Skyhawks Football Game Day Notes
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015 | 2 p.m.
Fort Lewis at #7 Colorado State University-Pueblo
Pueblo, Colo. | Neta and Eddie DeRose StadiumAudioLive StatsVideoTV: Comcast Entertainment TelevisionFacing the top passing team and top passing quarterback in NCAA Division II, the Fort Lewis College football team forced eight turnovers and held Western New Mexico to 188 passing yards as FLC rolled to a 34-13 Homecoming win Saturday afternoon at Ray Dennison Memorial Field.
Western New Mexico entered Saturday's game leading the nation with 401.5 passing yards per game behind the nation's top quarterback – Mitch Glasmann. Glasmann leads Division II with 1,588 passing yards and 397.0 passing yards per game.
The win improves the Skyhawks to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Fort Lewis is one of four teams to start 3-0 in the RMAC (Colorado Mines, Colorado Mesa and CSU-Pueblo. The Orediggers are the only team undefeated overall through their first five games.
The last time the Skyhawks opened the season with three straight RMAC wins was in 1977. FLC started the 2006 season 5-0 in the RMAC after winning their season opener on Aug. 26 against Western New Mexico. The Skyhawks then played two non-conference games before winning their next four league games.
The Skyhawks are currently on a four game winning streak. They have won at least four straight games five times since become a four-year institution. FLC won four straight in 2006, 1985, 1984, 1977 and 1975.
The longest winning streak in school history is five (1975). The longest undefeated streak in school history is seven games. FLC finished the 1984 season going 6-0-1 in their final three games.
The Skyhawks four game winning streak started Sept. 12 with a 41-20 home win over Oklahoma Panhandle State University, followed by a 48-7 home win over Black Hill State on Sept. 19, a 49-7 road win against New Mexico Highlands on Sept. 26, and last week's 34-13 win against WNMU.
The Skyhawks lead the league in punting (39.8 yards per game), PAT kicking (24-24) and third down conversions (28-65). FLC is second in the RMAC in rushing offense (249.0 yards per game) and will go against the league's top rushing defense. CSU-Pueblo holds their opponents to 63.4 rushing yards per game. FLC is third in the league in scoring offense (37.2 points per game), total defense (344.4 yards allowed per game), and time of possession (31:21 minutes per game).
FLC will travel to Pueblo, Colo. to take on the defending NCAA Division II Champions, CSU-Pueblo. The Skyhawks handed the ThunderWolves their only loss of the season last year, 23-22, on Oct. 11 in Durango.
The Pack leads NCAA Division II in kickoff returns with 37.88 yards per return. They also have the nation's top rusher in Cameron McDondle, who has rushed for 927 yards in five games. Morgan Fox leads DII in sacks per game with 2.20.
Running back
PJ Hall has the fourth most rushing yards in the league with 117.4
Juquelle Thompson is second in the league in punt return average (9.6 yards), kick return average (22.4 yards), and fifth in all-purpose yards (145.4 yards). Hall has hit the century mark three times this season, including a 190-yard performance this past weekend against WNMU.
Senior place kicker
Kipp Castanha is one of the most accurate kickers in the RMAC, averaging 8.0 kicking points per game (22-22 PATs, 6-8 field goals). He is one of three kickers in the league to not miss a PAT, and his six made field goals are the third most in the RMAC.
Juquelle Thompson returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown to give FLC a 28-7 lead at NMHU. He finished the game with three punt returns for 75 yards and two kick off returns for 45 yards. He totaled 154 all-purpose yards (34 receiving yards) against the Cowboys, earning him the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors on Sept. 28.
Kipp Castanha's 47-yard fields against Western New Mexico and Oklahoma Panhandle State are the second longest made field goals in the league this season (48 yards).
