2014 Skyhawks Football Game Day Notes - 9/29/14

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Fort Lewis will travel to Silver City, New Mexico to face Western New Mexico University.  The Mustangs are hosting the Skyhawks in their 2014 Homecoming Game.  

Both teams enter the game with identical records - 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Similarly, both teams played their first three games on the road before opening their home seasons this past Saturday.

The Mustangs hold a slight edge when facing the Skyhawks in Silver City.  WNMU leads the series, 10-9-1.  The last time FLC won at WNMU was Sept. 18, 2010 (W, 30-27).

Western New Mexico is fifth in the league in scoring offense with 28.5 points per game.  They rank third in hte league in total offense with 488 yards per game.  Defensively, the Mustangs allow 37.8 points per game.

WNMU's offense is led by Mitch Glasmann who ranks third in the league with 310.5 passing yards per game.  His top target is Donald Byrd who has posted 23 receptions for 412 yards through four games.  Byrd, who ranks second in the league in receiving yards per game, has also caught four touchdown passes.

Two Skyhawks rank in the top 10 in the conference in tackles: Ryan Ross has recorded 38 tackles (19 solo), marking sixth most in the league.  Jake Faust is tied for the eighth most tackles with 36 (19 solo).  Ross is also 15th in the league in tackles for loss (4.0 tackles-13 yards).

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.

Last Time Out
Playing in their first home game of the season, the Fort Lewis College football team scored on their opening drive Saturday afternoon to take a quick 7-0 lead against New Mexico Highlands at Ray Dennison Memorial Field.  It would be the Skyhawks last time in the endzone as they were outscored by the Cowboys, 45-10.

The Skyhawks closed the opening drive after running 10 plays for 73 yards.  Junior quarterback Jordan Doyle accounted for 55 rushing yards on the drive.  After rushing for 10 yards and completing one pass for six yards, Doyle recorded a 44-yard scamper on second and 17 to bring the Skyhawks to the two yard line.  PJ Hall added a one yard rush before Doyle broke the plane from one yard out to give the Skyhawks a 7-0 lead (Kipp Castanha extra point).
 
The Cowboys (2-2, 2-0 RMAC) answered with 31 straight points before Castanha converted a 35-yard field goal with 5:28 left in the third quarter.
 
Zach Tapia made a 24-yard field goal at 6:41 in the first quarter to cut the Cowboys lead to 24.  Tyler Slavin caught his first of three touchdown passes from Lance Orender to give NMHU a 10-7 lead after one quarter.
 
NMHU found the endzone three more times in the second quarter to push their lead to 31-7 at halftime.  Trailing 31-10 after Castanha's field goal, the Cowboys tacked on two more touchdowns to seal the win, 45-10.
 
The Skyhawks ran 74 plays for 218 yards of total offense.  The Cowboys countered with 87 plays for 647 total offensive yards.
 
Doyle completed 18-of-33 passes for 113 yards to 11 different receivers.  He was sacked seven times for a loss of 55 yards.  Andrew Johnson pulled in four catches for 39 yards.  Andrew Ike (22 yards), Kaulana Waalani-Arroyo (18 yards), DJ Robinson (nine yards) and Nova Hardy (eight yards) each added two catches a piece.
 
Hall carried the ball 13 times for 50 yards.  Waalani-Arroyo added 11 carries for 39 yards and Doyle chipped in 18 net rushing yards on 16 carries.
 
Castanha averaged 39.8 yards on eight punts (long of 55).  Joseph Cavale kicked off three times for an average of 52 yards.
 
The Skyhawks defense was led by Theo Chambers and Ryan Ross' team high 14 tackles each.  Chambers added 1.5 tackles for a loss of three yards.  Ross posted one tackle for a loss of two yards and added an interception in the Cowboys endzone in the third quarter with NMHU threatening to score on third and goal.