GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The No. 15 Colorado Mesa football team welcomed the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys into Stocker Stadium for homecoming on Saturday (Oct. 28). Colorado Mesa scored 63 first half points on their way to a 77-14 win in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
 
The Mavericks took the opening drive of the game and went 70 yards in just 1:49, capped by a 37-yard David Tann touchdown run.
 
Colorado Mesa scored just 17 seconds later on New Mexico Highlands' first play from scrimmage. Senior Blake Brockett intercepted a Danny Cameron pass and took it 31 yards back for a touchdown to make it 14-0 Colorado Mesa.
 
Isaiah Smith and Josh Brown each caught first quarter touchdown passes to extend the Colorado Mesa lead to 28-0 after the end of the first quarter.
 
A pair of touchdown passes to Justin Brown and Virnel Moon paired with two David Tann touchdown runs in the second quarter made the halftime score, 63-0.
 
The two coaches mutually agreed at halftime to play the remainder of the game with 10 minute quarters based on the score.


That only slowed the Mavericks down a touch.
 
On the second play of the half, defensive lineman Antonio Hill forced a fumble that freshman Uriah Vigil scooped up and ran in for the second defensive touchdown for the Mavericks. That made the score 70-0 just 1:06 into the second half.
 
New Mexico Highlands took the ensuing kickoff 98-yards for a touchdown to make it 70-7.
 
Daryl Hawkins scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:32 to play in the third quarter to end the Maverick scoring.
 
Maverick quarterback Eystin Salum finished 9-of-12 for 299 yards and four touchdown passes. His longest pass came on an 80-yard touchdown strike to Virnel Moon. Salum also carried the ball two times for 13 yards.
 
David Tann eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark for the second straight season as he rushed for 167 yards and three scores. He averaged 11.9 yards per carry while only playing in the first half.
 
The Mavericks hit their average for total offense in the first half with 501 yards. They finished with 561 yards in the game.
 
Fred Nyamekye led the Mavericks with seven tackles all coming in the second half of action.
 
Senior defensive end Blake Nelson finished with four tackles but also batted down two passes. The Centennial native also blocked two kicks including a Highlands field goal attempt with 6:23 to play in the first half.
 
The Mavericks remain in first place in the RMAC by a half a game over CSU-Pueblo with their final RMAC game coming next week at South Dakota Mines. Colorado Mesa has a chance to clinch a share of the RMAC title with a win over the Hardrockers on Nov. 4.