GOLDEN — Colorado Mines’ Clay Garcia passed for 277 yards and three touchdowns Saturday, helping the Orediggers stay atop the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with a 46-10 rout of Mesa State at Campbell Field.
Garcia connected with Tom Kastens on an 11-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter that stretched Mines’ lead to 13-0. Garcia’s 38- yard scoring strike to Kastens in the third quarter extended the Orediggers’ lead to 23-0.
Mines (6-1, 5-0 RMAC) is tied for the league lead with Nebraska-Kearney. They will meet in Golden in a Nov. 13 showdown.
Michael Mankoff led Mesa State (2-4, 2-3) with 161 yards passing. Robbin Vinnola led Mines receivers with seven catches for 60 yards.
Nebraska-Kearney 38, CSU-Pueblo 24
PUEBLO — Jake Spitzlberger passed for 410 yards, Kyle Kaiser contributed 282 receiving yards and together they accounted for three touchdowns as the No. 13-ranked Antelopes handed CSU-Pueblo its second straight loss.
With UNK leading 17-14 to start the fourth quarter, Spitzlberger and Kaiser hooked up for touchdowns from 71 and 73 yards in the fourth quarter as Nebraska-Kearney (6-1, 5-0 RMAC) pulled away.
Spitzlberger also threw a 6-yard TD pass to Brendan Liess in the second quarter.
CSU-Pueblo (5-2, 3-2) was led by Jesse Lewis’ 167 yards rushing. Lewis’ 71-yard TD run in the first quarter put the ThunderWolves ahead 7-3.
Chadron (Neb.) State 41, N.M. Highlands 19
LAS VEGAS, N.M. — Glen Clinton ran for 134 yards and Dominic Morris added 108 yards on the ground as Chadron State (4-3, 3-2 RMAC) dominated New Mexico Highlands.
Adams State 14, Western New Mexico 10
SILVER CITY, N.M. — Chris Jamison’s 12-yard TD run with 1:52 left lifted Adams State (3-4, 2-3 RMAC) over Western New Mexico (3-4, 2-3). Jamison scored on a 36-yard run in the second quarter and finished with 111 rushing yards.
Western State 27, Fort Lewis 24, OT
DURANGO — Miles Gorham threw a 12-yard TD pass to Shaun Suttorp in overtime as Western State (1-6, 1-4 RMAC) earned its first victory.
Fort Lewis (1-5, 1-4) had taken a 24-21 lead with Rich Rodriguez’s 25-yard field goal in OT.
Denver Post staff & wire reports
