PUEBLO, Colo. (Sept. 5) – The Central Washington University football team traveled to second-ranked Colorado State University Pueblo Saturday afternoon, and the Wildcats fell to the reigning NCAA Division II National Champions 41-14.
 
The Wildcats start 2015 0-1 while the ThunderWolves stand 1-0 on the season.
 
After the Wildcats tied the game at 7-7 in the first quarter, CSU Pueblo scored 31 unanswered points to help lead to the 41-14 victory.
 
Offensively, quarterback Jake Nelson completed 15 of 30 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns.  Wide receiver Kent McKinney Jr. caught six of those passes for 84 yards and a 32-yard touchdown.  Nelson's other touchdown came on a 34-yard connection with Arthur Burns.
 
Burns led the Wildcat with 32 rushing yards on nine carries with a long run of 13 yards.
 
The ThunderWolves outgained the Wildcats 411 to 290, netting 298 yards rushing.  Brothers Cameron McDondle and Bernard McDondle ran for 176 and 125 yards respectively, with Cameron McDondle scoring three times on the day.

"They (Pueblo) have a really good running back and some good lineman in front of him.  They were able to control the clock and the tempo of the game." CWU Head Coach Ian Shoemaker said.  "The combination of our turnovers and their ability to make big plays made it difficult for us to gain control." 
 
Defensively, Elijah Suka led CWU with 11 tackles followed by Mitch Haldane who brought down seven ball carriers and had 1.5 tackles for loss.
 
The Wildcats forced two turnovers on the day, the first an interception by Anthony Beaver Jr., and the second on a fumble forced by Nicholas Aumua that was recovered by Sean Elledge.

However, the Wildcats turned the ball over five times in the contest and the ThunderWolves capatalized on each one.

"The difference in the game was obviously turnovers and our execution on third down," Shoemaker said. "These are things that will be a big decision maker in any game, but especially against a team like Pueblo."

After a three-and-out for the Wildcats on the games opening possession, the ThunderWolves connected on a 42-yard pass down to the one yard line, and two plays later, C. McDondle scored the first touchdown of the game giving CSU-Pueblo a 7-0 lead at the 11:43 mark in the first quarter.
 
The Wildcats responded on the next drive with a 34-yard touchdown pass from Nelson to Burns to tie the game at 7-7.  The Wildcats crossed midfield on a screen pass from Nelson to McKinney Jr. that gained 14 yards.  Two plays later, Burns ran a wheel route out the backfield and Nelson hit him in stride for the long touchdown pass.

"It was a three step spacing route that we ran out correctly and were able to we hit one early," Shoemaker said about the early touchdown from Nelson to Burns.  "It was a great indicator of what we can do when we execute the way we are supposed to."
 
The Wildcat defense forced a three-and-out on CSU Pueblo's next possession.  The Wildcats picked up a pair of first downs before ThunderWolves' defensive back Brandon Henrie intercepted a Nelson pass giving CSU Pueblo the ball on its own 31-yard line.
 
Colorado State Pueblo's ensuing drive carried over into the second quarter, and the Wildcats stopped the ThunderWolves series at the seven-yard line, forcing CSUP to settle for a field goal as the home team took a 10-7 lead at the 14:50 mark in the second quarter.
 
The Wildcats grabbed a first down off the running of Jordan Todd, but CSU Pueblo forced a CWU punt.  The ThunderWolves broke the line and blocked Jonathan Kuhn's punt attempted and scored a touchdown on the recovery, extending their lead to 17-7 with just over 12-minutes remaining in the half.
 
Jesse Zalk, who led the nation in kick return yardage last year, gave the Wildcats great field position with a 48-yard kick return after the CSUP touchdown.  Colorado State Pueblo sacked Nelson on third-and-eight and regained possession on the Wildcats 36-yard line.
 
Three plays later McDondle scores his second touchdown of the game giving the ThunderWolves a 24-7 advantage.
 
The Wildcats crossed midfield again before halftime on an 18-yard pass reception by Zalk, but the CWU drive fizzled out with 1:42 left in the half.
 
Colorado State Pueblo quarterback Malcolm Reuben found Kiernan Duncan on a 38-yard touchdown reception as the ThunderWolves opened their lead to 31-7 heading into halftime.
 
The Wildcats forced a punt by CSU Pueblo on the opening possession of the half but Nelson's second interception of the game was returned 51 yards to the Wildcats' one-yard line and two plays later C. McDondle scored his third touchdown of the day improving the ThunderWolves lead to 38-7.
 
The Wildcats fired back with Nelson finding McKinney for a 32-yard touchdown for CWU's first score since the first quarter to cut the ThunderWolves lead to 38-14 with 7:52 left in the third quarter.
 
On the ensuing possession, Beaver intercepted Reuben in the end zone giving CWU the ball back.  Nelson connected with Nate Rauda for a 27-yard pass to put the Wildcats in ThunderWolves territory.   Nelson was nearly picked off for the third time in the game before the Wildcats were forced to punt.
 
McDondle took the next play 75 yards putting the ThunderWolves five yards from the end zone heading into the fourth quarter.  The CWU defense held it's ground and CSU Pueblo had to settle for a field goal and a 41-14 lead.
 
The fourth quarter saw both teams gain little momentum as the game ended with the ThunderWolves taking the 41-14 victory.
 
The Wildcats will next travel to Dixie State University next Thursday (Sept. 5) in pursuit of their first victory of 2015.