Even after the most productive night this season offensively, the Fort Lewis College football team was unable to upend the Colorado Mesa University Mavericks in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game falling 70-10 on Saturday.
Fort Lewis is now 0-6 overall and 0-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Colorado Mesa advanced to 2-5, 1-4.
“I felt like we had another good week of practice, the kids knew their assignments a lot better, and it felt like we were prepared. I was shocked at the outcome, felt like we did not start out fast, and we did not get rolling to play as good as possible,” said Fort Lewis College Head Coach Johnny Cox. “We have to continue to grow though as far as the entire team. We have to continue to take steps not only in practice but into the game. The offense got better this week, special teams have been pretty consistent, and I think they were a push today. The defense does a really good job of carrying over their coaching, knowing exactly what they're doing. When we get all three phases really improving, we'll be very excited about the final product. That's what we have to really focus on, getting better each week. Hopefully this next week we can really take a step towards that.”
Colorado Mesa had a lethal opening quarter, scoring 28 unanswered points on the Skyhawks. The Mavericks proceeded to score 21 points in the second quarter and 21 points in the fourth quarter. The Fort Lewis defense was able to find some footing at the start of the second half, holding CMU scoreless in the third quarter.
The Mavericks were red-hot producing 601 yards of total offense. In the air, CMU completed just 16 total passes between three quarterbacks for 353 total yards and four touchdowns. On the ground, Colorado Mesa used eight different rushers for a combined 248 net yards and five touchdowns.
Karst Hunter led the Mavericks offense, completing 9 of his 12 passing attempts (75%) for 285 yards and three touchdowns. Hunter and Dagan Rienks each added a single touchdown as well. On the ground, Myles Newble led Colorado Mesa with 64 total yards, while Keyshawn Ashford, Kia'i Keone, Jullen Ison, and Isaac Maestas each scored one touchdown.
For the first time this season the Skyhawks were able to produce over 300 yards of total offense, finishing with 307 total yards on the night.
Junior quarterback Braden Wingle was comfortable under the lights, throwing for 243 total yards and completing 24 of his 39 passing attempts (61.53%) for one touchdown. CMU sacked him once in the first quarter and thrice in the second.
On the ground the Skyhawks scraped together 64 total net rushing yards on 37 attempts. Jeff Hansen was the lead back, securing 51 yards on 13 attempts.
Hunter Villavicencio converted on one of his two field goal attempts, putting a 38-yard attempt through the uprights for a score.
Wingle had season-highs in total passing yards with 243, completion percentage of 61.5%, and total completions with 24.
Hansen had a season-high 51 net rushing yards, also the highest single-game performance by any FLC running back this season.
Tight end Zach Russell had a season-high 66 receiving yards on four attempts. It is the second-highest single-game performance of his career since he secured 72 yards against South Dakota Mines back in 2019, and the highest by a single Skyhawk this season.
Calvin Raab had a career-high 57 receiving yards tonight, tied for the fifth-best single-game receiving performance by a Skyhawk this season (Dylan Holt also hauled in 57 yards against New Mexico Highlands).
Nathan Aguilar made his first tackle for loss this season for a loss of 15 yards. It is the Skyhawks single-deepest tackle for loss this season.
Defensive back Jayden Helms led FLC with nine tackles. Linebacker Josiah Flores made seven and defensive lineman Max Hyson made six tackles.
The Skyhawks will return to Durango to celebrate Homecoming on noon on Saturday. Fort Lewis will take on the South Dakota School of Mines Hardrockers (4-3, 3-2).
