DURANGO, Colo. – November 5, 2016 – Senior running back
Drake Griffin broke the single season rushing record Saturday afternoon to lead the Fort Lewis College football team to a 52-7 win over New Mexico Highlands University at Ray Dennison Memorial Field.
The win marks the Skyhawks third straight win and third straight game of scoring more than 50 points. This is the second season in school history the Skyhawks have stringed together three straight games scoring 50 or more points (2002).
Griffin carried the ball 13 times for 192 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 14.8 yards per carry. In 10 games this season, he has rushed for 1,226 yards, breaking Scott Stamper's 1982 record of 1,206 yards.
On the third play of the game, Griffin broke open for a 65-yard touchdown run for the lone score of the first quarter. He tallied 83 yards in the first quarter on six carries.
The Skyhawks third drive of the game started on the Cowboys own 41-yard line. After an incomplete pass,
Bo Coleman rushed the ball twice for 14 yards, followed by Griffin's two carries. His second carry of the drive ended in the endzone from 25-yards own to boost the Skyhawks lead to 14-0.
The Skyhawks defense forced NMHU to punt on both of their drives in the first quarter. On their opening drive of the second quarter, the Cowboys turned the ball over on downs on fourth-and-sixth on FLC's 25-yard line. FLC's defense forced the Cowboys to punt again, but this time
Mason Hatton returned the ball 78 yards for a touchdown and a 21-0 FLC lead with 5:21 left in the first half.
New Mexico Highlands' only score of the game came off of an interception on NMHU's 24-yard line. Nine plays later the Cowboys scored a touchdown with 29 ticks left in the half.
The Skyhawks offense exploded in the third quarter, scoring 28 points and accumulating 176 rushing yards.
On their first play of the half for FLC, Griffin rushed down to the Cowboys 14-yard line for a 53-yard gain. Coleman then finished the drive with a 12-yard run into the end zone for a 28-7 lead.
Dre Cortez ended the Cowboys ensuing drive when he intercepted a pass on the NMHU 28-yard line. Coleman notched his second straight rushing touchdown on the next play for a 28-point lead, 35-7.
FLC continued their scoring spree in their third drive of the quarter. Griffin carried the ball on four of the five plays including a 10-yard run into the endzone.
NMHU punted for the third time in the quarter. Hatton returned the 44-yard punt 45 yards to set up the Skyhawks drive on Highlands 24-yard line. Coleman found
Dominick Barnett in the endzone form 21 yards out booting the lead to 49-7.
FLC scored 28 points on 14 plays and tallied 224 yards of total offense in the third quarter.
Griff Gans entered the game as a running back in the end of the third quarter and carried the ball three times for 59 yards to set up a 26-yard field goal attempt.
Joseph Cavale nailed the field goal for the final score of the game, 52-7.
The Skyhawks notched 453 yards on the ground while holding the Cowboys to only 80 rushing yards. FLC ran 49 plays for 516 yards of total offense, an average of 10.5 yards per play. NMHU ran 20 more plays for 253 yards.
FLC sacked the Cowboys three times for a loss of 16 yards, and added 10 tackles for a loss of 33 yards.
Maomao Niko tallied five tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss of eight yards and a sack for five yards.
Tyrell Thomas led FLC with eight tackles.
Darrian Stickney added seven tackles, two of which went for a loss of five yards.
Coleman finished the game with 97 rushing yards and 63 passing yards after completing 3-of-6 passes.
Cavale scored 10 points after making 7-of-7 extra point attempts and his lone field goal attempt. He added one punt for 50 yards and kicked off nine times for an average of 62.2 yards.
Hatton finished the game returning three punts for 123 yards and one kick off for 11 yards for a total of 134 all-purpose yards.
The Skyhawks will play their final game of the regular season on Nov. 12 at Dixie State University in St. George, Utah.
