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This game preview is presented by MAA Corporate Partner McDonald's of Gunnison
GUNNISON, Colo. - Western State Colorado University will travel to Fort Lewis College for the 53rd matchup between the two schools. The Mountaineers have won the past five of three games and will look to continue the trend Saturday at 12 p.m. from Ray Dennison Memorial Field.
Western (3-5, 2-4 RMAC) holds the series record 39-13 over FLC (3-5, 2-4 RMAC). Western has an overall record of 17-7 on the road against the Skyhawks.
The Mountaineers are coming off a 38-48 loss a week before at the hands of Western New Mexico University and will be looking to right the ship on Saturday.
Fort Lewis comes in having defeated Colorado Mesa University 28-20 in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Saturday's match will be broadcast over the air in Gunnison on KWSB 91.1 FM and online at www.kwsb.org. Bryce Miller will be giving the play-by-play live from Durango.
Game Nine Notes:Third Time is a Charm...Western enters Saturday's game coming off two losses. The Mountaineers are 2-0 in 2014 after losing two straight.
Start of Something Good...The Mountaineers began the season 2-2 for the first time since 2008.
Western has already surpassed last season's win total of two 2013.
The last time Western had three wins in a season was 2009.
If Western defeats FLC it will be the first time the Mountaineers reach four wins in a season since 2003.
High Noon Woes...Saturday's game aganist Fort Lewis College will be played at 12 p.m.
The Mountaineers haven't had much success in games starting at noon. Since 2006, Western is 0-13 when games begin at 12 p.m.
RMAC Academic Player of the Year...Austin Ekeler, a sophomore running back, maintains a 3.49 grade-point average as a business administration major. While Ekeler has been excelling in the classroom, his performance on the football field has been nothing short of stellar in 2014. Currently, Ekeler ranks first in the RMAC in total rushing yards, average rushing yards per game, touchdowns, longest run, total all-purpose yards, and average all-purpose yards per game. At the national level, Ekeler ranks seventh in Division II for average rushing yards per game, fifth for total rushing yards, and seventh for average all-purpose yards per game.
Last season, Ekeler was selected to the 2013 Don Hansen All-Super Region IV Offensive First Team and was named the 2013 Don Hansen All-Super Region IV Freshman of the Year. Prior to those honors, Ekeler was named a 2013 RMAC Offensive First Team selection and was named the 2013 RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year.
Joining Ekeler on the 2014 RMAC All-Academic First Team was defensive back
Cole Waliczek (Sr. Thornton, Colorado). Waliczek, a double major in sport and exercise science and psychology, maintains a 3.54 GPA. Currently, Waliczek is second on the team in total tackles with 59 and leads the team in solo tackles with 41. Waliczek ranks sixth in the RMAC for solo tackles and 12th for total tackles.
Waliczek was garnered RMAC All-Academic First Team honors in 2012 and was selected to the RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll in 2013.
A total of 18 other Mountaineers were named to the 2014 RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll.
Passing History...In just his second season as Western's play caller, quarterback
Brett Arrivey is moving up Western's career passing records.
Arrivey became Western's all-time leader in pass completions after week eight against Western New Mexico University, surpassing Jason Davis who completed 418 passes from 1993-96. Arrivey has 431 completions in his career.
Also after week eight, Arrivey became Western's all-time season completion leader. Arrivey currently has 248 completions in 2014.
Arrivey currently sits second all-time in career passing attempts at Western with 720. He needs 107 more attempts to pull even with Jason Davis who attempted 827 from 1993-96.
Arrivey is tied for most pass attempts in a season with Dan Brethauer who completed 419 in 2005.
Tackling to the Top...Linebacker
Jaden Terry moved into the Western career record books after the week four matchup against Adams State University, and continues to move up the list.
Terry has 324 career tackles which is tied for eighth all-time with Steve Gaber (1983-85). To move into seventh place, Terry will need 13 more tackles to pass Chip Gaber's 336 tackles from 1981-84.
Break On Through...In just his sophomore season, running back
Austin Ekeler rushed into the Western record book. Ekeler has compiled 2,365 yards rushing in his first two years at Western, which ranks sixth all-time.
Ekeler sits 278 yards away from surpassing Jim Arcieri in fifth place. Arcieri rushed for 2,642 yards from 1971-74.
On the season, Ekeler has ran for 1,306 yards, which ranks second all-time in a single season. Ekeler needs 238 yards to move into first place and surpass Chaumont Bouknight who ran for 1,543 yards in 2003.
Kicking Down Records...Kicker
Ryan Winke made five field goals against New Mexico Highlands University, giving him 15 field goals in 2014. This placed him in a tie for second most all-time in a season at Western.
