Box Score

LAS VEGAS, N.M. — Fort Lewis (3-8 overall, 2-7 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) held New Mexico Highlands (4-7, 2-7) to just two first downs and 105 yards of total offense in a 6-3 win today at Perkins Stadium in the season finale for both teams.

“It was an exciting game, a defensive battle,” said second-year FLC head coach Cesar Rivas-Sandoval. “Both defenses played outstanding. We each played our best defensive games of the season. Both offenses struggled moving the ball against two great game plans. Both defenses were just on point today. It was just one of those games.”

No defender played a bigger role than senior defensive tackle David Ferris, who had nine tackles (four solo), 3.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage for -11 yards, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one blocked punt, and a quarterback sack for -4 yards.

“The guy was everywhere,” Rivas-Sandoval said of Ferris. “There wasn't a better defensive player in the conference today.”

He also singled out the play of senior defensive back Eric Hills, who had five tackles (three solo) and one tackle-for-a-loss for -3 yards.

New Mexico Highlands took a 3-0 lead into intermission on a 26-yard Ernesto Guerra field goal with 8:53 remaining in the first half. After recovering a Fort Lewis fumble on the FLC 12-yard line, the Cowboys couldn't punch it into the end zone and settled for the short field goal — and what proved to be their only points of the day.

The Skyhawks got their only points on a 36-yard pass from Tim Jenkins to Blaise Cuban just 4:23 into the second half. Ryan Baldwin's extra point was blocked — as was his 30-yard field goal try late in the first quarter.

Fort Lewis had a chance to score a second touchdown when they marched to the NMHU one-yard line, but were denied on four successive plays.

Jenkins returned from a concussion that sidelined him last week to complete 22 of 51 passes for 182 yards, but was intercepted twice, sacked four times, and lost one fumble. Justin Peters completed one halfback pass for 14 yards.

Doyle Bode led the Skyhawks receivers with six catches for 72 yards. “Doyle played a very solid game,” said Rivas-Sandoval.

Justin Garman caught four passes for 54 yards.

The windy conditions — gusts were estimated at 35-45 miles per hour — wreaked havoc on the passing and kicking games at times, and greatly assisted kickers at others.

Highlands, which punted 15 times during the game, used two different punters depending on whether or not they were kicking into the wind or with it. Jordan Campbell pinned FLC on its own one in the third quarter with an 89-yard punt.

FLC's Frank Atherton averaged just 30.1 yards per kick in nine punts, but had what Rivas-Sandoval called “a game-saving play” on his last kick late in the fourth quarter. A wind gust pulled the snap from center far to the left. Atherton caught the errant snap on the run, averted NMHU defenders and booted a left-footed kick 33 yards that at least salvaged some field position.

Highlands took over at midfield, but a sack by Jermaine Tucker three plays later resulted in a fumble recovered by David Ferris. One kneel-down was all it took to run out the clock after that.

The Cowboys — the most penalized team in the RMAC — shot themselves in the foot once again with miscues. NMHU was whistled for 16 infractions for 146 yards in losses. Fort Lewis committed just five penalties.

New Mexico Highlands did win the turnover battle, with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. FLC failed to intercept Highlands and recovered just one fumble, albeit one on NMHU's last offensive play with the game on the line.

Seven Skyhawks played in their final game — Atherton, Ferris, Garman, Hills, David Matos, Peters, and Harrison Scheider.

“It was nice for those guys to leave our program with a W,” said Rivas-Sandoval. “It's also nice for our younger guys to get a close win. Nobody panicked today.”