The Mavericks looked to finish off 2011 Homecoming Week with their first victory at home this season. With possibly the greatest team in Maverick history, the 1982 national runner-up Mavericks, on the sideline for the game, the team was excited for the game. The Mustangs of Western New Mexico, however, crashed the party and won the game 33-21.

“We made some good things happen,” Coach Joe Ramunno said. “We just don't have the consistency, yet, and that puts us right where we are at.”

After fumbling the ball on their first possession and giving up a touchdown off the turnover, Jake Cimolino scored on a 17-yard touchdown run to put the Mavs up 7-6.

Quarterback Chris Henderson then scored on a QB keeper to make it 14-6 before the end of the first quarter. “I feel really comfortable out there,” Henderson said. “Sometimes I have to scramble and others I just have to wait for the receiver. It's up to me.”

The first quarter ended on a 61-yard touchdown pass from Mustangs' quarterback David Ingram to receiver Roonnell Pompey to make it 14-13. The second quarter ended with a 15-yard touchdown pass from the Mustangs again to make it a 20-14 halftime lead.

After the defense held, the Mavs were able to score just three minutes into the second half as they regained the lead, 21-20. But when the Mustangs scored with 1:38 to go in the third quarter, the Mavs never saw the lead again.

The defense had the Mustang offense backed up on the two-yard line, but a 70-yard run by Abraham Macias of the Mustangs quieted down any chance of the Mavs holding them. Macias scored on an 11-yard touchdown run just two plays later to make it 33-21. “That was one of the breaking points of the game,” defensive end Domonique Lewis said. “There were a few plays before that that hurt us, but that play definitely didn't help.”

For the offense, turnovers kept the team from driving as the Mavs committed eight turnovers, including four fumbles, a turnover on downs and three interceptions thrown by Henderson. “You cannot turn the ball over,” Henderson said. “That's the number one rule on offense. If you turn it over that much, we can't win and we have to do better than that.”

Henderson finished 14 for 24 with 149 yards passing and a touchdown. He also added 97 yards rushing, which was second on the team behind Cimolino's 124 yards rushing on 14 carries. Receiver Tanner Whaley had just one catch for 33 yards, resulting in a touchdown early in the second half. The Maverick offense finished with 372 total yards as the Maverick defense gave up 480 yards of total offense.

“We have to be strong on all three phases of the game,” Ramunno said. “We have good plays on offense, defense and special teams, but they have to be consistently clicking through out the game.”

The Mavericks fall to 1-4 on the season and 0-3 in RMAC play. They also have yet to win a game at home, falling to 0-3 at Stocker Stadium. The Mavs will travel to Durango next Saturday to play Fort Lewis before coming home in two weeks to host Colorado School of Mines.