GUNNISON, Colo. – The 19th-ranked Central Washington University Football Team (8-4) fell in the first round of the NCAA Division II Championship Playoffs to the 10th-ranked and 2nd-seeded Western Colorado Mountaineers (11-1) by a 28-21 score Saturday afternoon.
 
QUOTING CWU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH CHRIS FISK
 
"I'm super proud of our guys. In this game it comes down to mistakes and explosive plays. We made some mistakes, and they made some explosive plays, and we needed to get those stops, and we were so close on a couple things. Really, when it came to big plays today, it was Western Colorado's day. I couldn't be more proud of this group of kids, the way that this team has fought, I mean we were playing with our fourth-string corner today, and just the way that he fought, the way the kids fought today and all year long, there's no quit in them and that showed up through to the very end of the game. This group was my first recruiting class as a Head Coach, so it's a bittersweet day to see these men come through our program, become better men, and on the end of this, I couldn't be more proud of this group of kids and the seniors we have on this team. I'm very sad to see this time end in Central football, these guys mean a lot to me."
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• The Mountaineers started the game with the ball, but the Wildcat defense made a stand and forced WCU into a three-and-out, giving the ball back to CWU at their own eight-yard line.
• The Wildcat's opening possession was also cut short after starting to make their way down the field thanks to a sack fumble by the Mountaineers that was recovered by Western Colorado at the Wildcat 39-yard line.
• Western Colorado made the most of the turnover, punching in the first points of the game to take the 7-0 lead with 7:35 left in the first quarter.
• Tyler Flanagan and Kennedy McGill took the 'Cats down the field with big gains from each that saw McGill cap off the drive with a one-yard touchdown rush to tie the game at seven apiece with 4:32 left in the first.
• The Mountaineers wound down the rest of the clock in the first to make it a deadlock 7-7 game.
• Western Colorado drilled a field goal that was recalled due to a false start penalty on the Mountaineers to open the second. However, Chase Loidhamer managed to get a paw on it and stop it from going through the uprights with 13:11 left in the second.
• Unfortunately, the Wildcat offense couldn't capitalize on the blocked field goal going three-and-out, giving the ball back to WCU at their own 40-yard line.
• The Mountaineers drove down the field and found the endzone once again for the 14-7 lead with 5:32 left in the second.
• CWU maneuvered down the field and managed to convert a 32-yard field goal to end the first half with Western Colorado leading 14-10.
• The Wildcats started the second half with the ball but couldn't find a groove with Dan Stewart punting after a three-and-out.
• The Mountaineers marched their way down the field and increased their lead to 21-10 after a 16-yard touchdown reception with 9:13 left in the third.
• Central Washington was able to find a rhythm on the offensive end with a stout ground-game, but the Mountaineer defense stiffened up and forced the 'Cats into a field goal situation from 41 yards, that was missed, giving the ball back to WCU to start the fourth.
• Western Colorado had a string of incomplete passes with LaMarq Patterson and Daniel Matagi ensuring the pressure needed to force WCU into a three-and-out.
• The Wildcats managed to find success in the air on their next drive as receptions to Jackson McCann and Marcus Cook, as well as a 36-yard gain on the ground by McGill put CWU in the redzone. Back-to-back penalties by the Wildcats made it a field goal situation which Britton redeemed himself, this time from 38 yards out to make it 21-13 WCU with 8:18 left in the game.
• The Mountaineers make quick work in their next drive, only needing three plays to score a touchdown on a 35-yard reception to make it 28-13 WCU with 6:26 left.
• McGill took charge and found a big 13-yard gain on the ground that he followed with big completions to Darius Morrison and Darrien Gaines to get into Western Colorado's side of the field. A roughing the passer call on WCU and a 10-yard reception to Cook set up Flanagan to run in the final two yards to add another six points to CWU. McGill connected with Josiah Cochran for the two-point conversion to make it a 28-21 Mountaineer lead with 2:26 remaining.
• The Mountaineers managed to make their way to midfield, but the Wildcat defense forced a punt and CWU started a potential game-tying drive at their own 20-yard line with 55 seconds left.
• Western Colorado managed a sack to drop CWU back three yards which was followed by an incomplete pass, and then a fumble on a lateral play that was recovered by WCU sealed the 28-21 victory for the Mountaineers.

 
STATS FROM THE GAME
 

• McGill finished the game completing 16/28 passes for 138 yards while leading CWU with 113 rushing yards and one touchdown.
• Flanagan added 80 rushing yards and one touchdown.
• Morrison had five receptions for 47 yards while Cook and Gaines weren't far behind with four and three receptions, each for a total of 28 yards.
• Chase Coalson led the 'Cats in tackles at eight.
• Tanner Volk finished with seven tackles and a half tackle for loss while Daniel Mendoza added six tackles.
• Daniel Matagi had three total tackles including one sack and two tackles for loss while Isaac Clark added three tackles, a half tackle for loss, and a quarterback hurry.
• Loidhamer had two tackles, one tackle for loss, one blocked field goal, and two quarterback hurries.
• Dan Stewart punted twice for 7 3yards.
• Cook had one punt return for a loss of five yards as well as a kick return for 22 yards while Flanagan had the other kick return for 10 yards.
• Britton finished the game 2/3 on field goal attempts with his longest successful attempt coming in at 38 yards and was a perfect 1/1 on PAT attempts.
• Wyatt Redding had four kickoffs for 250 yards.

 
UP NEXT
 
The Wildcats will turn their attention to the 2025 football season where they will look to make it three-straight appearances in the NCAA Division II Championship playoffs.