ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Football Team returns home this weekend, looking to build on last week's impressive road win at Western New Mexico. This time, they host the other team from New Mexico, the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds.
The first 500 CWU Students to enter Tomlinson will get a free t-shirt. There's also a chance for you to win a new Apple Watch, presented by MultiCare. This weekend also presents fans the chance to sign up for the National Bone Marrow Donor Program where you can sign up to possibly help save someone who's in need of a bone marrow transplant.
GAME INFORMATION:
Saturday, October 4
#16 Central Washington vs. Eastern New Mexico
6:00 p.m.
Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium
Ellensburg, Wash.
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QUOTING CWU HEAD FOOTBALL COACH CHRIS FISK:
"This is a team with a little bit of momentum now. They had a rough start to their season, obviously not ideal for what they wanted to do against Highlands, Mesa, and Angelo. They went out and played a heck of a game the last time they were out, and they had a bye week since that victory. I know when we came out off of our bye week we had a lot of tricks and a lot of specials and a lot of things going on, so we have to be ready for all of the stuff they were able to cook up over the bye week. They also most likely have some key players back offensively and defensively. So, we'll be ready for whatever they throw at us.
I think you're going to see a real throwback football game. I wouldn't disappear from the stadium too long because I think that clock will be ticking this week, opposite of last week's game where it won't be a four-hour contest. It'll be one of the shorter ones in the NCAA this week."
LAST GAME:
The Wildcats struck early as
Justice Taylor broke free for a 30-yard touchdown run on their opening drive, with
David Weber's PAT making it 7-0. On the next series,
Chase Coalson intercepted a Mustang pass and one play later
Kennedy McGill connected with
Beau Phillips for a 53-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 14-0. After another defensive stop,
Mika Roberson's punt return set CWU up in Mustang territory, and Taylor wasted no time, racing 40 yards for his second score to push it to 21-0. The 'Cats weren't done, as McGill broke loose for a 56-yard run to set up
Ryder Bumgarner's two-yard touchdown, before later finding
Mason Juergens on a 15-yard strike to make it 35-0 by the end of the first quarter.
The defense continued to dominate, with Roberson snagging an interception to set up McGill for a short rushing touchdown to open the second quarter. WNMU finally answered with a touchdown of their own, but the Wildcats kept pouring it on, as McGill and Phillips each added rushing scores, and Bumgarner punched in another from short range. By halftime, CWU held a commanding 63-17 lead.
The scoring barrage carried into the third quarter with Phillips breaking off a long touchdown run, followed by a defensive stop that allowed Taylor to notch his third rushing touchdown of the night. Though WNMU managed two touchdowns in the quarter, CWU kept control, entering the final frame up 77-31. In the fourth, Taylor found the end zone again, and Juergens added his second receiving touchdown to seal the blowout, giving CWU a 91-31 victory on the road.
McGill and Christensen paced the air attack completing 3/5 and 3/4 passes for 84 and 75 passing yards, respectfully. McGill tossed in two passing touchdowns, 71 rushing yards, and one rushing touchdown, while Christensen tossed one touchdown. Taylor paved the groundwork with a monster game of 169 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 17 rushes. Bumgarner, Phillips, and Gionet all also scored a rushing touchdown, finishing with 47, 34, and 26 yards, respectfully. Juergens was once again the leading receiver, making two grabs for 65 yards and two touchdowns while Phillips added 53 yards and one touchdown on one reception.
Logan Lisherness and Roberson led the tackling on the night for CWU with eight and seven tackles with Lisherness adding one tackle for loss and Roberson having an interception he returned for 37 yards. Coalson added four tackles and one interception while Sullivan finished with two tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss including one sack, and one interception that was returned 25 yards for a PAT.
Connor Goff and Loidhamer had three tackles and a 0.5 tackle for loss apiece with Williams and Webber adding two tackles and one tackle for loss apiece. Masunu and Edward added one tackle for loss with Edward's coming as a sack while
Ty Evans adding a 0.5 tackle for loss.
