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DURANGO, Colo. — Fort Lewis (1-0 overall) exploded for five second half touchdowns and relied on a strong special teams performance to break open a close game with South Dakota Mines (0-2) and win its season opener 48-30 today at Ray Dennison Memorial Field.

“Today we won one on special teams,” said second-year Skyhawk head coach Cesar Rivas-Sandoval. “We didn't play extremely well on offense or on defense from a discipline standpoint, but our special teams continued to put us in great field position.”

Freshman running back Van Gramman pulled off an unprecedented feat by scoring two touchdowns in a 10-second span — the first on a 70-yard screen pass from junior quarterback Tim Jenkins with 7:53 left in the game, the other on a 17-yard fumble return on the ensuing kickoff with 7:43 remaining, extending FLC's lead from 34-19 to 48-19.

“It's so fun to watch a true freshman get so excited about playing football,” said Rivas-Sandoval. “After his 70-yard touchdown catch and run, he was so tired that we almost took him off the kickoff team. He just wanted to get back on the field. It was fun.”

Junior safety Tim Muhovich made the first big special teams play of the game when he blocked a Kolten Jelden punt to give the Skyhawks a first-and-goal at South Dakota Mines' four-yard line late in the first quarter. A four-yard run by junior running back A.J. Miko put FLC ahead 6-0 (Kipp Castanha's extra point attempt failed) with 2:58 left in the frame.

Fort Lewis amassed 253 yards in the return game, running back eight punts for 126 yards and five kickoffs for 127. Senior wide receiver Justin Garman averaged 15.3 yards by returning seven punts for 112 yards. Junior wideout Jonathan Price averaged 25.4 yards per kickoff return, running back five kickoffs for 127 yards.

Senior punter Frank Atherton punted three times for 112 yards (37.3 average), but pinned the Hardrockers inside their own 20 twice and had a long boot of 52 yards.

Redshirt freshman kicker Ryan Baldwin replaced Castanha on place kicking duties and made all six of his extra point attempts. Despite missing a PAT and a 47-yard field goal try, Castanha was strong on kickoffs, averaging 65.6 yards while recording one touchback

Rivas-Sandoval said the special teams performance helped his team overcome mental lapses and mistakes on offense and defense. The Skyhawks committed four turnovers (three fumbles) and were whistled for 13 penalties for 128 yards. In one South Dakota Mines touchdown drive late in the game, FLC committed three 15-yard personal fouls.

But the Skyhawk skipper found plenty of positives on the offense and defense, too.

Jenkins threw for 344 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more scores for the Skyhawks (1-0 overall).

A second team All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference pick in 2010, Jenkins spread the wealth by distributing passes to nine different players. Garman led the way with four catches for 63 yards. Miko caught four passes for 55 yards and one touchdown while rushing for 66 yards on nine carries and another score. Price added three catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.

The Skyhawk defense, which didn't record its fifth sack until the eighth game of the 2010 campaign, sacked South Dakota Mines quarterbacks five times for 28 yards in losses. Junior linebacker Phillip Odell led FLC with 13 tackles (six solo), including 1.5 behind the line of scrimmage for nine yards in losses. Sophomore linebacker Zack Oppenneer had 12 tackles (seven solo), while junior defensive lineman Adam Romero had nine tackles (three solo, 1.5 behind the line-of-scrimmage).

South Dakota Mines rallied from a 13-0 deficit to tie the game at 13-13 midway through the third quarter before FLC reeled off 35 points in a nine-minute span to break the game wide open.

Marshall Davis caught seven passes for 105 yards, while Dustin Meneley ran for 46 yards and a touchdown and completed one pass for 34 yards out of the wildcat formation for South Dakota Mines. Patrick Shaw led the Hardrocker defense with 10 tackles (six solo).

The Skyhawks travel to Flagstaff, Ariz., where they'll face NCAA Division I (FCS) foe Northern Arizona at 3:05 p.m. (MDT) next Saturday.