DURANGO, Colo. – September 19, 2015 – For the first time in school history the Fort Lewis College football team defeated Black Hills State University, 48-7, Saturday afternoon at Ray Dennison Memorial Field in Durango, Colo. 
 
The game marked the fourth matchup between the two teams.  The 48 points scored by the Skyhawks were the most since the 2011 team put 48 on the scoreboard against South Dakota School of Mines on Sep. 3 (W, 48-30).  Saturday's 41-point win was the largest margin of victory since Oct. 18, 1975, when FLC defeated Colorado Mesa University (then-called Mesa), 57-7.
 
On the opening drive of the game, the Skyhawks defense forced the Yellow Jackets to punt.  After 11 plays on FLC's opening drive, the Skyhawks failed to convert on fourth and goal from the BHSU one-yard line, but the defense held BHSU to three and out again.
 
Kipp Castanha gave the Skyhawks a 3-0 lead when he put one through the uprights from 25 yards out with 4:19 left in the first quarter.  The Skyhawks scoring drive was set up when Jake Faust blocked Jess Edens 27-yard field goal attempt.
 
Black Hills State recorded their first and only score of the game in the second quarter.  Quarterback Ryan Hommel completed an 18 yard pass to Kade Wasson at 9:37.
 
Fort Lewis responded on the ensuing drive with their first touchdown of the game.  Quarterback Jordan Doyle completed five passes for 40 yards, including a six yard throw to Jake Reader for a 10-3 lead.
 
The Skyhawks capitalized on a BHSU turnover.  Kaimon Ontiveros intercepted Homme's pass at the BHSU 40-yard line and returned it 23 yards.  PJ Hall started the Skyhawks drive with a 16-yard run to the one-yard line before crossing the endline on the following play, giving FLC a 17-7 lead with 2:54 left in the half. 
 
With six seconds left in the half and the Yellow Jackets attempting a 22-yard field goal, senior Dalten Lane blocked Dietrick Becker's attempt and Andrew Ike scooped up the ball and ran it back 100-yards for a 24-7 halftime lead. 
 
Castanha started the second half scoring three more of his 12 points when he converted a 29-yard field goal to cap off a 10-play, 63-yard drive at the 10 minute mark.
 
Fort Lewis forced the Yellow Jackets to turn the ball over on downs with 4:21 left in the third quarter.  The turnover resulted in the Skyhawks driving 90 yards down the field on 11 plays for a 34-7 lead.  Doyle went 4-for-4 on the drive for 41 yards and the Skyhawks rushed seven times for 49 yards.  Gabe Ogbonnaya, Jr. notched his first career touchdown on the drive when he rushed in from two yards out. 
 
OJ Thompson forced the Yellow Jackets to turn the ball over on downs when he sacked Hommel for a loss of seven yards at the 50-yard line.  Five plays later Juqueulle Thompson gave FLC a 34-point lead when he ran in from six yards out.
 
FLC made BHSU punt on the ensuing drive which set up a short field (44-yards) for FLC.  Ogbonnaya struck again for six more points to seal the win, 48-7.  Ogbonnaya carried the ball on five of the six plays during the drive for 34 yards.  His final carry of the drive came from 12 yards out for FLC's eighth score and sixth touchdown of the afternoon.
 
The Skyhawks finished the game with 458 total offensive yards.  Doyle completed 15-of-20 passes for 184 yards and the Skyhawks rushed 55 times for 284 yards.  FLC possessed the ball for nearly 38 of the 60 minutes.
 
Hall led the running attacked with 120 yards on 23 carries for one touchdown.  Ogbonnaya added 58 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries.
 
Eight Skyhawks caught passes from Doyle.  Thompson finished with 47 yards on three catches while Hall and Reader each added three catches for 28 and 27 yards, respectively. 
 
Castanha was 6-for-6 on extra point attempts and 2-for-2 on field goals for 12 points.  He also kicked off eight times for 476 yards (average of 59.5 yards).
 
Ike led the defense with nine tackles, including a sack and a tackle for a loss of one yard to go with his blocked field goal return for a touchdown.  Joshua Roybal added eight tackles and a tackle for loss for four yards.
 
FLC held the Yellow Jackets to 54 rushing yards on 29 attempts (1.9 yards per rush).
 
Fort Lewis (2-1, 1-0 RMAC) will play at New Mexico Highlands University on Saturday at 1 p.m.