ALAMOSA, Colo. – September 17, 2016 – Both the rushing offense and rushing defense propelled the Fort Lewis College football team to a 21-16 win at Adams State University Saturday in the 51^st annual Musket Game.  The win is the first of the season for the Skyhawks as they improve to 1-2 overall and 1-2 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.  ASU drops to 0-3 overall and 0-3 in the RMAC.
 
The Skyhawks defense held the Grizzlies to only 28 rushing yards, the fewest allowed by any team in the league this year.  The Skyhawks ground game amassed 359 of the Skyhawks 514 yards of total offense. 
 
Today's win marks the first time since 1995-1997 the Skyhawks have won the Musket Game in back-to-back years.
 
PJ Hall led the Skyhawks run game with 157 yards on 20 carries.  Drake Griffin added 19 carries for 121 yards while Bo Coleman added 79 yards on 14 carries for two scores.  Saturday marked Coleman's first career start behind center.
 
FLC's first two drives of the game ended on blocked field goal attempts but the Skyhawks defense forced Adams State to punt on their first four drives of the game.
 
After a scoreless first quarter by both teams, Coleman gave the Skyhawks a 7-0 lead after capping off a seven-play, 49-yard drive with a seven yard run into the end zone at 8:05 in the second quarter.
 
Zach Cimaglia put the Grizzlies on the scoreboard on the ensuing drive after making a 41-yard field goal attempt.
 
Seven plays later, the Skyhawks struck again, this time from Coleman's 24-yard run past the pylons.  FLC ran the ball six times on the drive but completed a 29-yard pass to Parker Strahler.
 
With six ticks left in the half, Cimaglia made a 24-yard field goal to cut the Skyhawks lead down to 14-6 at halftime.
 
The Grizzlies found the end zone for the first time of the game on the first drive of the second half.  ASU drove down the field 75 yards on nine plays to bring them within one point of FLC, 14-13.
 
Fort Lewis struck quickly on the next drive.  FLC started the drive on their own 35-yard line.  Hall rushed for two yards on the first play before Coleman connected with Arealous Hughes for a 63-yard touchdown score to boost FLC's lead to eight points, 21-13, with 11:15 left in the third quarter.
 
Cimaglia split the uprights again from 19 yards for the fourth straight score of the half by both teams.  Three plays later, the Grizzlies, trailing 21-16, forced a Skyhawk fumble and were on the drive again but the Skyhawks defense held the Grizzlies to only 11 yards.
 
FLC started the fourth quarter with a 21-16 lead.  With five minutes and 17 seconds left in regulation, the Skyhawks ran 10 plays for 55 yards to burn out the clock and seal their first win of the season.
 
Coleman finished the game completing 11 of 14 passes for 155 yards and one touchdown.  Hughes caught one pass for a 63-yard score and AJ Shaw added three catches for 20 yards.
 
Andrew Ike led FLC's defense with seven tackles, including a sack for a loss of 12 yards.  Dre Cortez also posted a sack for a loss of seven yards behind his five tackles.
 
FLC ran 69 plays for 514 yards of total offense to the Grizzlies 341 yards of total offense on 67 plays.  FLC forced ASU to punt five times.  The Grizzlies accounted for 313 passing yards after completing 27-of-50 passes.
 
The Skyhawks posted 37 minutes and 39 seconds of possession time, over 22 minutes of which came in the first half (22:33).
 
The Skyhawks will begin a three game home stand on Sept. 24 against Colorado Mesa University.  Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. at Ray Dennison Memorial Field.