LAS VEGAS, N.M. — Junior quarterback Gavin Herberg threw three touchdown passes and scrambled for another Saturday as Colorado Mesa wrapped up the season with a 38-24 victory over New Mexico Highlands.
The win, the fourth in the final five games of the season, secured a winning record at 6-5, 5-4 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in Miles Kochevar's second year at the helm. The Mavericks were 4-6 (3-6 RMAC) last season.
Herberg accounted for 250 of CMU's 364 yards of total offense, completing 14 of 27 passes for 211 yards and running for 39 yards.
He threw TD passes of 13, 30 and 5 yards to three different receivers, Noah Sarria, Trevin Edwards and Ryan Hollingsworth, respectively, and added a 10-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter.
The Mavericks scored on their first three possessions on drives of 59, 56 and 65 yards. After punting on the fourth series, the defense got the ball right back when linebacker Chris Horning intercepted a Highlands pass and rumbled down to the 16, setting up a 26-yard Henry Katleman field goal for a 24-3 lead with 1:30 left in the first half.
Liban Shongolo recorded CMU's second interception of the game early in the third quarter to give CMU the ball back. On second down, Herberg found Keyshawn Ashford across the middle and he turned it into a 35-yard gain to the Highlands 30. On the next play, Herberg completed a back-shoulder pass to Trevin Edwards in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown and 31-3 lead.
His final TD pass capped a 10-play, 49-yard drive that took 5:33 off the clock in the third quarter. Mesa overcame back-to-back penalties on the drive and converted on fourth-and-4 when Edwards gathered in a short pass just beyond the first-down marker to keep the drive going in Highlands territory.
CMU mixed some tough running by its four running backs and Herberg with the passing game to keep the Cowboys (2-9, 1-8 RMAC) off balance most of the game. Ashford led CMU's ground game by committee with 61 yards on nine carries Marvin Jones, who scored the Mavs' first TD on a 10-yard run, added 42 yards on 11 carries.
Hollingsworth caught four passes for 65 yards and Edwards three more for 54.
Mesa's defense allowed 335 yards, with Kade Street making seven tackles and La'Markus Reed six. Shongolo not only had an interception, he made one tackle behind the line of scrimmage for seven yards.
Herberg, in his first full season as the starting quarterback, completed 49% of his passes (109 of 219) for 1,742 yards, 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Jones led CMU in rushing with 324 yards on 65 carries as the Mavericks employed five running backs most of the season. Keenan Brown caught 24 passes for 484 yards and four TDs in nine games with David O'Connell making 22 catches for 420 yards and two TDs in nine games. Edwards also had four touchdown receptions. Katelman, a graduate transfer, converted 39 of 40 point-after kicks and booted seven field goals to lead Mesa in scoring with 60 points.
CMU's offense, which struggled to move the ball consistently, averaged 27.8 points and 330 yards per game.
Shongolo led the defense, which allowed 387.4 yards of offense and 29.7 points per game, making 63 total tackles, with one interception. Kash Bradley had 60 tackles, three interceptions and broke up eight passes. Both will return next season, as will much of the young defense and the majority of the offense. Among the seniors the Mavericks will lose are O'Connell, Ashford and Caelan Keenan, who anchored the young offensive line, and running back Gianni Hurd. Among the seniors graduating on the defense are lineman Dirion Hutchins and linebacker Cam Nathan.
Mesa's focus now turns to the offseason conditioning program, with the coaches diving into the heart of recruiting season, with National Letter of Intent Day in early February.