Currently with 16 made field goals in 2014, Winke trails Travis Snyder who holds the Western record with 21 field goals made in 2003.
Chasing History...Defensive back
Gerald Coleman has five career interceptions as a Mountaineer. Colman needs just one more to tie for 10th all-time in Western history with four others who have accomplished the feat.
National Leaders...Below are Western players and where they rank at the Division II level after the eighth week of play:
Austin Ekeler - 204.63 all-purpose yards per game - 4th
Brett Arrivey - .608 passing completion percentage - 43rd
Brett Arrivey - 22.88 passing completions per game - 21st
Ryan Winke - .842 field goal percentage - 14th
Ryan Winke - 2.00 field goals per game - 2nd
Kalvin Winter - 0.38 forced fumbles per game - T-13th
Kalvin Winter - 3 fumble recoveries - T-4th
Gerald Coleman - 0.5 interceptions per game - T-27th
Gerald Coleman - 1.5 passes defended per game - T-21st
Dakota Swinehart - 42.7 average yards per punt - 12th
Austin Ekeler - 12 rushing touchdowns - T-13th
Austin Ekeler - 1,306 rushing yards - 3rd
Austin Ekeler - 163.3 rushing yards per game - 3rd
Austin Ekeler - 9.8 points per game - T-23rd
Cole Waliczek - 5.6 solo tackles per game - T-28th
Jaden Terry - 9.5 tackles per game - T-47th
Offensive Output...Western's 39 points against Adams State in week four were the most points Western had scored in regulation since a 53-24 victory over Western New Mexico in 2008.
Western scored 43 points in week seven in a 43-46 loss to New Mexico Highlands University and has scored 34 or more points five times this season.
Last year, the Mountaineers scored 48 total points against Black Hills State University in three overtimes. Western scored 28 points in regulation.
Week 8 Record Breaking Performance...Austin Ekeler ran for 254 yards rushing against Western New Mexico University in week eight. This ranks as the fifth best single-game rushing performance in school history. This gives Ekeler the fifth, sixth and seventh most rushing yards in a game in Western's record book.
Ekeler scored on three of those runs, tying for 10th most in a single game.
Brett Arrivey's 46 passing attempts in week eight ties for 10th most in a single game in Western history. Completing 28 of those throws also ties for the sixth most in a single game.
The recipient of 10 of those passes was
Travis Haney who tied for eighth most receptions in a single game.
Week 6 Honors...Kicker
Ryan Winke was named the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week after his performance against Black Hills State. Winke hit two field goals in Western's 34-13 Hall of Fame Game win. Winke made his first field goal from 25 yards out and the second from 30 yards away. Winke accounted for a total of nine points against the Yellow Jackets.
Prelude to Something Larger...Western State began the season with a 1-1 record for the first time since 1998. The Mountaineers went onto win their second straight RMAC Championship under Head Coach Duke Iverson.
For the first time since 1997, Western won the season opener. The 1997 team also went onto win the RMAC title.
The Mountaineers defeated Wayland Baptist 38-21 in the first game of the season and lost to Angelo State University 38-6 in the following week.
Week 1 Honors...After a convincing win and tremendous individual efforts, linebacker
Jaden Terry and running back
Austin Ekeler were named RMAC Athletes of the Week.
Ekeler ran for 247 yards on 31 carries, averaging 8.0 yards per carry. Ekeler also reached the end zone twice, one of which was a 48-yard scamper.
Terry, also named the NFFCC Player of the Week, recorded one interception and one fumble recovery, both of which were returned for touchdowns. Terry also tied for a team high eight tackles, three of which were for a loss, including one sack.
Week 1 Record Breaking Performances...The Mountaineers charged to victory and also into the record books after the week-one victory.
Austin Ekeler recorded the fifth most rushing yards in a game by a Mountaineer with 247 yards. His 31 carries also tied for 10th place all-time at Western.
Thomas Chavira tied a Western record, sacking the Wayland Baptist quarterback four times, three of which came in the first half.
Chavira also recorded five tackles for a loss which is good enough for second all-time by a Mountaineer.
Kicker
Ryan Winke hit a 51-yard field goal, tying Gary Savoren's attempt in 1976 for the 10th longest field goal all-time in Western history.
Gerald Coleman tied for second most all-time interceptions in a single game with two.
Familiar Territory...Western State began their season in the state of Texas for the third time in four years.
For the fourth consecutive season, the Mountaineers faced an opponent from the state of Texas in the season opener.
After beating Wayland Baptist 38-21, Western has gone 1-3 during that span.
Captain Oh Captain...Captains for the 2014 season are quarterback
Brett Arrivey, running back
Austin Ekeler, punter
Dakota Swinehart, and linebackers
Jaden Terry and
Kalvin Winter.
