GRAND JUNCTION, COLO- Colorado Mesa football put their best foot forward today in their dominating 55-13 win over the Cowboys of New Mexico Highlands University today, to close out the 2019 season and punch the ticket on six consecutive winning seasons. The Mavericks will finish with a record of 6-5 overall and 6-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
 
Colorado Mesa started out with a bang as Nick pick-six-cio (Nick Ciccio) intercepted a Ramone Atkins pass and took it 42 yards to the house to put the Mavericks up 7-0 less than five minutes into the first quarter of play.
 
The Maverick offense finally made it onto the field with just 7:08 left in the first quarter. Rope Ruel met Peter Anderson for a gain of 25 yards and a Mesa first down. Anderson and Ruel moved the ball downfield and then a Blake Moore field goal from the 39-yard line increased the Maverick lead to 10-0.
 
When the Cowboys next took to the field, they lasted all of three plays after Kyle Schulman forced a fumble, and Nic Smith was there to recover it to return the ball to Colorado Mesa on the NMHU 28-yard line. The Mavericks started the drive with a pair of handoffs to Trey Windham, and then it was Ruel with a quarterback keeper to put it into the endzone for another Maverick touchdown.
 
However, the Maverick offense was back on the field in just 91 seconds, after the CMU defense was able to stop New Mexico Highlands yet again, with a short 3 play-19-yard drive. Once Colorado Mesa was back on the field with the ball, Ruel would pass it to Jesse Rodriguez for a gain of 13 and a first down. Next, the Mavericks hit us again with a trick play this time Ruel sending it back to Dagan Rienks, who would then send it downfield for a 55-yard pass to Anderson, to set them up on the 2-yard line. With a quick toss to Bradley Toussaint and a good kick attempt by Moore, Mesa would lead 24-0 with 1:10 remaining in the first quarter.
 
Once again, the CMU defense didn't need to stay on the field long and pushed the Cowboys back for a loss of 6 yards on the drive. Colorado Mesa had the ball, but a Maverick fumble turned the ball over to New Mexico Highlands, only to fumble the ball themselves on the next play. It was Darian Turner with the fumble recovery, to give the Mavericks back the ball on the CMU 35-yard line with 14:23 left in the second quarter.
 
On the next Maverick drive Rodriguez would rush for a first down, and then once again Ruel met Anderson for a 49-yard pass and another Colorado Mesa touchdown as the Mavericks began to take off in front of the Cowboys, 31-0.
 
When NMHU took to the field with the ball, they managed a first down on an 18-yard pass. Then, Atkins would fumble the ball after being sacked by the Mavericks' Smith. This time it was Reed Rowan with the fumble recovery, to give the ball back to Mesa on the NMHU 28-yard line. Rodriguez once again rushed for the Maverick first down, and then took in a 7-yard pass by Ruel for another Colorado Mesa touchdown. The Mavericks led the Cowboys 38-0 with 7:25 remaining in the half.
 
New Mexico Highlands finally made it onto the scoreboard on their next drive, only to have their extra point attempt blocked by Mason Newton, limiting the score to 38-6.
 
On the next drive by the Maverick offense it was Aaron Howard in at quarterback. Howard met with Anderson for a gain of 19 yards, and a Mesa first down. Then two seven-yard carries by Windham, continued the forward progress by the Mavericks for another first down. After another rush by Windham, Howard put one into the hands of Anderson for a 22-yard touchdown. Mesa headed into the locker room at the half, still in front of the Cowboys 44-6.
 
The Mavericks and the Cowboys traded scoreless drives throughout the third quarter and headed into the final quarter of play still 44-6.
 
The Mavericks moved the ball downfield to start the fourth by proving their ground game with alternating rushes by Howard and Windham. Windham would ultimately run it in for the first score of the second half, on a 13-yard run. A good kick attempt by Moore increased Colorado Mesa's lead to 51-6.
 
The Cowboys went on to score on a pick six, to make the final score of the game 51-13.
 
The Maverick defense put on a show to end their season and managed to hold New Mexico Highlands to only 216 yards of total offense.
 
Colorado Mesa's 6-4 record earned them a fourth-place finish in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings. Their win today over New Mexico Highlands secured their sixth straight winning season. The streak is the longest winning season streak since the 10 straight seasons from 1980-1990. That streak includes two NAIA National Championship game appearances and seven trips to the NAIA National Playoffs.