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The game preview is presented by MAA Corporate Partner Gunnison Energy, LLC
GUNNISON, Colo. - The final football game of the season for the Mountaineers of Western State Colorado University will take place in Grand Junction, Colorado this Saturday. The game against Colorado Mesa University is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. from Ralph Stocker Stadium.
Western (4-6, 3-5 RMAC) and CMU (5-5, 4-4 RMAC) will meet for the 41st time on Saturday. Western leads the all-time series with a record of 21-19 against the Mavericks. CMU has won the past eight on nine, but the Mountaineers won last year's contest 31-7.
The last meeting was the final home game of the season for Western in 2013, the Mountaineers dominated the CMU Mavericks, winning 31-7.
Austin Ekeler (So., Eaton, Colorado) ran for 134 yards and two scores, while
Brett Arrivey (So., Woodinville, Washington) threw for 206 yards and one touchdown. Western's defense forced four fumbles and three interceptions in the win against CMU.
The game, originally scheduled for 7 p.m. was changed to 2 p.m., due to CMU hosting the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament.
With the game now scheduled for 2 p.m., Western Alumni's pre-game rally will now become a post-game rally, starting immediately after the game. The rally, open to all Western alumni and friends, will take place at Old Chicago's on 120 North Ave. in Grand Junction, Colorado. There will be free food and giveaways for those in attendance.
Saturday's game against CMU is also Veteran Appreciation Night at Stocker Stadium. All veterans, with proof of their military service, will receive free admission to Western's final game of the 2014 season.
Fans in Gunnison can listen to the Mountaineers take on the Mavericks live on 98.3 FM KEJJ. Gene Hill and Steve Williams will have the call from Grand Junction.
Game 11 Notes:End the Season on a High Note...Saturday's game against Colorado Mesa University will be the final regular season game of the 2014 season.
Over the past 15 years, Western is 3-12 in the final game of the regular season.
The last time Western won their season closer was 2006 when the Mountaineers defeated Colorado School of Mines 21-13 in Gunnison.
Grand Junction Woes...Western has played in Grand Junction seven times in the past 13 years. Western is 1-6 in those games, with the last win against CMU in Grand Junction coming in 2001 when Western defeated the Mavericks 26-21.
RMAC Standings Implications...Final standings are on the line in the final week of conference play.
Western is currently in seventh place in the standings, but with a win could move up to as high as fourth place if Adams State University, Western New Mexico University and New Mexico Highlands University all lose their matchups.
Third Time is a Charm...Western State is 2-0 this season after losing the previous two games.
The Mountaineers are 1-2 coming off a loss in 2014.
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 and the last time Western had four wins was in 2003.
If Western defeats Colorado Mesa it will be the first time the Mountaineers reach five wins in a season since 2003 when the team went 5-6.
High Noon Woes...The Nov. 1 game against Fort Lewis College was the first time since at least 2006 the Mountaineers won when the game started at noon.
Since 2006, Western is 1-13 when games begin at 12 p.m.
RMAC Academic Player of the Year...Austin Ekeler, a sophomore running back, was named the 2014 RMAC Academic Player of the Year. Ekeler 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.
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.
Ekeler was also named to the Capital One CoSIDA All-Academic Region Four Team.
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 465 completions in his career.
Arrivey currently sits second all-time in career passing attempts at Western with 784. He needs 43 more attempts to pull even with Jason Davis who attempted 827 from 1993-96.
Arrivey is tied for the third most pass attempts in a season with 365 in 2014 and second in season passing completions with 217.
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 355 career tackles which is fourth all-time. To move into second place, Terry will need 30 more tackles to pass T.W. Stites' 384 tackles from 1994-97.
Break On Through...In just his sophomore season, running back
Austin Ekeler rushed into the Western record book. Ekeler has compiled 2,580 yards rushing in his first two years at Western, which ranks sixth all-time.
Ekeler sits 63 yards away from surpassing Jim Arcieri (1971-74) in fifth place and 75 yards from surpassing Germaine Daniels (2009-12) in fourth place,
On the season, Ekeler has ran for 1,521 yards, which ranks second all-time in a single season. Ekeler needs 23 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 18 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.
Week 10 Honors...Jaden Terry was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week and Beyond Sports Network named Terry one of the top four linebackers for the week of Nov. 10, 2014. Terry was all over the field Saturday against CSM, recording a career-high 21 tackles. This ties for the third most tackles in a game for a Western player. Terry made 18 of those tackles unassisted, breaking the RMAC record by four. Terry also recorded two sacks and a total of three tackles for a loss. With 21 tackles on Saturday, Terry went from eighth place to fourth place at Western for total career tackles. Terry has a total of 355 career tackles in a Mountaineer uniform.
Dakota Swinehart was cited by Beyond Sports Network as the top Division II Punter of the Week. Swinehart recorded three punts on Saturday, all falling within CSM's 20-yard line. Two of those punts travelled over 50 yards, with a longest of 55 yards. Swinehart averaged 51.7 yards per punt for a total of 155 yards.
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.
National Leaders...Below are Western players and where they rank at the Division II level after the 10th week of play:
Austin Ekeler - 192.60 all-purpose yards per game - 5th
Brett Arrivey - 21.70 passing completions per game - 24th
Ryan Winke - .857 field goal percentage - T-6th
Ryan Winke - 1.80 field goals per game - T-1st
Kalvin Winter - 0.30 forced fumbles per game - T-27th
Kalvin Winter - 3 fumble recoveries - T-5th
Gerald Coleman - 0.4 interceptions per game - T-49th
Gerald Coleman - 1.3 passes defended per game - T-35th
Dakota Swinehart - 43.6 average yards per punt - 7th
Austin Ekeler - 13 rushing touchdowns - T-21st
Austin Ekeler - 1,521 rushing yards - 3rd
Austin Ekeler - 152.1 rushing yards per game - 3rd
Austin Ekeler - 9.0 points per game - T-27th
Jaden Terry - 7.0 solo tackles per game - 7th
Cole Waliczek - 6.0 solo tackles per game - 21st
Jaden Terry - 10.7 tackles per game - 28th
Jaden Terry - 107 tackles - 25th
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.
