Box score

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — Jake Cimolino rushed for 216 yards and Trevor deBraga had an 82-yard touchdown on a bizarre punt return to lead Colorado Mesa (3-4 overall, 3-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) to a 36-12 win over Fort Lewis (0-6, 0-5) tonight at Stocker Stadium.
 
“We had some chances, but we turned the ball over too many times,” said third-year FLC head coach Cesar Rivas-Sandoval. “It comes down to blocking, tackling, and catching. You've got to do those three things well.”
 
The Skyhawks lost three fumbles and threw an interception.
 
While execution failed Fort Lewis, effort kept them in it for nearly three quarters.
 
 “The kids fought hard,” said Rivas-Sandoval. We played extremely well in the first half.”
 
Cimolino staked the Mavs to a 6-0 lead with a 21-yard run midway through the first quarter. He was an effective workhorse for CMU all night long, averaging 8.0 yards per carry on 27 rushes.
 
“He's the real deal,” said Rivas-Sandoval. “He's one of the best I've ever seen.”
 
Trevor deBraga — one of three deBraga brothers on the Mavs defense — put an early dagger in FLC's hearts on a strange punt return. Skyhawk punter Steven Andrews kicked it 42 yards to the CMU 14, where Trent deBraga returned it six yards to the 20 before being running into a pile of Fort Lewis defenders. Rather than go down, he lateralled the ball back to his brother Trevor on the 18. Trevor deBraga then sprinted 82 yards down the sideline for a touchdown 2:18 into the second stanza, stretching the lead to 13-0.
 
Fort Lewis kept things close for the majority of three quarters. After trailing 16-0 at intermission, Tim Jenkins (32-of-54 passing, 248 yards) engineered a six-play, 54-yard drive on FLC's first possession of the second half to cut the lead to 16-6. Jenkins found Jordan Benton (seven catches, 66 yards) open for a 25-yard score just 2:58 into the third quarter.
 
Mike Campbell stopped the ensuing Mavs drive by intercepting holder Mike Brady's pass on a fake field goal and returning it 19 yards to the FLC 39, giving the Skyhawks good field position and valuable momentum in a 16-6 game. Fort Lewis went three-and-out, though, giving the ball back to CMU.
 
After forcing the Mavs into their own three-and-out, Jenkins got another crack at cutting into the lead. Mixing runs and passes, the Skyhawks moved the ball to their own 47 before the next drive stalled.
 
An 11-play, 73-yard scoring drive culminated by Cimolino's second rushing touchdown of the game — a three-yard run — dampened hopes of an FLC comeback, though.
 
Jason Haferman (14-of-29 passing, 175 yards) found Alex Zemezonak for a 38-yard touchdown early in the fourth and D.J. Hubbard (seven carries, 110 yards) scored on a 35-yard burst less than two minutes later to put the game completely out of reach and give CMU a 36-6 lead.
 
Jenkins led the Skyhawks on one final scoring drive — one that covered 87 yards on 12 plays — late in the fourth. The big plays were a 22-yard scramble by Jenkins, a 22-yard completion to Amery Duncan (six catches, 68 yards), and a 22-yard strike to Doyle Bode (seven catches, 53 yards). Bode's catch went to the CMU one-yard line and set up a one-yard TD run by Jenkins with 3:28 remaining to end the scoring.
 
The Mavs gained 386 of their 545 yards of total offense on the ground, with two runners — Cimolino and Hubbard — combining for 316. CMU averaged 8.3 yards per carry.
 
Phil Odell led the Skyhawk defense with 10 tackles (two solo), including a half-sack. Brett Barnes added nine assisted tackles, while Campbell had eight tackles (five solo) and his 19-yard interception return.
 
In addition to his 82-yard punt return lateral, Trevor deBraga had a big night defensively for CMU, notching 13 tackles (four solo), 1.5 tackles for losses of 18 yards, one quarterback sack for 16 yards, a forced fumble, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry. Valencio Gray added 13 tackles and a breakup.
 
The Skyhawks return home to face Western State Colorado (0-7, 0-5) at 1 p.m. next Saturday at Ray Dennison Memorial Field in a matchup between the RMAC's only two winless teams.
 
“Somebody's got to win,” said Rivas-Sandoval. “We need to score more points than we have been lately.”
 
Western State was shut out 28-0 at home today to Western New Mexico. The Mountaineers are the only team in the conference to average less than 10 points per game (9.0) in league play.
 
The Bent Urban Sports Bar tailgate party kicks things off at 10 a.m. next Saturday in the parking lot east of the stadium.