The Hardrockers get their first-ever win against the Mavericks on their home field, winning 24-9.
South Dakota Mines (SDM) defense forced a fumble and had two interceptions for 40-yards as they were making plays all over the field. The Hardrockers also sacked freshman quarterback Gavin Herberg four times during the contest.
Herberg and the Mavericks passing game struggled in the first half as Herberg went one for 12 with five yards.
“Everything, we missed balls, we missed reads, guys ran the wrong route; we just didn’t have a good day. […] Everything was bad today, everything was not to our standard, so until we get to our standard, things like this will happen,” Head Coach, Tremaine Jackson, said.
Herberg’s first interception came in the first quarter on the Mavericks four-yard line. Domini Jackson intercepted the pass and went for a 32-yard touchdown as the Hardrockers got on the scoreboard first.
Colorado Mesa University (CMU) was backed up in their endzone as they punted the ball away in the second quarter. The punt was caught on the Mavericks 43-yard line, and Anthony Ullrich returned the punt for 14-yards, setting his team up with great field position.
The Hardrockers started the drive on the Mavericks 18-yard line due to a 15-yard penalty on the Mavericks. CMU had SDM in a tough third and nine situation, when Spencer Zur’s completed a 16-yard pass to Ahmad Lewis, putting them on the one-yard line.
Lewis’s reception set him up to run in the one-yard touchdown with 12:46 left in the second quarter.
The Hardrockers also had an 11-play, 56-yard drive that led to a field goal as they took 5:15 off the clock in the second quarter.
Redshirt junior defensive lineman Brian Rattery and junior defensive back Cross Poyer stuffed Lewis, causing a safety and scoring the Maverick’s first points of the game. Poyer finished the game with six total tackles.
“Play this one like it’s your last because it very well could be. […] This might have been our last football game, and that’s what we just put out there. That’s what I told them, whatever you go out here and put out here in this second half, it very well might be your last until fall 2021,” Jackson said.
Both defenses gave up one score in the second half on drives that were longer were six or more plays and 60 or more yards.
The Hardrockers were the first to score in the first half, putting together a six-play, 62-yard drive. Lewis capped their drive off with a 6-yard run extending their lead to 24-2 late in the third quarter.
Lewis ended the day with 85 rushing yards on 30 attempts. The Hardrockers running back also had two touchdowns in the game.
The Mavericks lone touchdown of the day came with 13:49 left in the game and a glimmer of hope. CMU had a seven-play, 75-yard drive ending in a one-yard rushing touchdown for redshirt sophomore Jesse Rodriquez.
“We got beat up. That’s the biggest thing I saw, we got beat up, we got out-enthused, we got out-coached, we got out-administrated, we got out everything,” Jackson said. “That’s just really what happened today, their school is better than our school today by the way this game went and that’s what happened.”
Rodriquez led the Mavericks in rushing with 72 rushing yards and an average of 3.4 yards per carry.
The Hardrockers ran 67 plays in the game equating to 333 yards. Zur had a completion percentage of 69.6 for 178 yards in the game.
Herberg completed 16 of his 40 passes for 156 yards on the day. The downfall of his day was that he threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.
The Mavericks continue their season on Nov. 7 as they play Western Colorado University at home.
