodgers led the Mustangs (2-5, 1-4 RMAC) with 171 rushing yards on 27 carries. Quarterback Mitch Glassman was 19-of-38 passing for 290 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
The Mavericks will host Fort Lewis College (2-5, 1-4 RMAC) at 7 p.m. Saturday, and the Mustangs will travel to face Western State (3-4, 2-3 RMAC).
Adams State 37, Black Hills State 27
SPEARFISH, S.D. – A 23-0 halftime lead was all the Grizzlies needed to sting the Yellow Jackets.
Black Hills State (2-5, 1-4 RMAC) outscored Adams State (2-5, 1-4 RMAC) 27-14 in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to erase the big deficit.
Demari Reynolds intercepted a pass and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown for the Grizzlies. Auston Hillman was 21-of-28 passing for 236 yards, one touchdown and one interception in the win. Yellow Jackets’ quarterback Zach Meyer was 26-of-46 passing for 347 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
Black Hills State will travel to play Chadron State (4-3, 3-2 RMAC) next week, while the Grizzlies will host New Mexico Highlands (3-4, 3-2 RMAC).
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
