PUEBLO – Chris Bonner threw a 38-yard touchdown pass with 9:47 left in the fourth quarter and the Thunderwolves’ defense held a powerful rushing attack mostly in check as No. 8 CSU-Pueblo outlasted No. 25 West Georgia 10-7 Saturday to advance to the NCAA Division II Championship game for the first time in school history.

Two missed West Georgia (12-3) field goals – one blocked, the other clanked off the upright just before halftime - kept the ThunderWolves in the game despite a sputtering first-half offense.

Bonner finished just 10 for 25 on the evening - but his only score Saturday was a big one, a fake reverse that drew in West Georgia’s defense and left tight end Zach Boyd with an easy waltz into the end-zone.

The ThunderWolves (14-1), a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference whose lone loss this season came at the hands of Fort Lewis College, will take on undefeated Minnesota State Mankato (14-0) in the championship game Saturday in Kansas City, Kansas.