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Fort Lewis College Athletics

Scoreboard

Dylan Holt 4.23
Breanna Biorato, Dixie State Athletics
FLC junior wide receiver Dylan Holt (#5) had five catches for 140 yards and a touchdown in Friday's loss to NM Highlands. (File Photo)
26
Fort Lewis FLC 0-1
62
Winner N.M. Highlands NMHU 1-0
Fort Lewis FLC
0-1
26
Final
62
N.M. Highlands NMHU
1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
FLC Fort Lewis 0 19 0 7 26
NMHU N.M. Highlands 14 21 13 14 62

Game Recap: Football | | David Wilson, Assistant AD-Communications

FLC football takes steps forward in final 2021 spring game against NMHU

LAS VEGAS, New Mexico — Friday night's final score was still not the desire result for the Fort Lewis College football team. But the team took noticeable steps forward — all while having one day of practice to prepare for an unknown opponent — in a 62-26 road loss to New Mexico Highlands University to conclude the abbreviated two-game spring schedule.

Due to Covid-19 health protocols, Fort Lewis (0-2 overall) was limited to one practice earlier this week and were preparing for a Cowboys team (1-0 overall) with their own new head coach and playing their first game of the 2020-21 school year.

"We were so glad we were able to get this game in and get the experience. If you'd have told me before this year that I'd take a team with one day of practice this week and we'd line up to play a football team we knew nothing about; I don't know what I would have even said," said FLC head football coach, Darrius G. Smith. "That was a task very few have attempted. And, obviously, we'd have liked to come out on the other end of the outcome. But with everything we've had to go through as a program this last spring — and I hate moral victories — but this was another lesson we learned and the most important thing was we saw improvement."

The Skyhawks racked up 328 yards of total offense and played toe-to-toe with the Cowboys through the game's first 30 minutes.

After falling down 14-0 in the first quarter, Fort Lewis scored 19 points in the second quarter, getting on the scoreboard at the 9:15 mark on a 10-yard push pass from junior quarterback Armon Hickson to redshirt freshman Evan Walsh.

Fort Lewis would add two more second quarter touchdowns on a 46-yard pitch and catch from Hickson to junior wide receiver Dylan Holt, and a 1-yard touchdown run by redshirt freshman quarterback Connor Apodaca with 43 seconds remaining that pulled FLC back within nine at 28-19.

Hickson finished 7-of-13 for 108 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to lead the FLC quarterback corp, while Apodaca was 6-of-14 through the air and the rushing score.

Holt led all FLC skill position players with five catches for 140 yards and a touchdown, flashing the talent that has made him an intriguing piece since arriving on campus from Colorado State University.

"Dylan, with what we want to do schematically on offense, he is always going to be an integral part of what we're doing," Smith said. "It was nice to see him showcase his ability and his success allowed us to open up the rest of our offense with the run game and get some other receivers the ball, as well."

New Mexico Highlands would end up taking a 35-19 lead into the break after getting a quick strike touchdown before the end of the half.

Unfortunately for the Skyhawks, it was the Cowboys who would then be able to build off their own second quarter momentum in the second half as they scored the next three touchdowns to take a 55-19 lead.

NMHU finished with 647 yards of total offense as the big plays — Cowboys averaged 8.6 yards per play — snake-bit the Skyhawks' defense.

"We're still giving up the big play and that's something that will have to drastically change in what we're doing, defensively," Smith said. "Giving up some of the big plays we did takes rhythm away from the game and you have to play complimentary football. Against Dixie State, we didn't play complimentary football on offense. This week, defense didn't play complimentary to the offense. All three phases are not in sync right now and those are things we'll have to change."

Leading the charge on the defensive side of the ball was senior linebacker Shawn Garcia Jr. as he recorded a team-high 10 tackles in his first game this spring, including eight solos and one tackle for loss.

Junior defensive back Francisco Ayon added eight solo tackles and senior defensive lineman Oscar Oliva recorded a sack.

Offensively, redshirt junior running backs Jeff Hansen and Emmanuel Nwosu finished with 51 net yards and 37 net yards, respectively, while the receiving trio of Markez Boykin (1-16 yards), Kieran Fry (3-16 yards) and Jaelin Hood (2-15 yards) helped pace the FLC offense.

"We still haven't learned how to play four quarters of football," Smith said. "The fact we were able to put that (19-point) second quarter together was huge. We should have been able to take that momentum into the second half. But we'd have a penalty here, or a negative play there, a slight misalignment or something that would stop a drive. We haven't matured yet to that point where we can, physically and mentally, play four quarters of football."

Fort Lewis will now turn its attention toward the offseason, recruiting and getting ready for a rematch against the Cowboys in Week One of the 2021 fall season, scheduled for 12 p.m. Saturday, September 4 in Durango.

"These two games were very helpful. Unfortunately, they were losses. But there were lessons learned in each game," Smith said. "I hate the moral victories, and the lessons learned victory, but without them we wouldn't have gotten some answers to questions…you have to have that game experience to find out types of things and we finally got it."
 
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