Durango native Max Hyson’s efforts on and off the field have earned him Academic All-Conference honors, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference announced Wednesday.
Hyson, who played quarterback for DHS, is senior defensive end for Fort Lewis and earned his second-straight First-Team Academic All-Conference honor. Owning a 3.89 grade point average, Hyson studies cell and molecular biology while also assisting an emergency room doctor with trauma research.
On the field Hyson has played in all nine games this season for FLC, recording 40 total tackles (22 solo and 18 assisted). Hyson leads the Skyhawks in tackles for loss (9.0 for 31 yards), sacks (4.5 for 20 yards), quarterback hurries (4) and forced fumbles (2).
“It has been an honor to coach Max,” said FLC head coach Johnny Cox. “Since I took this job last January, he has been outstanding in every facet. He is such a hard worker in the weight room and a true inspiration in the classroom with his post-graduation plans. Max is a leader and a role model to our younger guys, making sure they're taking academics seriously so they can set and achieve high goals once they graduate from Fort Lewis.”
Ryan Barkley, Matthew Waid and Tristen Williams all made the academic honor roll for the second time.
Barkley, also a Durango native, has played in eight games for the Skyhawks on the offensive line this season. Barkley studies environmental studies, earning a 3.35 GPA.
Fort Lewis will play its final game of the year on Saturday in Golden. The Skyhawks and the No. 11-ranked Colorado School of Mines will play at noon, and the game will be televised on KWGN.
In its final home game, FLC fell to Western Colorado University 55-14 on Saturday during the team’s senior night.
Western racked up 527 yards of total offense, including 282 through the air and 245 on the ground, to Fort Lewis’ 235. The Skyhawks gathered 246 yards through the air, but struggled on the ground with -11 net yards.
In the second quarter, FLC quarterback Braden Wingle danced with defenders in the pocket and finally escaped to connect with Zach Russell in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown.
The Mountaineers tacked on 31 points in the second quarter after being held to seven in the first.
Fort Lewis had more success in the second half on defense, holding the Mountaineers to just 17 points in the third quarter and scoreless in the fourth.
A huge strip sack from Hyson in the third quarter allowed Parker Cunningham to scoop and score a 34-yard touchdown for the Skyhawks. Josiah Flores also intercepted a pass for FLC.
Wingle had a bounce-back performance, completing 25 of his 35 passing attempts for 246 yards and one touchdown to Zach Russell. Western, however, sacked the quarterback 11 times for a loss of 93 yards.
Fort Lewis now sits 0-9 overall and 0-8 in the RMAC. Western improved to 6-4, 6-3. Mines is 8-2, 8-0, but has won eight straight games, including a 54-16 win over New Mexico Highlands on Saturday.
