SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Colorado Mesa football team outgained Black Hills State but committed five costly turnovers in a 31-26 loss to the Yellow Jackets on Saturday afternoon at Lyle Hare Stadium in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
 
The Mavericks scored the first points of the game with a 42-yard field goal from Lucas Ruiz-Diaz to make it 3-0.
 
Black Hills State answered with 17 unanswered points to close out the first quarter.
 
The Mavericks countered with 17 unanswered points of their own on three Eystin Salum touchdown runs. He had runs of 1-yard, 2-yards, and 15-yards to give Colorado Mesa the 24-17 lead midway through the third quarter.
 
The Yellow Jackets added 14 straight points to take a 31-24 lead with 11:25 to play in the game.
 
Colorado Mesa would add just a safety but had a pair of opportunities late in the game that were dashed with either penalties or a turnover. The Mavericks final drive of the game ended at the Black Hills 46-yard line following a delay of game penalty and an incomplete pass on fourth down with 1:33 to play.
 
Salum finished the game 24-of-51 with 270 yards through the air but had three costly interceptions. He also was the team's leading rusher with 68 yards rushing and three scores.
 
Jonathon Beverly and Pailate Makakona each finished with 66 and 65 yards respectively.
 
Junior receiver Peter Anderson made a bit of history on Saturday after catching 10 passes for 132 yards. It was the sixth straight game with over 100-yards receiving and his yardage puts him over the 1,000-yard mark for the season making him the second player in program history that has accomplished the feat.
 
The defense did their part today, limiting the Yellow Jackets to just 293 total yards on the day including just 88 yards rushing.
 
Damar'ren Mitchell had a career day in the defensive backfield, pulling down three interceptions. Mitchell also blocked a punt that led to a safety late in the game to give the Mavericks the ball and a chance to take the lead.
 
Greyson Matalus led the team in tackles with 11.
 
The Mavericks fall to 4-4 on the season 3-4 in the RMAC while Black Hills State improved to 2-6 on the season, both overall and in the conference.
 
Colorado Mesa will host Dixie State next week in the annual homecoming game at Stocker Stadium at 7pm. The Trailblazers lost to Chadron State 30-18 today in St. George.