November 7th, 2009.  Durango, CO. -  The Fort Lewis College Football Team made sure to give their fans one last treat at Ray Dennison Memorial Field earlier today. The Skyhawks, on senior day dominated every facet of the game as they crushed the Mustangs of Western New Mexico 40-21. Fort Lewis closed out their 2009 season 2-9 overall and 1-8 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC).

The Skyhawks marched 72 yards in 10 plays to put up their first six of the game when Justin Johnson caught a seven yard pass from Tim Jenkins. The Skyhawks defense stopped the Mustangs on their next drive going 70 yards down the field in 10 plays on another Johnson TD pass from six yards out making it 14-0, Western New Mexico fought back to get on the board with 1:27 left in the first quarter when backup QB C. Voller found C. Miranda on a 28 yard pass, cutting their deficit to 7-14 to close out the first quarter.

The second quarter belonged to the Mustangs as they scored an unanswered 14 points on on a 20 yards pass and an 11 yard scamper to go up on Fort Lewis 21-20. Freshman Nate Soucie gave the Skyhawks their only points of the second quarter drilling two field goals, one a 26 yarder and the other from 23 yards. Soucie's second field goal sent the teams into the half with the Mustangs leading 21-20.

After a second half pep talk from Coach Rifilato and some highly energized seniors, the Skyhawks came out fired up as if they had the lead and all the momentum. Fort Lewis's stifling defense didn't give up another point in the second half, while the Skyhawk offense scored at will. The offense got started by another Soucie field goal from 36 yards out with 7:25 left in the third. Six minutes later the Hawk's drove 57 yards in 10 plays to put up another touchdown on a one yard Jenkins rush to go up 30-21. 

A costly turnover by the Mustangs at the end of the third gave the Skyhawks yet another chance to capitalize going 3 plays for 31 yarrs when a Jenkins pass was tipped inthe air and senior Brian Engelhard grabbed it out of the air and ran in from 23 yards out for the 37-21 lead. A few more Mustang turnovers and a 14 play, 72 yard drive set-up Soucie one last time from 36 yards to put the last Fort Lewis points on the scoreboard, sealing the victory at 40-21. 

Fort Lewis's offense maintained possesion of the ball for almost 22 minutes in the second half whereas Western New Mexico only had possession for eight minutes. The Skyhawks offense put up an impressive 436 total yards of offense, 340 in the air and 96 yards on the ground. Jenkins went 38-59 and threw 3 touchdowns and rushed for one. Johnson finsihed the game with a team high 19 receptions for 143 yards and two touchdowns. Dwayne Perry and Phillip Odell led the defense with 7 tackles apiece followed by #Nick Becker who recorded 6 tackles, two for a loss and one sack. Eric Hills had 5 tackles and one interception.

Fort Lewis had a few team and individual records this season. The offensive line led the RMAC with least sacks allowed in a season with 17. The best Fort Lewis record to this date was 28 sacks allowed. Junior Justin Johnson surpassed the 1,000 yards receiving mark and also set the Fort Lewis record for most receptions in a single season with 124, crushing the previous record of 106.

The Skyhawks say farewell to 10 seniors. Colin Barrier, Joel Johnson Phillip Dodd, Dimitri Scott, Jerrel Allen, Nick Becker, Briam Engelhard, Scott Guttman, Kelly Bradley and Brandon Schneider