2014 Skyhawks Football Game Day Notes - Oct. 27, 2014

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The Skyhawks will play host to Western State Colorado University on Saturday at 12 p.m.

The game will mark the 33rd anniversary of the first time Fort Lewis defeated Western State (Oct. 10, 1981 at Fort Lewis).  Prior to the 1981 win, the Mountaineers had won the first 17 meetings between the two teams.  FLC would go on to win the next seven games against Western State.

The Mountaineers hold a 17-7 advantage over Fort Lewis when playing at Ray Dennison Memorial Field.

Western State boasts the league's top rusher - Austin Ekeler.  A sophomore, Ekeler is averaging 162 rushing yards per game.  In eight games and 210 carries, he has rushed for nearly 1,300 yards and scored 12 touchdowns.  He also leads the league in all-purpose yards with 1,627 (203.4 yards per game).  Ekeler ranks third overall in scoring (78 points) and second in scoring touchdowns (13).

Kicker Ryan Winke ranks third in the RMAC in scoring (kicking) with 68 points.  His 16 made field goals are the most in the league, and his 84.2 field goal percentage rate (16-of-19) leads the league.

The Mountaineers defense is led by linebacker Jaden Terry who has the sixth most tackles in the league (76).  Defensive back Cole Waliczek ranks 11th overall with 69 stops.


Individual Notes
Juquelle Thompson earned RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance at Colorado Mesa.  After CMU scored the initial touchdown of the game, Thompson returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 after one quarter of action.  He added one catch for 11 yards that resulted in a touchdown.  He finished the game with two punt returns for 18 yards and two kickoff returns for 96 yards.  All told, he had 125 all-purpose yards, 114 of which came on special teams.

Sophomore quarterback Trevor Bonifasi will get the starting nod against Western State after Jordan Doyle suffered an injury at CMU.  Bonifasi, who also serves as the Skyhawks long snapper and holder on field goals, has completed 4-of-15 passes for 84 yards and one touchdown (two interceptions).

Ryan Ross continues to rank in the top five in the league in tackles.  Through eight games, Ross has 76 tackles, an average of 9.5 tackles per game.  On Saturday, Ross recorded an interception in the red zone and returned it 71 yards to set up a Skyhawk touchdown.  It was his second interception of the season.

Kicker Kipp Castanha is the only place kicker in the league who has not missed an extra point attempt.  Castanha has made all 21 PAT attempts.  He is ninth  in the league in field goals, making 5-of-8 for 62.5 percent. 

PJ Hall rushed for a game high 166 yards Saturday night at Colorado Mesa. Seven of his rushes went for first downs. In his last three games, Hall has rushed at least 160 yards each game and averaged 167.7 yards per game.  He recorded a single game season high 38-yard scamper at CMU.


Academic Success
Four Skyhawk student-athletes were named to the 2014 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference All-Academic Football Team: junior quarterback Jordan Doyle, sophomore wide receiver Jordan Gillen, junior offensive lineman Taylor Suta, and senior linebacker Derik Wetzel.
 
To qualify for Academic All-RMAC, student-athletes must have a grade point average of 3.30 or better, be a starter or reserve, and have completed two consecutive semesters or three quarters at their current institution. Their cumula­tive GPA is what they had earned prior to football season beginning. RMAC Sports Information Directors at schools that sponsor the sport of football selected the first team. 
 
A Business Administration major with a 3.57 grade point average, Jordan Doyle has completed 144 passes on 253 attempts for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns.  The RMAC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 15, Doyle threw for a season high 373 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 86 yards and three scores in a come-from-behind win at Oklahoma Panhandle State on Sept. 13.  Doyle is fifth in the league in total offense with 252.9 yards per game, and second on the team in rushing with 341 yards.
 
A Durango native, Jordan Gillen has a 3.55 GPA in Accounting.  A wide receiver, Gillen has caught 15 passes for 167 and two touchdowns.  In an upset win on Oct. 11 against Colorado State-Pueblo, Gillen caught the first touchdown of the game.  He then finished the game throwing the game-winning touchdown pass to Juquelle Thompson to seal the win, 23-22.  He is averaging 11.1 yards per catch.
 
Suta is an offensive lineman from Littleton, Colo.  He owns a 3.42 GPA in Political Science.  Suta has played in six of the Skyhawks games this season.
 
Senior Derek Wetzel is an Exercise Science major with a 3.34 GPA.  In four games, he has tallied nine tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss of eight yards, and one sack.