LIBERTY, Mo. – The Colorado Mesa football team has now made it ten straight wins in season openers after a 37-14 win over William Jewell on Thursday (Sept. 1) evening at Greene Stadium. The win gave first-year head coach
Miles Kochevar a win in his head coaching debut.
The Mavericks scored on their first drive of the season as
Karst Hunter completed a 38-yard strike to
Keenan Brown down the middle of the field on a skinny post. The drive went five plays for 66 yards and took up just over two minutes.
Later in the first quarter, Hunter found
Noah Sarria for an 18-yard touchdown to put the Mavericks up 14-0 still in the first quarter. The drive went eight plays for 84 yards and lasted 2:43 to take the clock to 2:16 left in the quarter.
To start the second quarter,
Isaac Maestas scored on a two-yard plunge to make it 21-0. The score was setup by a 40-yard completion to
Jacob Whitmer with the drive going four plays for 48-yards that lasted 1:05.
The final touchdown of the night for the Mavericks came with 10:22 left in the second quarter. Hunter found Whitmer on a 12-yard touchdown pass that capped a six play, 51-yard drive that chewed up just 2:32 of clock.
William Jewell got on the board late in the first half as Kwesi Hooks intercepted a
Karst Hunter pass, that grazed off a receiver, and returned it 60-yards for a touchdown.
The Mavericks amassed just 87 yards in the second half, but the defense stepped up and continued their dominance that they showed all game. They finished with seven sacks and allowed just 158 yards of total offense by the Cardinals.
Four of those sacks came in the first quarter.
Cameron Nathan led the team with a sack and a half in the game while
Scrappy Norman finished with a team-high seven tackles.
Lucas Ruiz Diaz accounted for all nine of the Mavericks second half points. The senior connected on field goal attempts of 33, 39, and 21-yards along with a perfect 4-for-4 on his PATs.
Colorado Mesa will be off next week before hosting South Dakota Mines in the home opener at Stocker Stadium. South Dakota Mines defeated another GLVC member in Missouri S&T tonight, 43-20. The Hardrockers will play host to Truman State next weekend.
Game Notes:
- The loss for William Jewell gives them 25 straight losses dating back to their 2019 season opener against Southwest Baptist
- Jacob Whitmer recorded his first touchdown catch of his career with hs score in the second quarter.
- Three different players recorded passes in the game with Karst Hunter, Gavin Herberg and Trevin Edwards each completing a pass.
- Seven different Mavericks recorded rushing attempts.
- Track star Zayden Davis had a career-long reception with a 52-yard catch off the arm of Gavin Herberg.
Other RMAC Scores
South Dakota Mines 43, Missouri S&T 20
Grand Valley State 25, Colorado School of Mines 22
Eastern New Mexico 34, New Mexico Highlands 18
Black Hills State 17, Dickinson State 2
Angelo State 35, Chadron State 0
