Box Score GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Fort Lewis scored 20 points off of turnovers to defeat the Colorado Mesa University football team 28-20 on Homecoming Saturday (Oct. 25).
The win snapped the Mavericks seven game winning streak against the Skyhawks.
The Mavericks would score first thanks to a 31 yard touchdown run by
Ricky Trinidad to complete a 10 play 91 yard drive with 61 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Maverick lead would last only 12 seconds as Juquelle Thompson returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards to the endzone.
The Mesa defense came up huge stopping Fort Lewis on fourth down one yard shy of the end zone on its next offense drive. The Skyhawks scored on its final two possessions of the first half to lead 21-7 at the break.
CMU's first drive of the second half ended with an interception that FLC turned into a touchdown just two plays later. PJ Hall ran 24 yards for the score with 13:30 remaining in the third. Hall rushed for a game-high 166 yards for Fort Lewis.
Trevor Bonifasi would replace Jordan Doyle midway through the third quarter after Doyle suffered a leg injury. Doyle completed 7-of-19 passes for 80 yards and ran for 101 yards before the injury.
Bonifasi would struggle in the contest completing just one of eight passes for eight yards. He also threw two interceptions which the Mavericks converted to touchdowns thanks to great field position.
Daryl Hawkins completed a six play 35 yard drive with a two yard touchdown run at 9:37 of the fourth quarter.
The ensuing Fort Lewis drive last just three plays before
Tom Saager intercepted a pass and returned it inside the Fort Lewis 40 yard line.
Andrew Cota completed a seven yard touchdown pass to
DJ Hubbard to pull the Mavericks within eight 28-20.
The Mavericks would get one final possession starting on their own 20 yard line with 48 seconds remaining. The CMU drive covered 31 yards on six plays before Cota's hail mary pass was batted down in the end zone as time expired.
Cota completed 15 passes on 36 attempts for 168 yards. He threw one touchdown pass and three interceptions. He also ran for a team-high 92 yards on 17 attempts (5.4 ypc).
The team were nearly identical on total yards with Fort Lewis finishing with 370 to 369 for Mesa.
The Skyhawks held a 282 to 201 edge in rushing yards, but the Mavericks finished with a 168-88 edge in passing yards.
Fort Lewis enjoyed strong field position thanks to a kick return average of 34.3 yards. CMU averaged just 16.4 yards per return on kickoffs.
Fort Lewis also led in time of possession 33:35 to 26:25.
CMU (5-3, 4-2) will play Colorado Mines Nov. 1.
