Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Fort Lewis College Athletics

Scoreboard

Braden Wingle vs. New Mexico Highlands - Sep. 17, 2023
Hayden Mangan, Fort Lewis Athletic Communications
Braden Wingle (14) throwing to his right.

Football Hayden Mangan, Athletic Communications Assistant

Skyhawks head east to open 2023 slate against Cardinals

DURANGO, Colo. – The Fort Lewis College football program will open the 2023 campaign, its 61st year of football, Saturday, Sep. 2, at William Jewell College against the Cardinals in a battle of the birds. Due to stadium construction on the campus of William Jewell, the game will take place at Liberty North High School in Liberty, Missouri.
 
Game Information
Saturday, Sep. 2 – 10:00 a.m. MST
At William Jewell
Liberty North High School – Liberty, Mo.
 
How to Watch
The game will be broadcast on the Great Lakes Valley Conference Sports Network. Due to expected extreme heat and out of concern for player safety, kickoff was moved to 11:00 a.m. local, 10:00 a.m. Mountain Standard Time. The GLVC Sports Network has moved to a pay-per-view model this season so fans will need to purchase a one-time access pass at the price of $10.00 USD.
 
Reflecting back, looking ahead
Last season Fort Lewis owned an 0-10 record across the season with an 0-9 mark through Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. The Skyhawks competed in arguably one of Division II's toughest conferences which provided the National Runner Up in Colorado School of Mines.
 
Under the direction of head coach Johnny Cox in his first season at the helm of the program, Fort Lewis improved its total offense by over 40 yards to average 214.40 yards per game while also increasing its average total time of possession to 30 minutes and 20 seconds.
 
Fort Lewis nabbed three All-RMAC Honorable Mention awards winners in Dylan Holt, Zach Russell, and Ryan Barkley, while also owning the National Football Foundation Colorado Chapter All-Colorado Scholar-Athlete of the Year in Durango native Max Hyson. Additionally, 16 Skyhawks earned NFFCC Academic All-Colorado honors, and another four earned RMAC Academic honors.
 
In the offseason, FLC signed over 60 new student-athletes to its roster including Division II, Division III, and junior college transfers to bolster the lineup with experience, size, speed, and talent. After starting over 20 true freshmen across both sides of the ball last season, the Skyhawks are now bigger, stronger, more experienced, and ready for the challenge.
 
Scouting William Jewell
The Cardinals, a member of the GLVC, posted a 2-9 overall record last season with a 1-5 mark in conference play. William Jewell is no stranger to the RMAC as they made trips to Colorado Mesa University and Black Hills State University to open the season taking 14-37 and 19-38 losses respectively.

Averaging 266.4 yards of total offense, WJC will be guided once more by senior quarterback CJ Ward. Standing at six-foot-one and two-hundred-six pounds, Ward rolled out 1,346 yards through the air while completing 118 of his 221 passing attempts (53.39%) for nine touchdowns and eight interceptions.
 
On the ground, the Cardinals have graduated its two leading rushers from last season leaving the reigns to redshirt freshman Derrick Baker. Baker, a six-foot, two-hundred-five-pound force from St. Louis, Mo., made just eight rushing attempts in his two games played last season for 19 net yards.
 
Around the RMAC
Fort Lewis was tabbed to repeat its last-place finish in the conference once more in this season's RMAC Football Preseason Coaches' Poll voted on by the league's 10 head coaches. Mines, who entered the season ranked No. 3 by the American Football Coaches Association, was once again picked to win the conference. Western Colorado University, voted to finish third, has also received votes on the AFCA Top-25 poll. Senior quarterback Braden Wingle, senior wide receiver Drake Cortez, sophomore safety Parker Cunningham, and sophomore defensive end Walter Stauffer were named preseason players to watch.
 
Looking Ahead
Next week Fort Lewis will head west to Glendale, Arizona, where the Skyhawks will look to even the score against the Firestorm at Arizona Christian University. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. FLC alumni and fans are encouraged to join us for a pregame social hosted at Kimmy'z on Greenway in Glendale, Ariz. With a ticket price of $20.00, the event runs from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and includes food, a drink ticket, and entry to the game. To register for the social event, click HERE.
 
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Ryan Barkley

#73 Ryan Barkley

OL
6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
Max Hyson

#9 Max Hyson

DL
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Zach Russell

#87 Zach Russell

TE
6' 4"
Redshirt Senior
Dylan Holt

#3 Dylan Holt

WR
6' 2"
Junior
Drake Cortez

#2 Drake Cortez

WR
5' 11"
Fifth Year
Parker Cunningham

#0 Parker Cunningham

FS
5' 11"
Sophomore
Walter Stauffer

#92 Walter Stauffer

DE
6' 6"
Sophomore
Braden Wingle

#14 Braden Wingle

QB
6' 6"
Senior

Players Mentioned

Ryan Barkley

#73 Ryan Barkley

6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
OL
Max Hyson

#9 Max Hyson

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
DL
Zach Russell

#87 Zach Russell

6' 4"
Redshirt Senior
TE
Dylan Holt

#3 Dylan Holt

6' 2"
Junior
WR
Drake Cortez

#2 Drake Cortez

5' 11"
Fifth Year
WR
Parker Cunningham

#0 Parker Cunningham

5' 11"
Sophomore
FS
Walter Stauffer

#92 Walter Stauffer

6' 6"
Sophomore
DE
Braden Wingle

#14 Braden Wingle

6' 6"
Senior
QB