ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University football team will maintain their road warrior status in week two as they travel to Colorado Mesa University to face the Mavericks on Saturday, Sept. 14 with a noon PST kickoff from Stocker Stadium in Grand Junction, Colo.
GAME INFORMATION
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LAST WEEK
The Wildcats opened their season at NCAA Division I FCS the University of San Diego last Saturday and fell 26-7. On their opening drive, the Wildcats missed a 40-yard field goal which San Diego took advantage of to take the 6-0 lead after a 28-yard reception by Kenyon Sims in the endzone, but the point after touchdown attempt was no good. The 'Cats would answer back on the ensuing possession capped by a one-yard rushing touchdown by
Tyler Flanagan with the successful PAT by
Quinton Pacheco gave the 'Cats the lead 7-6 to end the first quarter. The Toreros would go on to score a touchdown in each of the remaining quarters and stifled the Wildcat offense to win 26-7 in sunny San Diego.
Kennedy McGill led the charge for the crimson and black logging 231 total offensive yards including going 14/28 for 109 passing yards and leading the rushing attack with 122 rushing yards. Flanagan had the sole touchdown for CWU and added 27 rushing yards and 10 receiving yards.
Darius Morrison and
Logan Brady each logged over 30 receiving yards with Morrison notching 35 and Brady adding 31. On the defensive side of the ball,
Tanner Volk led the Wildcats in tackles with eight, also recording one tackle for loss, while Adams State transfer
Daniel Mendoza wasn't far behind with seven tackles and one pass breakup.
Brett McCalla and
Daniel Matagi each logged six tackles with Matagi adding the first sack of the season for the Wildcats for a six-yard loss.
Jaylen Clay added two pass breakups while
Wahi Emmsley added one.
Dan Stewart punted seven times for CWU logging 281 yards for an average of 40.1 yards. Three of his punts landed within the USD 20-yard line and he had a long punt of 55-yards.
ABOUT THE MAVERICKS
Colorado Mesa is already off to a 1-0 start to their 2024 campaign defeating a familiar face in the Texas A&M-Kingsville Javelinas in week zero 16-13 in a hard-fought road victory down in Texas.
"They're tough, they're gritty," CWU Head Football Coach
Chris Fisk said. "When you can go down to Kingsville, Texas it's hot, it's humid, it's different than what the kids in Mesa train in, it's just a tough game. Just the fact that they were able to go down there and whether that storm and have the type of game they needed to have against a well-coached and very talented Kingsville roster says a lot about the program and the type of grit they play with."
The Javelinas took the lead early in the first quarter when Roger Hagan caught a nine-yard pass from quarterback Kannon Williams with Gilbert Garza converting the PAT to make it 7-0 Kingsville. The Mavericks responded late in the first quarter when Leslie Richardson ran in the seven-yard touchdown followed by Evan Morris running in the two-point conversion to put the Mavs up 8-7. The Javs retook the lead in the second quarter when Gilbert drilled a 32-yard field goal and backed it up in the third quarter with a 40-yard field goal to put Kingsville up 13-8. The Mavs struck again late in the fourth quarter when Jack Burke caught a 30-yard pass from Liu Aumavae and sealed it with Aiden Taylor rushing in the two-point conversion to give CMU the 16-13 victory.
The Mavericks finished with 157 passing yards led by Richardson going 5/11 for 80 yards but threw two interceptions. Aumavae finished the game throwing 4/8 for 77 yards and one touchdown. CMU managed only 80 rushing yards led by Taylor with 54 while Richardson finished with 36 and had the sole rushing touchdown. Quezon Villa finished with the most receptions with four for 56 yards, but Alex Turpin finished with the most receiving yards with 64 yards on two receptions.
Charlie Smith and RMAC Defensive Player of the Week Liban Shongolo led the defensive efforts for CMU with 11 and 10 tackles respectively. Jason Thome and Troy Mataia each finished with six tackles with Thome snatching the only interception of the game for CMU and Mataia adding a half TFL and one quarterback hurry. Colin Stuhr had the only sack for CMU while Hunter Hamilton added a quarterback hurry.
Sullivan Moon missed the sole field goal attempt of 53-yards for CMU but had two kickoffs for 125 yards and three punts for 93 yards. Kash Bradley has been the main punt returner, returning two punts for 13 yards and added one kickoff return for 31 yards. Noah Greer has two kickoff returns for 60 yards while Villa added one kickoff return for 19 yards.
"We know we're going to have our hands full, we're the home opener for them and they'll be excited to rock and roll," Fisk said. "They have a talented roster and a veteran coaching staff that's experience, so it'll be a heck of a tilt this weekend."
UP NEXT
The Wildcats will remain road warriors for one more week as they travel to West Texas A&M to open Lone Star Conference play. The 'Cats and Buffs will go head-to-head on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 5:00 p.m. PST from Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas.
