Colorado Mesa will host the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys in the final game of the season at home in Stocker Stadium. Saturday's game will be First Responders and Military Appreciation Day at Stocker Stadium with several activities planned throughout the pregame. Prior to the game, the Mavericks will honor their 15 seniors that will be playing in their final game as a Maverick. Several have been with the Mavericks for six years that included the 2020 COVID season. Both teams enter the contest with matching 3-6 records. But, New Mexico Highlands' wins have all come within the conference while one of Colorado Mesa's came in their non-conference matchup with William Jewell. The Cowboys lost their lone non-conference matchup with in-state foe Eastern New Mexico.
WEEKLY REWIND
Colorado Mesa trailed 24-3 at halftime and came from behind for a 38-37 overtime win over the home Chadron State Eagles last Saturday in Nebraska. Chadron State went for two on their opportunity in overtime and the Maverick defense stuffed the Eagles run attempt to preserve the win.
The Maverick offense played without quarterback Karst Hunter but that didnt slow down the offense. Kia'i Keone and Gavin Herberg stepped in and produced. The duo combined for 400 yards passing and four touchdowns. Redshirt junior Keenan Brown had 10 catches for 195 yards and two touchdowns that earned him National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter Player of the Week. Both of his touchdowns came from 35-yards plus out. Not to be outdone, senior Jacob Whitmer finished the game with six catches for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Whitmer caught his second touchdown of the game in overtime with his first coming on a 47-yard bomb from Gavin Herberg.
On defense, the Mavericks had a pair of defenders that finished with 10-plus tackles in the game. Liban Shongolo finished with a game-high 13 while Siaosi Finau finished with 11 tackles in the game. Kaden Stewart had a big game chasing down Eagles in the backfield as he finished with three tackles for loss and two and a half sacks in the win. For the season, he has six sacks for a total of 49 yards lost.
THE MATCHUP
Colorado Mesa will look to close out the season on a high note and continue their winning ways against the New Mexico Highlands Cowboys on Saturday at Stocker Stadium. The Mavericks are winners of eight straight against the Cowboys dating back to the 2013 season. In their past five matchups, they have scored more than 50 points in each win and are averaging 64 points in those games.
The matchup between the Mavericks and the Cowboys will be the 45th all-time matchup with Colorado Mesa owning a 33-11 series lead. The Mavericks are 15-3 at home in those matchups with their last home loss coming in 2012.The two teams first met on October 30, 1976 at a neutral site with Colorado Mesa coming away with a 13-7 win.
The Mavericks largest margin of victory in the series came on October 29, 2016 in Las Vegas, N.M. Colorado Mesa came away with an 87-14 win over the Cowboys. In that game, David Tann had 272 yards rushing and scored four touchdowns. The Maverick offense had 933 yards of total offense and 708 yards rushing.
Colorado Mesa came away with a 56-37 win over New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas. An offensive onslaught was on display in the matchup with both teams combining for over 1,000 yards of offense. The Mavericks scored five rushing touchdowns with Karst Hunter finishing with two on the ground and three through the air.
Last Five Matchups
Sept. 18, 2021: in Las Vegas, W 56-37
Nov. 16, 2019: in Grand Jct., W 51-13
Nov. 10, 2018: in Las Vegas, W 52-24
Oct. 28, 2017: in Grand Jct., W 77-14
Oct. 29, 2016: in Las Vegas, W 87-14
KNOW YOUR FOE
The New Mexico Highlands Cowboys started off the season on a high note. After opening the season with a loss to in-state rival Eastern New Mexico, they won three of their next four matchups that included wins over Fort Lewis, Adams State and Black Hills State. Since their win over Black Hills State on October 8, they have lost four straight.
The Cowboys have some of the most dynamic athletes in the entire Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Reigning RMAC Player of the Year CJ Sims is having another solid season but just hasnt found paydirt at a high rate. Sims has 33 catches for 616 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Shawntay Mills is a horse to bring down. He has 647 yards rushing with seven touchdowns. He has three 100-yard games this season including a season-high 163 yards and two touchdowns against Adams State.
Devin Coney is the top defender for the Cowboys as he leads them in tackles with 73. He added four and a half sacks, ten and a half tackles for loss and a forced fumble. He had 15 tackles and one and a half sacks against Chadron State.
WHAT CAN BROWN DO FOR YOU?
Redshirt junior wide receiver Keenan Brown had a career game in the win over Chadron State. He hauled in 10 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. His 10 catches was the first time a Maverick receiver caught 10 passes since October 20, 2018 when Peter Anderson caught 10 passes in a loss to Black Hills State in Spearfish, S.D.
For his efforts, Brown was named the National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter Player of the Week joining his teammate Karst Hunter as recipients of the award this season. Brown was able to beat out RMAC Player of the Week John Matocha in earning the honor.
SMART KIDS
The Mavericks had 23 student-athletes named to the RMAC All-Academic Team this week. To earn a spot on the honor roll, athletes need to have a 3.3 GPA, completed two semesters at their current school, and be using a year of eligibility. To be eligible for the first team, athletes need to have a 3.5 GPA and meet the other requirements.
DL Micah Smith, OL Ozzy Torres and OL Caleb Rodriguez were all named to the All-Academic First Team for the first time in their career.
Caleb Barker, Sebastian Campbell, Zayden Davis, Trevin Edwards, Jesus Garcia, Zach Hanna, Sam Horneck, Alec Huhman, Kia'i Keone, Branden Knox, Nate Lemke, Isaac Maestas, Hudson Metcalf, Kahekili Pahio, Ryan Randall, Dagan Rienks, Ben Sargent, Liban Shongolo, Logan Willis, and Prentice Wilson were all named to the honor roll.
THE SENIORS
Colorado Mesa will honor their 15 seniors who will be playing in their final game as a Maverick. Below are the players who will be honored: Jullen Ison, Scrappy Norman, Bryce Stevenson, Siaosi Finau, Jesus Garcia, Ozzy Torres, Jacob Whitmer, Zach Elefante, Caleb Rodriguez, Micah Smith, Zach Hanna, Lucas Ruiz Diaz, Trey Windham, Dagan Rienks, and Isaac Maestas.
