Skyhawks Football Game Day Notes - Sept. 15, 2014

Last Time Out
Fort Lewis recorded a monumental win Saturday night at Oklahoma Panhandle State, 45-38.  The Skyhawks trailed by 21 points in the second half before storming back to win by seven.

The Skyhawks scored 28 of their 45 points in the fourth quarter.  QB JORDAN DOYLE threw for two passes and rushed in for two scores in the final stanza.  Doyle finished the game with a team high 119 rushing yards (86 net), three rushing touchdowns, 373 passing yards for two scores and no interceptions.

Senior DB Kaulana Waalani-Arroyo tallied a pick six in the third quarter to spark the Skyhawks comeback.  With his interception, the Skyhawks finished the game out-scoring OPSU 35-7.

The Skyhawks defense posted significant stops to end the game.  In the Aggies final three drives, FLC held them to three-and-out with two punts and a failed fourth down conversion.

Preseason All-RMAC DL RYAN ROSS recorded two tackles for a loss of 10 yards.  One of his seven stops went for a loss of eight yards.  Ross was one of three Skyhawks to notch seven tackles in the game: junior DL DALTEN LANE and junior DB JAKE FAUST.

Looking Ahead
Fort Lewis will open the RMAC season at Black Hills State University.  The Skyhawks are 18-28 all-time in RMAC season opening games.  The last time FLC won an RMAC season-opening game was Sept. 18, 2010 at Western New Mexico (W, 30-27).

The Yellow Jackets have allowed only one sack in two games (six yards).  The Skyhawks are ninth in the league in sacks against with eight (27 yards).

Black Hills State's offense is led by QB Ward Anderson, RB Phydell Paris, and WR Alex Anderson.  W. Anderson has completed 41 passes on 68 attempts for 544 yards and five scores (two interceptions).    Paris leads the rushing game with 171 yards on 41 carries and two scores.  Paris is also the second leading receiver for BHSU, pulling in 10 catches for 105 yards and one touchdown.  A. Anderson is averaging 1.0 yards per catch have receiving 10 passes for 109 yards (54.5 receiving yards per game).

Leading the defensive squad is MICHAEL OBERLE with 16 tackles (11 solo).  TRENT BONER is fourth on the team in tackles with 11 (seven solo) but leads the squad in tackles for loss (2.5-15) and sacks (1.0-7).

In two games this season, BHSU has started out strong offensively in the first half, scoring 38 of their 52 points.  In the second half, the Yellow Jackets have tallied only 14 points - 27 percent of their offensive outcome.

BHSU leads the league in third down conversions(14-31) with a 45.2 percent conversion rate.  FLC is right behind, converting 16 of 36 for 44.4 percent.

Turn on the Lights, Please
The Skyhawks will play four games under the lights this season, including one game at home on Oct. 16.

About the Skyhawks
The 2014 season marks John L. Smith's second season on the Skyhawks sideline and 20th overall as a head coach.  Smith took over an 0-10 program in 2012 and guided FLC to four wins in 2013.  

The Skyhawks return 11 starters from last year's 4-7 team (five offensive starters, six defensive starters), including two offensive lineman and junior quarterback Jordan Doyle. Three defensive lineman, including RMAC preseason pick Ryan Ross, return to the gridiron.  Junior Dalten Lane, who played defensive line last season, has moved to offensive line for 2014.

Road Trip
Fort Lewis will play their first three games of the season on the road before opening their home season on Sept. 27 against New Mexico Highlands. With trips to Davis, Calif, Goodwell, Okla., and Spearfish, S.D, the Skyhawks will log more than 6,800 miles, an average of nearly 2,300 miles per week.

Five in a Row
The 2014 season marks the fifth straight season the Skyhawks have faced a Division I opponent, and the eighth time in the last 10 years.

Preseason Prediction
Fort Lewis is picked sixth overall in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference coaches preseason poll.  Junior defensive lineman Ryan Ross was selected to the Preseason All-RMAC Defensive Team.  Head coaches from each of the 10 RMAC football playing institutions vote on the RMAC preseason poll and preseason team.  The Skyhawks, who received 46 points in the preseason poll, are coming off a 4-7 overall record and a 3-6 mark in league games.

National Exposure
Fort Lewis was selected as one of seven  NCAA Division II nationally televised games this season.  CBS Sports will be broadcasting the Skyhawks Homecoming game against Colorado School of Mines on Thursday, Oct. 16.   It will mark the Skyhawks first ever nationally televised game. It will also be the Skyhawks first game under the lights at Ray Dennison Memorial Field in over a decade.  Because the current lights at the stadium aren't functional, CBS Sports will bring in Musco Lighting to light the facility.

A Ray of Hope
Senior offensive lineman Arthur Ray, Jr. is a cancer survivor. He was diagnosed with bone cancer before he started fall camp his freshman year at Michigan State University.  He battled cancer during his time at MSU before notching a start at left guard against Youngstown State his senior year.  He also saw action in two more games that season.

Ray was named the winner of the 2011 Discover Orange Bowl/Football Writers Association of America Courage Award.  He was the recipient of Michigan State's "Biggie" Munn Award for most inspirational player.  He graduated from Michigan State in 2012 with a bachelors degree in Communications.

Arthur was granted two years of eligibility by the NCAA because of his battle with cancer, which limited him to one season of action at Michigan State.  He enrolled at Fort Lewis in January 2013 and is seeking an additional bachelor's degree in Exercise Science-Sport Administration.