This game recap is presented by MAA Corporate Partner J & W Catering and 5 B's BBQ
GUNNISON, Colo. - Totaling nearly 500 yards of offense, the Western State Colorado University football team improved to .500 on the season with a win over Black Hills State University. The Mountaineers broke through for 34 points, defeating the Yellow Jackets 34-13 at home on Saturday.
Western (3-3, 2-2, RMAC) struck first at the annual Mountaineer Sports Hall of Fame game. After forcing a punt, the Mountaineers started the drive at their own 20-yard line. On the first play of the drive,
Brett Arrivey (So., Woodinville, Washington), handed the ball to
Austin Ekeler (So., Eaton, Colorado) off the right side. Ekeler broke through the line and charged down the field. Once he got past the 50-yard line, Ekeler turned on the burners and went 80 yards for the opening score. Western went ahead 7-0 at the 10:02 mark in the first quarter.
Ekeler's run of 80 yards ties for the eighth longest in Western history. Ekeler, the fifth leading rusher in the NCAA Division II heading into the weekend, ran for a total of 163 yards, scoring two touchdowns. Ekeler also gained 58 yards receiving, for a total of 221 all-purpose yards. With 1,995 total rushing yards in his two years at Western, Ekeler currently sits ninth all-time in Western's career rushing record book.
BHSU (2-4, 1-3 RMAC) would respond to Western's first quarter touchdown, with a second quarter touchdown of their own to even the score, 7-7. The Yellow Jackets' Ward Anderson ran the ball into the end zone from seven yards out to pull even with the Mountaineers.
However, on the following drive, the Mountaineers regained control of the game with another touchdown run from Ekeler.
The Yellow Jackets would get three back just before halftime. Kicker Diego Carstens of BHSU kicked a 42-yard field goal with 44 seconds remaining on the clock and Western went into the break with a 14-10 lead.
In the second half, the Mountaineers outscored the Yellow Jackets 20-3 and pushed their record to 3-3 for the first time since 2009.
Western quarterback Arrivey threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday. Arrivey attempted 36 passes on Saturday to bring his career passing attempts total to 623. Arrivey now sits in fifth place all-time in career passing attempts at Western. Completing 26 of those attempts against the Yellow Jackets, Arrivey is now has the second most completions in Western history with 374.
Travis Haney (Jr., Aurora, Colorado) was the major beneficiary of Arrivey's passes on Saturday. The wide receiver caught eight passes for 116 yards and one touchdown.
Defensively, the Mountaineers were able to effectively shut down one of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's most dynamic quarterbacks, Ward Anderson. The linebacking trio of Jaden Terr (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colorado),
Kalvin Winter (Sr., Conifer, Colorado) and
Zac Stansberry (Sr., Olathe, Colorado) kept the quarterback at bay. Terry led the team with 12 tackles, while Winter added eight and Stansberry five.
The Mountaineers will continue the season next weekend at New Mexico Highlands University.
