Chadron, Neb. – Aaron Abel kicked a game-winning 24-yard field goal with three seconds left to propel Colorado School of Mines over Chadron State for a 27-26 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory Saturday at Elliot Field.
It was the second consecutive year the Orediggers beat Chadron State by one point after rallying in the final 35 seconds. Last year, Mines beat the Eagles 40-39 in Golden with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
Abel’s field goal capped a seven-play, 55-yard drive that took one minute.
Chadron State (1-4, 1-2) took a 26-24 lead with 1:12 to play when Danny Woodhead scored on a 3-yard run. But the Eagles’ extra-point kick was blocked. It was the first time Mines won at Chadron since 1993.
Mines (2-3, 2-0) went ahead 24-10 at halftime after Danny Medina and Garrett Mehl each threw touchdown passes. Bryan Florendo also scored on a 55-yard run, and Abel hit a career-long 45-yard field goal.
Chadron State cut the lead to 24-20 at the end of the third quarter and gained its first lead of the game on Woodhead’s score in the fourth.
Florendo led Mines with 171 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown. Medina and Mehl combined to complete 20-of-30 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns. Tyler Hidrogo completed 20-of-34 passes for 248 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions for Chadron.
Fort Lewis 28, Western State 17
Gunnison – Matt Gutierrez completed 13-of-15 passes, including two touchdowns, to lead Fort Lewis over winless Western State in RMAC play.
Gutierrez threw for 275 yards. His 55-yard TD pass to Brandon Cummings put the game away for the Skyhawks (2-2, 2-1) with 9:06 left in the fourth quarter.
Matt Weaver led Fort Lewis’ receivers with 101 yards and a 45-yard touchdown in the third.
Western State (0-5, 0-3) outgained Fort Lewis 412-322 in total offense, but the Mountaineers had two turnovers and a missed field goal. Western State quarterback Dan Brethauer completed 29-of-47 passes for 305 yards and two touchdowns.
Fort Hays State 18, Adams State 15
Hays, Kan. – Justin Barr kicked a 27-yard field goal with a minute left in the game to boost Fort Hays State to an RMAC victory over Adams State.
Barr had four field goals for Fort Hays State (2-3, 2-1). Fort Hays’ Reed Gottula threw for 199 yards and ran 10 yards for a touchdown to put the Tigers up 12-7 before halftime. Scott Coxon’s 3-yard TD run for Adams State (2-3, 2-1) tied the game at 15 in the fourth before Barr’s kick. Coxon threw for 128 yards and ran for 42 yards and two touchdowns, including a 14-yard run in the second quarter to give the Grizzlies a 7-0 lead.
Mesa State 26, W. New Mexico 7
Grand Junction – Mesa State (2-3) returned two interceptions for touchdowns and beat Western New Mexico (2-3) at Stocker Stadium. Mesa State’s Art Berlanga returned one of his three interceptions 75 yards for a touchdown with 3:15 left in the third quarter. Jarrod Wyatt then scored from 33 yards on another interception of Richard Newton in the third quarter. Mesa State’s Bobby Coy rushed for 130 yards.
Colo. College 38, Lewis & Clark 35
Portland, Ore. – Colorado College (1-2) held off a late rally from Lewis & Clark. The Tigers scored the first two touchdowns, on passes of 15 and 47 yards from Scott Green to Nolan Swett, and never trailed.
