ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University Football Team concluded the spring with their 2025 Crimson and Black Spring Game Saturday afternoon with Team Crimson (offense) using a last second field goal to defeat Team Black (defense) by a 27-26 score. Both teams had honorary coaches for the first series of each half with Team Crimson's honorary coach being Jeff O'Donnell and Team Black's honorary coach being 2025 CWU Athletic Hall of Fame inductee Jason Patterson. Fellow 2025 CWU Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Mary Lindquist Herche, Carianne Davis Ferencik, and John Picha were all also honored during the game.
 
Team Black started out with 26 points to begin the game. Team Crimson's scoring was normal offensive scoring for a regular football game. Punts and kickoffs were simulated going off the averages from last season.
 
Justice Taylor had a huge 26-yard rush to get Team Crimson onto the other side of the field, but a combined tackle for loss by Brett McCalla and Jalen Owens and two plays later a sack by Brogan De'Asis and Mikaio Edward saw Team Crimson's momentum abrupt to a halt.
 
Ki'Marree Washington started the second drive with a tremendous 12-yard gain, but key tackles from Labarrio Mays, Zablon Lamp, Jairus Phillips, and Zay Jennings stopped Team Crimson one yard short of a first down.
 
Blake Borup took things into his own hands on the next offensive possession earning a quick first down. Luke Gale connected with Ryan Brader to get to the other side of the field and get a key first down. Gale later made up for an incomplete pass with a big third down 10-yard rush that was backed by a 14-yard rush from Borup to get into the redzone. Team Black stiffened up as Peyton Cunningham, Tyler King, Brady Goff, and Trishion Sullivan all made key stops to end the first quarter with Team Black sitting on a 26-0 lead.
 
Gale couldn't connect with Andrew Molloy to open the second quarter, but Quinten Pacheco got Team Crimson on the board with a 22-yard field goal to make it 26-3 Team Black.
 
Team Crimson couldn't find any wiggle room on the ground in their next possession as Logan Lisherness, Wahi Emmsley, and Mays all made key stops, and capped with a false start on Team Crimson, Team Crimson had no choice but to punt.
 
Back-to-back sacks by Mays and Lisherness on the next Team Crimson possession proved to be too much despite a reception from Washington.
 
Caleb Christensen found Ty Snider for a huge 31-yard gain to get Team Crimson into the redzone and two plays later connected with Gavin Nash to secure the first touchdown of the day and a PAT from Wyatt Redding was good making it a 26-10 Team Black lead.
 
Team Crimson couldn't find any momentum on the ground the next two possessions and paired with a tackle for loss by Peyton Cunningham, a sack from Matulino Masunu, and another false start on Team Crimson saw Team Crimson punt it away in back-to-back possessions.
 
Sullivan found Justin Brennan on the first play of Team Crimson's next possession to earn a sack, but Brennan rebounded with a big connection to Washington to get on Team Blacks side of the field. Team Black wouldn't let them get much further with heavy pass coverage forcing Team Crimson to settle for a 45-yard field goal attempt before the halftime mark that went wide keeping the score at 26-10.
 
Kennedy McGill started the second half under center for Team Crimson and immediately found Snider for a first down gain. Back-to-back finds by McGill to Snider and Logan Brady saw another first down for Team Crimson. A pass interference call on Team Black set Team Crimson up at the two-yard line and two plays later saw Beau Phillips punch it in. Redding converted the PAT and made it 26-17 in favor of Team Black.
 
Back-to-back defensive stops for Team Black and a penalty on Team Crimson concluded the action in the third quarter as Team Black continued to lead 26-17.
 
Team Crimson couldn't find any room to begin the fourth quarter as Mays and Noah McElveen ended the opening drive of the fourth quarter with a huge third down sack.
 
Brennan came back into the game and meant business immediately making a huge connection to Molloy and followed that up immediately with a connection to Ryder Bumgarner for a touchdown that saw Pacheco convert the PAT and make it 26-24 in favor of Team Black.
 
Another three-and-out by Team Black sat Team Crimson up at their own 25. Christensen earned a first down with a connection to Cole Hunt, but Team Black didn't let them get much further, forcing Team Crimson to punt.
 
Michael Westbrook Jr. started the next defensive series for Team Black with a big pass breakup, however Gale redeemed himself on the next play with a first down rush that was assisted by a Team Black penalty on the next play. Team Black held strong and forced Team Crimson to punt thanks to a tackle from Dylan Jones.
 
Brennan came back into the game with time winding down and a quick 10-yard rush and backed that with a 14-yard connection to Samaje Featherstone and a 10-yard connection to AJ Perez to put Team Crimson in the redzone. With two seconds left Team Crimson went for a 30-yard field goal by Redding. The kick went up and just snuck in through the uprights to seal the 27-26 Team Crimson victory in another thrilling Crimson and Black Spring Game.
 
The Wildcats will now turn their attention to the 2025 season opener against Colorado Mesa on Thursday, August 28 at 1:00 p.m. from Steve Hertling Field at Tomlinson Stadium.