Wyatt Redding had two punts for 88 yards and 14 kickoffs for 890 yards. Weber was a perfect 13/13 on PAT attempts. Roberson returned three punts for 34 yards on the night. Phillips had three kickoff returns for 237 yards while Lisherness returned one kickoff for 14 yards.
The Wildcats totaled 499 yards while giving up 468 to WNMU. The Mustangs earned 24 first downs compared to CWU's 20 and outgained the 'Cats in the air 430 yards to 165 yards. The crimson and black, however, earned more yards on the ground by a 334 to 38 margin.
WNMU held onto the ball for 32:32 compared to CWU's 27:28 possession time. The Mustangs converted 5 of 18 third down attempts and 3 of 4 fourth down attempts while the 'Cats finished the evening converting 4 of 6 third down attempts and did not have a fourth down attempt.
ABOUT THE GREYHOUNDS:
The Greyhounds are 1-3 on the season including a 1-1 LSC record. They struggled to begin the season, falling first at home to New Mexico Highlands 34-28 and at Colorado Mesa 28-7 to conclude nonconference action. They then fell in their conference-opener by a 31-20 score at home against then 8th-ranked Angelo State. The 'Hounds bounced back for a huge 56-31 road victory at Midwestern State that included 453 rushing yards by the team on September 20 for their first victory of the season.
Opponents are currently outscoring the Greyhounds 31 points per game compared to the 27.75 points per game the 'Hounds are averaging. The green and white have done most of their damage on the ground, averaging 281.8 rushing yards per game and 10 touchdowns and have complimented that attack with 130.25 passing yards and 5 passing touchdowns.
The Greyhounds are currently successful on 47.46 percent on their third down attempts and are 6/8 on fourth down attempts. ENMU typically holds onto the ball longer than their opponents, averaging 31:50 minutes per game with the ball compared to the 27:58 minutes per game their opponents have with the ball. The green and white are a disciplined team, accumulating only 20 penalties this season for a total of 210 penalty yards this season.
Chad Ragle has been the main quarterback for ENMU completing 23 of 46 passes this season for 489 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. 5 different 'Hounds have already rushed for over 100 yards this season, led by Ragle himself with 289 yards and 3 touchdowns. Xavier Johnson (180 yards), Elias Santana (148 yards and 1 TD), Demarion Finch (130 yards and 3 TDs), and Kyler Fossett (105 and 1 TD) are the other rushers with over 100 yards this season. Gerry Gomez leads the 'Hounds with 166 receiving yards and three TDs on 10 catches with Dalton Flowers not far behind with 164 yards on 5 catches.
The Greyhound's defense is led by Aaron Warren who has accumulated 33 tackles and leads the team with 4 pass breakups while adding 1.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble. DJ Moore has earned the most sacks and tackles for loss for the green and white with 4 tackles for loss and 1.5 coming as sacks while adding 1 pass breakup and 1 fumble recovery. JJ Silver joins Warren as the only Greyhound to record an interception on the season while Matthew Quartieri leads the team with three quarterback hurries.
Ryan Travis has 16 punts this season for 644 yards and an average of 40.25 yards per punt with 3 of his punts landing within the opponents' 20-yard line and 1 going for over 50 yards. Kaden Bell is currently 2/4 on field goal attempts with his longest on the season coming in at 30 yards. Bell has also been the main kickoff kicker having 14 kickoffs on the season for 802 yards for an average of 57.3 yards per kick. Fordham Parks has returned 6 punts this season for a total of 35 yards while Gerry Gomez has returned 5 punts for a total of 53 yards. Elias Santana has been the main kickoff returner, returning 7 kicks for 89 yards.
UP NEXT:
The Wildcats will head back on the road for a matchup that could have major playoff implications. CWU travels to Odessa, Texas to face the ninth-ranked UT Permian Basin Falcons (4-0, 2-0 LSC) on Saturday, October 11 at 4:00 p.m. PST from Ratliff Stadium.
