ALAMOSA, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa football team allowed too many big plays on Saturday (Oct. 22) evening as the Mavericks fell 45-31 to the Adams State Grizzlies at Rex Stadium in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
 
Adams State scored the first points of the game in the first quarter, but the Mavericks answered right back on a 2-yard Karst Hunter touchdown run to make it 7-7 after one.
 
Both teams managed a touchdown and a field goal to head into the break tied at 17-17. Jullen 'Booda' Ison scored a touchdown on an 8-yard run with Lucas Ruiz Diaz connected on a 21-yard field goal for the Mavericks.
 
Adams State came out and had three big plays just after halftime. The Grizzlies hooked up on a 75-yard touchdown pass on the second play from scrimmage in the half. Just after a Maverick touchdown, Adams State returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown and followed that with a pick-six on the Mavericks next possession to take a 38-24 lead into the fourth quarter. The kickoff return for a touchdown and the interception return for a touchdown happened in a stretch of 36 seconds.
 
The Mavericks got within seven with 12:57 to play in the fourth quarter after a 37-yard touchdown catch by Markell Quinney from Karst Hunter.
 
The dagger came from the Grizzlies on the next drive as they went 89 yards in 17-plays that chewed up 6:49 of clock that resulted in a touchdown that put them ahead by the decisive 45-31 margin.
 
Penalties were a large part of the game for both sides. Colorado Mesa finished the night with 14 penalties for 168 yards while the Grizzlies had 14 penalties for 122 yards. The Mavericks had eight penalties for 99 yards in the first half.
 
Hunter finished the game 28-for-50 for 325 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He added 79 yards rushing with two touchdowns.
 
Ison finished with 58 yards rushing and a touchdown and added a team-high six receptions for 61 yards.
 
Trevin Edwards tied Ison for the team-high receptions with six for 40 yards.
 
Cam Nathan led the defense with a team-high eight tackles while both Kash Bradley and Lex Leany finised with two tackles for a loss.
 
The win for the Grizzlies was their first since November 16, 2013, when they won 19-17 in Grand Junction.
 
The Mavericks will return home for their homecoming game next weekend at Stocker Stadium. They will play host to CSU Pueblo at 1:00pm with several activities planned throughout the week, stay tuned to CMUMavericks.com.
 
OTHER RMAC SCORES:
South Dakota Mines 65, Fort Lewis 20
Western Colorado 30, New Mexico Highlands 13
#19 Colorado School of Mines 38, Black Hills State 0
CSU Pueblo 34, Chadron State 12