Game notes

ELLENSBURG, Wash. (Nov. 6) — The Central Washington University football team defeated Dixie State University 48-14 at Tomlinson Stadium during the Wildcats' season home opener at Tomlinson Stadium back on Sept. 13. But first year CWU head coach Ian Shoemaker says both teams are much different now than they were during the second week of the season and he expects a tough road rematch Saturday in St. George, Utah. Kickoff at Hansen Stadium is scheduled for 5:05 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
 
"I'm sure we're going to get some different things defensively and offensively [from Dixie State] that we're going to have to be prepared for or make adjustments to when we get into the game," he said. "I don't think we can just go in with the same game plan that we had week two and say we going to win 48-14 again."
 
In Ellensburg, CWU scored on its first offensive play of the game. After Dixie State punted following its first series. The Wildcats got the ball at the Red Storm 46 yard line. On a first down, play-action pass, sophomore quarterback Jake Nelson connected with sophomore wide receiver Kent McKinney, who was wide open down the right side of the field, for the score.
 
"We hit some big plays and we made some plays on the defensive side," Shoemaker acknowledged. "Obviously, we gained some confidence from game two and getting that win at home."
 
On the day, CWU's offense gained 309 yards through the air and 272 more on the ground, despite turning the ball over four times, twice each on interceptions and fumbles.
 
Nelson connected on 18 of 26 passes for 299 yards and two scores. Junior running back Jordan Todd ran for 111 yards on 25 carries and also scored twice. And redshirt freshman Melvin Thornton had carries 21 times for 91 yards and a touchdown. Along with his first-play score, McKinney caught five passes for 140 yards.
 
Since their first meeting, Ben Longshore has taken over as the starting quarterback for the Red Storm and he has put up impressive numbers. Longshore threw for season-highs of 427 passing yards and four touchdowns in a 41-40 overtime home loss to South Dakota Mines last Saturday.
 
In seven games, he is averaging 229.1 yards of total offense per game, the conference's fourth best mark, right behind Nelson, who is averaging 264.6 yards per game.
 
Longshore will be facing a Wildcat defense led by junior defensive end Tovar Sanchez, who has 10.5 sacks on the season, which is the top mark in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and eighth best in the country. His sacks are among the 28 the Wildcats have on the year, which is No. 18 in the nation heading into Saturday's game. Overall, Sanchez also has 20 tackles for losses, which is sixth in the nation and also leads the GNAC.
 
Middle linebacker Kevin Haynes came up with two interceptions against Dixie State. With his 73-yard interception return for a touchdown in last Saturday's 17-14 Senior Day victory over Lincoln [Mo.] University at Tomlinson Stadium, Haynes is now tied for the conference leads in picks, with four. They are part of the 16 made by the Wildcats this season, the ninth best total in the nation.
 
Defensively, the Red Storm is led by linebacker Robert Metz, who is tied for fourth in conference tackles with 73.
 
Saturday's game in St. George, Utah is actually Central's second-longest road trip this season. At 2,072 miles, it's just 98-miles shorter than CWU's round-trip excursion to Rapid City, S.D., where the Wildcats defeated South Dakota Mines.
 
"This trip is different," Shoemaker pointed out. "We are going to take a plane for the first time [this season]. It will be a flight-road trip for some of these guys for their first times. Hopefully, that will make it an easier trip." 
 
Heading into Saturday's game, CWU (5-4, 3-2 GNAC) has won 12 of the 13 games played in the series with Dixie State (1-8, 0-4 GNAC), which dates back to 2008, including a 44-0 drubbing of the Red Storm in their home finale last season. The Wildcats won the first eight meetings in the series, including a 44-38 overtime game in CWU's first trip to St. George, Utah in 2008. The Wildcats' only series loss came at Dixie State 29-21 two-years ago. CWU has since won four straight games.
 
"The challenge is going to be to go down there, deal with the travel, make sure our kids are ready to play and finish, and get themselves in a position to be 6-4," Shoemaker said.
 
A week from Saturday, the Wildcats end the season in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada, when Central takes on Simon Fraser University. Kickoff at Swangard Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.