GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The Colorado Mesa football team closed out the season on a high note as they defeated New Mexico Highlands 56-36 on Saturday (Nov. 12) afternoon at Stocker Stadium in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference finale. Saturday was also Senior Day and Military/First Responders Appreciation Day at the game.
The teams traded two touchdown streaks in the first quarter and closed out even at 14-14 after one.
The Mavericks scored on an 18-yard touchdown catch by
David O'Connell with 10:18 to play followed by a
Kaden Stewart sack fumble, fumble recovery, scoop and score just a play after the first touchdown. The Highlands quarterback fumbled on his own with Stewart on him and the linebacker picked up the loose ball and scrambled 28 yards for the score.
The two teams traded touchdowns back-and-forth the entire second quarter with the Mavericks coming out with a 35-28 advantage after two quarters were complete. O'Connell had his second touchdown catch of the game while
Gavin Herberg scrambled in from 45-yards out while
Trey Windham caught a 48-yard touchdown pass off the hand of Herberg who started at quarterback for the injured
Karst Hunter.
Colorado Mesa scored two more times before the Cowboys stopped the run with just 43 seconds remaining in the game. By then the Mavericks led 49-36 with touchdowns coming from
Trevin Edwards and
Myles Newble.
After the Highlands touchdown by CJ Sims, the Cowboys elected to go for an onside kick. Senior tight end
Dagan Rienks picked up the kick and sprinted 43-yards for the touchdown. It was the Paonia, Colo. product's first touchdown of the season and gave the Mavericks the 56-36 advantage in the waning seconds of the game.
Colorado Mesa outgained the Cowboys in the game 484-439 but was just 4-for-10 on third down. Each team had five sacks in the game with time of possession nearly even.
Herberg was fantastic in his first start of the season. He was 20-of-29 passing for 321 yards and four touchdown passes while rushing 76 yards and another touchdown.
Jacob Whitmer finished with a team high four catches for 31 yards while Trey Widham had three catches for 86 yards and a touchdown.
Bryce Stevenson had a productive day finishing with two tackles and two forced fumbles while
Siaosi Finau had a team high 10 tackles, a forced fumble and a pass break-up.
The Mavericks season ends with a 4-6 overall record and 3-6 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.
