Sometimes, all you can do is buckle up and go back to work.
That’s what the Fort Lewis College football team will try to do this week after Colorado Mesa dominated in nearly every facet of the game in a 42-0 victory Saturday at Ray Dennison Memorial Field in FLC’s annual homecoming game.
The FLC offense never got on track Saturday, with the biggest culprit for their demise coming via the Mavericks’ pass rush. Colorado Mesa frequently sent a blitzer to go with a four-man rush and got home with alarming regularity, producing eight sacks for a total loss of 50 yards against just 112 passing yards for the Skyhawks.
FLC quarterback Max Baiz accounted for 15 completions on 26 attempts with two interceptions for 92 of those yards before giving way to Trevor Bonifasi.
“Our passing game was nil. Had none,” FLC head coach John L. Smith said. “They just brought five men all day. And if you can’t pick it up with six, then you can’t get the ball off.
“If you’re the opposition, you’re going to look at film and go, ‘Bring (pressure) every down.’”
The run game wasn’t much help, either, as the Skyhawks (2-5, 1-4 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) finished with just 57 net yards thanks to the sack totals, much of it coming late in the game. Baiz and Amery Duncan each had 29 on the ground while FLC fumbled five times, losing one that Andrew Hurley, who led Mesa with three sacks, took 84 yards for a touchdown.
FLC looked primed to possibly cut into Mesa’s then-21-0 lead with 19 seconds left in the first half before Hurley’s scoop and score.
The Skyhawks also converted on just 3-of-16 attempts on third down and had just 11 total first downs to 23 for the Mavericks. FLC even tried both tailbacks, Duncan and Dewaun Wesley, in the backfield at the same time to try and add a wrinkle, to no avail.
The FLC offense had its chances. A Terry Perkins interception set the offense up at its own 42, but the Skyhawks went three-and-out early in the second quarter. On its next drive, FLC got to the Mesa 1 on third-and-goal, but Baiz was sacked, followed by a missed 27-yard field goal by Connor Fraser.
The Skyhawks drove to the Mesa 14 late in the first half, only to see that drive end in Hurley’s fumble return for a score and a 28-0 halftime lead for Mesa. And after Thaddeus Brown’s interception in the third quarter, Baiz was picked off in the end zone on a fade attempt to Maurice Anderson, with Michael Brady’s long return setting up Aric Kaiser’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Jake Cimolino for the game’s final score.
“Only thing I might have to do is just come out and run option,” Smith said. “And run the ball every down. And shorten the game and get out. And hope we don’t get beat by 70.
“Our best offensive play was the delay of game. We only lost five (yards by penalty with the delay of game).”
The defense didn’t have much better luck for the Skyhawks. Mesa threw for 258 yards and three touchdowns, with Kaiser accounting for 18 completions on 26 attempts for 255 yards, all three scores and two interceptions. Cimolino ran for 110 of Mesa’s 194 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns to go with his receiving score, and Nate Neville caught first-half touchdown passes of 32 and 52 yards for the Mavericks (5-2, 4-1 RMAC).
Mesa also converted on an eye-popping 12-of-17 third-down attempts and compiled 452 yards of total offense, returning to a more balanced attack with a now-healthy Kaiser.
“If you can’t cover the guy you’re supposed to cover and just let your eyes go, it’s just a matter of being accountable. ... If you don’t have guys covering guys, why wouldn’t they (throw early in the game)?,” Smith said.
Smith said the Skyhawks are expected to practice Sunday, a day typically reserved for injury treatment and some running, as they try to stem the tide of Saturday’s performance before next week’s game against Western State in Gunnison.
No players were available for the postgame press conference.
“Basically ..., in my opinion, we played poorly. So, consequently, I look in the mirror and say we were coached poorly,” Smith said. “And we’re going to come to the field (Sunday) and get better.”
heraldsports@durangoherald.com
No. 5 CSU-Pueblo buries Colorado Mines
PUEBLO – No. 3 CSU-Pueblo jumped out to a 38-7 lead before topping Colorado Mines 48-28 on Saturday.
Marche Dennard and Chris Ashe combined to rush for 181 yards and four touchdowns for the ThunderWolves (7-0, 5-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference), and Chris Bonner threw for 255 yards and two more scores.
Joe Schneider threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns for the Orediggers (4-3, 3-2 RMAC), but he also threw two interceptions, and CSU-Pueblo had nine sacks.
Chadron State 43, Black Hills State 13
SPEARFISH, S.D. – Glen Clinton ran for 255 yards and five touchdowns to lead Chadron State to a win over Black Hills State.
Jonn McLain threw for 183 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles (5-2, 4-1 RMAC), who put up 708 yards of total offense on the Yellow Jackets (0-6, 0-4 RMAC).
Adams State 24, N.M. Highlands 20
LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Adams State (5-2, 3-2 RMAC) scored the final 10 points to rally past New Mexico Highlands (2-5, 1-4 RMAC).
Western N.M. 42, Western State 34
SILVER CITY, N.M. – Fourth-quarter touchdowns by Ronnell Pompey and Larry Young helped Western New Mexico (2-4, 2-3 RMAC) rally past Western State (1-5, 1-3 RMAC).
heraldsports@ durangoherald.com
