WICHITA FALLS, Texas — The McDondle brothers just keep piling up the yards, and CSU-Pueblo keeps moving closer to a repeat appearance in the Division II national championship game.
Cameron and Bernard McDondle gained a combined 321 yards rushing to lead the ThunderWolves to a 26-17 second-round playoff win Saturday over Midwestern State.
The win puts CSU-Pueblo back in the quarterfinals for the second straight season and for the third time in program history.
The No. 4 ThunderWolves (12-1) will host No. 12 Grand Valley State at noon Saturday at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl in Pueblo.
Cameron McDondle was a workhorse in his first full game in two weeks, rushing for 160 yards on a career-high 43 carries. Along the way, he set a school record for rushing yards in a season with 2,129 — and he could have as many as three games left if the ThunderWolves can make it back to the title game.
Cameron’s little brother would not be outdone.
Bernard McDondle entered the game leading the nation in yards per carry and ripped off 161 yards on only 16 attempts. The younger McDondle also accounted for one of the ThunderWolves’ two touchdowns.
CSU-Pueblo needed only three offensive plays to produce its first score. AJ Thompson’s 48-yard touchdown pass to Keiren Duncan put the ThunderWolves up 7-0.
Bernard McDondle scored on a 10-yard run on CSU-Pueblo’s following drive, and the ThunderWolves weren’t challenged from there.
