DURANGO, Colo. – October 16, 2014 – Playing in their first ever nationally televised game and the first time playing under the lights at Ray Dennison Memorial Field since 2007, the Fort Lewis College football team was handed a 56-14 Homecoming loss Thursday night to No. 15 Colorado School of Mines.
Five days after a historic 23-22 upset over No. 2 Colorado State University-Pueblo that snapped the ThunderWolves 42 regular game winning streak, the Skyhawks suffered their worst loss of the season (42 points).
The Orediggers put 21 points on the on the scoreboard before Fort Lewis found the end zone.
Juquelle Thompson caught a 71 yard pass from
Jordan Doyle at 12:05 in the second quarter that capped off a four play, 77-yard drive. The Orediggers responded with their four touchdown of the game to take a 28-7 lead with 9:10 left in the first half. The Orediggers first four drives of the game resulted in touchdowns.
Thompson helped cut the lead to 28-14 when he caught his second touchdown pass of the day from Doyle. The Skyhawks started the drive on Colorado Mines' 34 yard line. After forcing the Orediggers to punt, Thompson returned the ball 26 yards to the Mines 49-yard line. A face mask penalty on the return added 15 more yards to the Mines' 34-yard. Four plays later, Thompson and Doyle connected form 17 yards out for FLC's second score of the game.
Colorado Mines would go on to score 21 unanswered points in the second half to seal the win, 56-14.
PJ Hall carried the ball 23 times for 100 yards. He averaged 4.3 yards per carry. Doyle added 37 net rushing yards to contribute to the Skyhawks 168 yards on the ground.
Doyle completed 15-of-24 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns. Thompson caught three passes for 97 yards and both Skyhawks scores. He added 75 kick return yards and 26 punt return yards for a game high 198 all-purpose yards.
Kipp Castanha was 2-for-2 in extra point attempts and he averaged 40.4 yards on seven punts (three landed inside the 20-yard line).
Sione Folaumoeloa and
Ryan Ross each posted nine tackles. Folaumoeloa recorded a half sack for a three yard loss and two tackles for a loss of five yards.
The Orediggers ran four quarterbacks in the game, led by Justin Dvorak who completed 24-of-33 passes for 308 yards and four scores in only one half of action. Diamond Gillis (one touchdown) caught six passes for 96 yards. Cole Spurgeon added 94 receiving yards on six catches, and Jimmy Ellis totaled 83 yards on nine receptions (one touchdown).
Durango native Avery Llewellyn was 8-for-8 on extra point attempts and he averaged 47.3 yards on three punts.
Fort Lewis recorded 19 first downs and 345 yards of total offense on 68 plays. CSM ran 92 plays for 662 yards and 32 first downs.
The Skyhawks will play at Colorado Mesa on Oct. 25 at 7 p.m.
