Their punter scored an 80-yard touchdown run.
That sums up the game between the Colorado Mesa University football team and Colorado State University-Pueblo (CSU-P) pretty well. The Thunderwolves put up the first 31 points, 28 of them being within the first 15 minutes, and handled the Mavericks in the end 48-22.
CSU-P (6-1) finished the day with 500 yards of total offense and 354 yards rushing. CMU (3-4) accumulated their first road loss on the year after rushing for only 72 yards and giving up five sacks against the Thunderwolves defense.
It wasn’t the most fun first quarter…The Thunderwolves offense, defense, and special teams each scored a touchdown. CSU-P struck first on their second offensive play via a 40-yard touchdown run by quarterback Gunnar Lamphere. It set the tone for the rest of the game.
“That was definitely rough,” CMU quarterback Hayden Bollinger said. “They hit us in the mouth and we should’ve come out more ready to play. We worked too hard this week to come out and start like that.”
Running back D.J. Penick followed it up on the following offensive possession with a 21-yard dash to the endzone to put CSU-P up 14-0 with 9:10 remaining in the first.
The two teams would exchange a couple of possessions, but on a CSU-Pueblo punt, that is when punter Justin Dwinell dropped the snap and picked it up to run 80 yards to the house.
On the following CMU drive, Hayden Bollinger would throw an interception to Jamaal Spears who returned it 61 yards to bring the score to 28-0. That’s 141 yards and 14 points put up in two plays by the CSU-P defense and punt unit.
“You just shake your head…there’s really no answer to it,” Bollinger said. “Those little mistakes cost us games and unfortunately that happened today.”
Before the second quarter started, the Thunderwolves’ offense, defense, and special teams had each scored a touchdown. The CSU-P offense put up 213 yards compared to CMU’s 26.
“I was telling them they gotta help me out a little bit,” Head Coach Russ Martin said. “I don’t know what it takes to get this team to come out of the gate as fast, we’ve tried different things but we haven’t been successful doing it.
The Mavericks actually won the second quarter if you’re putting a score on it. The Mavericks were able to hold the Thunderwolves to three points while Isaac Maestas was able to get CMU on the board with a 1-yard touchdown run with 23 seconds remaining in the half. A failed two-point conversion would make it 31-6.
Bollinger and the CMU offense looked much better the third. Peter Anderson finally came alive as the senior wide receiver got targeted for a 51-yard touchdown reception. On the ensuing kickoff, CSU-P fumbled which led to a CMU recovery and a Lucas Ruiz-Diaz field goal.
The Mavericks would keep the quickly gained momentum going as the offense got the ball back and drove 73-yards in ten plays. The drive was capped by Trevon Lambert getting his second touchdown of the year via a three-yard reception. The Lambert touchdown brought the score to 38-22.
“If we played that way in the first quarter, it would be a completely game,” Martin said. “It’s not that we’re not capable of playing that way. We just have not done it for four quarters.”
The 22 unanswered points by the Mavericks was not enough to overcome the treacherous chasm that was created in the first quarter. The Thunderwolves shut down any chance of a comeback with a field goal and another touchdown in the fourth.
Bollinger ended the day completing nine passes for 147 yards, two TD and two interceptions. Aaron Howard started the game and would be switched in and out a couple of times with Bollinger. He finished the day completing three passes for 20 yards.
The Mavericks have their Homecoming game on the horizon against Black Hills State. That will take place at Stocker Stadium on Oct. 26 at 1 p.m.
