Sports Editor
jdredmon@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
The Mavericks began RMAC play this weekend in the 41-30 loss against Chadron State College, who they had lost to in the last eight matchups before. Multiple former Chadron coaches, including offensive and defensive coordinators Bill O’Boyle and Todd Auer, migrated to CMU when Russ Martin (a former Chadron State alumni) was hired as the head football coach. They faced their former team for the first time Saturday in the Mavericks’ home opener.
“[Chadron’s players] love coach O’Boyle and they love coach Auer,” Martin said. “That’s why after the game you saw those guys coming up after the game and giving them hugs. Those players are guys that they recruited, they’re guys that they coached and they’re guys they care about tremendously.”
CMU began their day with two consecutive three-and-outs and only nine net yards, allowing Chadron to take a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.
They responded later in the first quarter, when a big kick return to the Eagles’ 25-yard line by Trent deBraga led to a four-yard TD run by quarterback Deke Cisco. The Mavs tied the game at 14 on their next possession, when Cisco improvised on a rollout play and found wide receiver Austin Rodriguez wide open down the field, for a season-high 69-yard touchdown.
“It was a designed rollout to the right and there was nothing there, so I cut back and saw Austin [Rodriguez] waving his hands deep and I just lobbed it up,” Cisco said. “I hoped I wasn’t over the line [of scrimmage]. I thought I was, but I hoped I wasn’t.”
Chadron, however, would answer with two touchdowns from running backs Glen Clinton and Michael Madkins extending their lead to 14 halfway through the second quarter.
The Mavericks’ defense would step up, forcing the Eagles into a short fourth down at the Mavs’ 26-yard line. CSC QB John McLain’s ensuing pass attempt was tipped up into the air and intercepted by defensive back Michael Brady, who returned the ball 75 yards for a touchdown cutting the Chadron lead to 28-20 at halftime.
“Trent [deBraga], our free safety, made a great play and knocked the ball up and I was fortunate enough to be in the right spot,” Brady said. “After I got it, my defense led me to the endzone. So that’s all on our defense. If I didn’t have those guys, I wouldn’t have made it [to the endzone].”
The game remained close throughout the second half with CMU controlling much of the third quarter and cutting the lead to one point after another touchdown run by Cisco.
The Mavericks were able to grab their first lead of the season early in the fourth quarter off of a 17-yard field goal by Austin Zemezonak that made the score 30-28. The score came off of a fourth-and-goal from inside the one yard line that left Martin with the decision to either take the two-point lead or try for the touchdown and grab a commanding touchdown lead.
“We just wanted to make sure we grabbed the lead there,” Martin said. “We had an oppurtunity the possession before to grab a touchdown for the lead and we threw an interception in the endzone, so that was definitely a factor in the decision.”
Chadron wouldn’t stay down for long, with quarterback John McLain throwing a 37-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Nathan Ross, who ended up with a game-high 148 receiving yards on the day. They would fail the following two-point conversion leaving the score 34-30. CMU tallied its sixth three-and-out in their subsequent possession, leaving the Eagles’ explosive offense to extend their lead off of another touchdown pass from McLain to Ross, giving the Eagles a 41-30 lead.
“There was great coverage on that play,” Martin said. “[Cornerback Jordan Price] made a play for the ball, but the guy makes a great play and then scores. I think we’re getting better. It’s just that we want to get better, faster.”
After the game, O’Boyle, who was Chadron’s head coach for the past seven years, was seen hugging former Chadron players, colleagues and friends alike for an extended period after the game. He declined to be interviewed.
The Mavs (0-3, 0-1 RMAC) will look for their first win when they continue their RMAC Conference schedule Saturday. They travel to Spearfish, S.D. to take on Black Hills State University (0-2, 0-1) Sept. 22.
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