It was a battle at the bottom of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, and it appeared the Fort Lewis College football team would join Western State in a tie for last place for more than three quarters. Then, Bo Coleman and the Skyhawks clawed past the Mountaineers.
Fort Lewis trailed 13-0 going into the fourth quarter against a Western State team that entered the game allowing an RMAC-worse 41.8 points per game.
With 5 minutes, 38 seconds to play in the game, Coleman, the FLC junior quarterback, ran for a 10-yard touchdown to cap off a nine-play, 80-yard drive. After a game-saving interception by linebacker Darrian Stickney with Western State facing a third-and-2 situation gave the Skyhaks the ball back on the Mountaineers’ 39-yard line, Coleman led a game-winning drive that ended with a 7-yard TD pass on third down to tight end AJ Shaw. It was Shaw’s second TD reception in as many weeks.
Ben Raybon made the extra point for FLC, and the defense came up with another defensive stand to preserve a 14-13 win that sent the Skyhawks to a 2-4 overall record and a matching mark in conference play. Western State (0-6, 0-6 RMAC) remained winless with the heartbreaking home loss in Gunnison.
FLC senior running back PJ Hall returned to action Saturday but ran the ball only nine times for 10 yards. Coleman led the team in rushing with 56 yards on nine attempts. Tyler Telphy added 52 yards on nine carries.
FLC held Western State to only 45 rushing yards, with quarterback Dylan Jacob leading the team with 26 yards. Jacob passed for 230 yards on 19-of-39 passing for one TD. He was sacked three times.
Coleman passed for 139 yards, one TD and two interceptions on 11-of-23 passing. Sean Eremia had both interceptions for Western State.
Max Smith was 2-for-4 on field goals for Western State. He made kicks of 22 and 50 yards in the first half but missed a 53-yard attempt in the final minute of the second quarter and a 37-yard kick in the fourth quarter.
Raybon missed a 22-yard field goal as time expired in the first half for FLC.
After a three game road trip in which FLC went 1-2, the Skyhawks will return home to play No. 14 CSU-Pueblo (5-1, 5-0 RMAC) at noon Saturday.
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
