SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Central Washington Wildcat football team (3-2, 3-0 LSC) traveled down to the Land of Enchantment and defeated the Western New Mexico Mustangs (1-4, 0-3 LSC) by a 55-17 score Saturday night.
 
QUOTABLE
 
" I'm proud of our guys for handling a tough trip," CWU Head Football Coach Chris Fisk said. "This is a trip comes with a lot of excuses on why you can't perform well built in. I'm very proud of the way that the team was able to stay together and work together through the tough times and were able to put together a solid win."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
The Wildcats and Mustangs slugged it out in the first quarter. The Mustangs started their night going three and out giving the ball to the Wildcats at the WNMU 33-yard line. A 40-yard field goal by Josh Jones completed the Wildcats first possession on the night putting CWU up 3-0 with 11:24 left in the first quarter. The Mustangs would respond by marching down the field, guided by their passing game to put them up 7-3 with 8:29 left in the first quarter. 
 
Jackson McCann returned the kickoff 37-yards to the Wildcat 45-yard line which set up Tyler Flanagan for a 55-yard touchdown run on the ensuing play, Jones point after touchdown attempt was good putting CWU up 10-7 with 8:09 left in the first quarter. The Mustangs would once again rely on their air game to march down the field, but the Wildcat defense stood pat only allowing a 35-yard field goal to tie the game at   10 apiece. 
 
Both teams would exchange possessions, but the Wildcats would retake the lead after a Tanner Volk interception set the Wildcats up at the WNMU 22-yard line allowing Tyler Flanagan to rush to the WNMU 10 setting up JJ Lemming to find Kaiden Hammond in the endzone. Jones would convert the point after touchdown to put the Wildcats up 17-10 with 1:11 left in the first quarter. Josiah Cochran would end the first quarter with a five-yard sack on WNMU third down. 
 
The Wildcats would open the second quarter receiving the ball and would get help with a WNMU pass interference penalty. Lemming would find Marcus Cook for a nine-yard touchdown pass with Jones converting the point after touchdown putting CWU up 24-10 with 11:15 left in the second quarter. 
 
The Wildcats would force WNMU into a three and out setting up CWU at our own 45-yard line. Lemming found Tre'jon Henderson for a 12-yard gain putting the Wildcats in the Mustangs side of the field allowing Flanagan and Kennedy McGill to take over and rush the rest of the way with Flanagan getting the final yard for the touchdown with Jones converting the point after touchdown to give the Wildcats the 31-10 lead with 6:49 left in the second quarter.
 
The Mustangs would work their way to the CWU 27-yard line, but couldn't convert a fourth and 10 as Bridger Feldmann forced and recovered a fumble setting the Wildcats up at our own 40-yard line. Both teams would exchange possessions with the Wildcats taking over with 33 seconds left in the half at their own 43-yard line. Lemming found Darius Morrison and Cook on two separate receptions for a 35-yard combined gain with Lemming rushing five yards to set up Jones for a 45-yard field goal that would be converted to end the first half with CWU holding a 34-10 lead. 
 
The Wildcats received the ball to start the second half. A big 38-yard connection to DeMonte Horton by Lemming put the Wildcats at the WNMU 12-yard line allowing Flanagan to take it from there to nab another touchdown on the night with Jones converting the point after touchdown to put CWU up 41-10 with 12:58 left in the third quarter. 
 
Both teams couldn't find the endzone on the ensuing possessions until an interception by Dominic Wieburg at the WNMU 20 that was returned to the WNMU four-yard line set Henderson up to stack on another touchdown with Jones converting the point after touchdown to put CWU up 48-10. Both teams would exchange possessions with the Wildcats marching down the field with Lemming finding Daniel Johnson for a big 21-yard gain and a Henderson eight-yard run to the WNMU 25-yard line to end the third quarter. 
 
The Mustang defense would show out holding the Wildcat offense at the WNMU 11-yard line to set up another Jones field goal which was good but there were two flags on the Mustangs which gave the Wildcats a first down at the WNMU three-yard line. Flanagan easily saundered into the endzone with Jones converting the point after touchdown to put CWU up 55-10. 
 
The Mustangs would nab another touchdown before time expired but the Wildcats would get the victory 55-17 capped off by Justice Taylor storming his way down the field for 52-yards as time expired. 
 
Flanagan ran all over for the Wildcat offense rushing for 143 yards and four touchdowns with a 55-yard touchdown run in the process. Taylor and McGill added on 52 and 48-yards in the rushing game while Henderson added 38-yards and one rushing touchdown. Lemming handled the air for CWU completing nine passes of 19 attempts for 146 yards two touchdowns, and one interception. Cook was the leading receiver with four receptions for 48-yards and one touchdown. Six different Wildcats recorded one reception. 
 
The Wildcat defense was once again led by Tanner Volk who recorded seven tackles, two interceptions and one pass breakup. Wieburg, Feldmann, and Accimus all recorded five tackles with Wieburg adding one tackle for loss, one pass breakup, and one interception while Feldmann recorded 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery. Chase Loidhamer and Cochran each recorded a sack with Loidhamer also recording 2.5 tackles for loss and Cochran recording 1.5 tackles for loss. Brett McCalla recorded one tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry while Jalen Owens, Matulino Masunu, and Daniel Matagi all recorded 0.5 tackle for loss with Owens having one pass breakup. Brycen Indell also added in a forced fumble. 

Dan Stewart had four punts on the night for 180 yards for an average of 45-yards per punt. Four of his punts landed within the 20-yard line of WNMU. Jones converted both of his field goal attempts with his longest coming at 45-yards as well as kicking seven for seven in point after touchdown conversions. 
 
UP NEXT
 
The Wildcats will head back to Ellensburg to prepare for a showdown with the other NCAA Division II team from New Mexico, the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds (3-2, 1-2 LSC). The Wildcats welcome ENMU next Saturday at 6:00 p.m. from Tomlinson Stadium.