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Oscar Oliva (5)
Thomas She/FLC Marketing & Communication
Oscar Oliva (5) lined up prior to the snap.

Football Hayden Mangan, Athletic Communications Assistant

Skyhawks clash with Orediggers in season finale

DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis College football team is on the road one final time to close out its season in Golden, Colo., against the No. 11/8 Colorado School of Mines Orediggers in the final Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest of the season. Skyhawks fans traveling on the road can partake in a pre-game tailgate event hosted by the Fort Lewis College Alumni Association.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Saturday, November 12
12:00 p.m.
Vs. Colorado School of Mines
Alumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium
Golden, CO
 
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on both the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Network as well as KWGN Colorado's Own Channel 2 on Television. Fans can enjoy either broadcast for free, featuring Miles Dunklin and Josh Dover as the two analysts.  
 
WEATHER REPORT
Fans traveling to Golden, Colo., can expect similar conditions to last Saturday at home. It will be another cold contest on the gridiron with a high of 48 degrees Fahrenheit and cloudy skies.
 
SERIES VS MINES
Saturday's meeting between the Skyhawks and Orediggers will mark the 60th meeting all-time between the two. Mines leads the series 32-27, owning Fort Lewis' number over the last decade and winning the past fourteen-straight games dating back to 2007. In Golden, Colo., the Orediggers are just 15-13 against the Skyhawks. Last season Mines topped Fort Lewis 76-0 at home in Durango.
 
SCOUTING THE OREDIGGERS
Undoubtedly one of the best teams in the country, Mines rose to No. 11 in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 poll and No. 7 in the D2 Football poll. Boasting an 8-2 overall record and undefeated RMAC slate (8-0), the only pair of losses on the Orediggers schedule came in the first two games of the season against current No. 1/1 Grand Valley 25-22 and No. 2/2 Angelo State 30-27 in overtime.

"We are excited about this opportunity to play the conference champions," Fort Lewis College Head Coach Johnny Cox said. "Whenever you are a program that is trying to rebuild, to get a chance to compare yourself to where you want to be, you have got to take advantage of the opportunity. For some of our veteran players, this is a great opportunity for them to finish on a high note. We have a big fan base up in Denver and they will be out supporting us. I think our guys are going to bring a ton of energy, execution, and play their hardest all sixty minutes." 
 
Mines owns the third-highest scoring offense in the country, averaging 44.1 points per game led by Jon Matocha, the No. 5 quarterback in the country in passing yards with 3,140. Matocha has had a career season for the Orediggers, completing 224 of his 315 passing attempts (71.11%) for 3,140 yards, 30 touchdowns, and just four interceptions. The senior averages 311.9 yards per game in the air and has added 196 net yards on the ground as well.
 
Matocha's leading targets have been Max McLeod and Josh Johnston. McLeod leads the pair with 926 yards and 10 touchdowns on 50 receptions, while Johnston leads the duo with 51 total receptions, and just 925 yards and six touchdowns. Matocha has connected with 15 different receivers in total, scoring touchdowns with eight of them.
 
On the ground, Michael Zeman is also having a record-breaking season for Mines. The redshirt senior has accumulated 885 rushing yards on 184 attempts for 16 touchdowns. Zeman is currently tied for the program record in total career touchdowns with 59 and became just the second Oredigger to surpass 4,000 career rushing yards; he is just 30-yards shy of the career program record.
 
Defensively Mines is no slouch either. Sitting No. 22 in the country for scoring defense, the Orediggers allow an average of 16.5 points per game on 284.4 yards per game. Adrian Moreno, Jaden Williams, and Mack Minnehan have each tallied 42.0 or more tackles this season. Meanwhile, six different defensive backs have nabbed interceptions, and Mason Pierce leads the group with four.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Fort Lewis is coming off a 55-14 loss at home to the Western Colorado Mountaineers. The Skyhawks struggled, producing just 235 total yards of offense against a talented WCU team. Western Colorado found 527 total yards of offense, producing 245 yards on the ground and another 282 yards through the air. Quarterback Connor Desch spearheaded the WCU offense, completing 13 of his 14 passing attempts (92%) for 215 yards and three touchdowns.
 
SKYHAWKS LEADERS
After last Saturday, Jeff Hansen and Brayden Lucero are tied with 154 net rushing yards each. Hansen leads the pair in total attempts with 56, but Lucero leads the pair with an average of 3.7 yards per carry.
 
Zach Russell leads receivers in the air with three total touchdowns on 261 yards. Drake Cortez leads the roster in receptions with 39, picking up 280 yards in the process and a pair of touchdowns. True freshman Christopher Thomas Jr. leads all receivers in total yards, securing 380 and two touchdowns on only 18 catches.
 
Braden Wingle continues to command the offense and last week against the Mountaineers was one of his strongest performances yet. This season Wingle is 159 on 275 passing attempts in the air (57.82%) for 1,297 yards, six touchdowns, and thirteen interceptions.
 
END OF THE LINE
Fort Lewis will conclude its season following Saturday's contest. The Skyhawks will take a well-deserved two-week vacation before hitting the weight room and practice field in preparation for next fall.
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Players Mentioned

Drake Cortez

#2 Drake Cortez

WR
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Jeff Hansen

#16 Jeff Hansen

RB
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
Brayden Lucero

#20 Brayden Lucero

RB
5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
Zach Russell

#87 Zach Russell

TE
6' 4"
Redshirt Senior
Christopher Thomas Jr.

#82 Christopher Thomas Jr.

WR
5' 11"
Freshman
Braden Wingle

#14 Braden Wingle

QB
6' 6"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Drake Cortez

#2 Drake Cortez

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
WR
Jeff Hansen

#16 Jeff Hansen

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
RB
Brayden Lucero

#20 Brayden Lucero

5' 9"
Redshirt Senior
RB
Zach Russell

#87 Zach Russell

6' 4"
Redshirt Senior
TE
Christopher Thomas Jr.

#82 Christopher Thomas Jr.

5' 11"
Freshman
WR
Braden Wingle

#14 Braden Wingle

6' 6"
Junior
QB