ALAMOSA, Colo. – The No. 16 Colorado Mesa Mavericks totaled 683 yards of offense in a 70-21 win over Adams State on Saturday (Oct. 21) afternoon at Rex Field in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
 
The two teams looked shaky early as the traded turnovers on each teams opening possession of the game. The Grizzlies took the opening kickoff and threw an interception to Garrett Reece-Scott while the Mavericks turned around and chucked an interception to Grizzly Michael Cirino on the second play from scrimmage.
 
Adams State took the turnover and went down and scored the first points of the game on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Nick Rooney to Chad Hovasse to make it 7-0 Grizzlies.
 
The Mavericks then scored the next 63 points unanswered.
 
Colorado Mesa chewed up 471 yards on the ground led by the 173 yards by senior David Tann. The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native rushed 18 times and averaged 9.6 yards per rush while scoring two touchdowns on runs of 21 and five.
 
Quarterback Eystin Salum also finished with over 100 yards on the ground with 108 yards on nine carries. The Denver product was 9-of-12 through the air for 212 yards and a pair of scores. Salum found Josh Brown for a 39-yard touchdown pass then found Virnel Moon on a 59-yard strike to close out the scoring in the first half.
 
Colorado Mesa led 49-7 at the break and were slated to receive to open the second half.
 
Moon took the kick 99-yards to the house for his second return touchdown of the season. The senior is now averaging 33 yards per return on the season and extended the Mavericks lead in the game to 56-7.
 
Adams State quarterback Nick Rooney entered the game averaging an RMAC best 355 yards per game. He finished the day with just 72 total yards on 10-of-23 passing with one touchdown and an interception.
 
Senior middle linebacker Tommy Saager led the defense with nine total tackles while Antonio Clark finished with three pass break ups.
 
Clark had the tall task of covering All-RMAC wideout Chad Hovasse. Hovasse finished with 12 catches for 147 yards, mostly off the arm of backup quarterback Jorge Hernandez.
 
Colorado Mesa improved to 7-1 on the season and held onto their lead in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, sitting a half a game ahead of CSU-Pueblo who defeated Black Hills State today, 49-0.
 
The Mavericks will return home for their final home game of the regular season next weekend when they host New Mexico Highlands at Stocker Stadium. It will also be Homecoming and Senior Day on that day (Oct. 28).