This game recap is presented by MAA Corporate Partner Holiday Inn Express
GUNNISON, Colo. - Western State Colorado University football played their final home game of the 2014 season on Saturday. Despite getting out to a 14-0 lead over the 19th ranked Colorado School of Mines, the Mountaineers fell to the Orediggers 35-26.
One Western senior playing his final game in Mountaineer bowl had a career day. Senior linebacker
Jaden Terry (Sr., Colorado Springs, Colorado) was all over the field for the Mountaineer defense. Terry recorded a career high 21 tackles against CSM. Terry made 18 of those tackles unassisted. While 21 tackles is a career high for Terry, it also ties for the third best single-game tackling performance in Western's history. Mountaineer Sports Hall of Famer Shane Carwin recorded 21 tackles in game in 1996.
With his 21 tackles, Terry moved up the all-time career tackles list. Terry began the day in eighth place with 334 tackles, but moved into fourth place with 355.
Western (4-6, 3-5 RMAC) dominated the first quarter of play from the kickoff. The Mountaineers scored on two of three first quarter possessions and forced one CSM turnover.
The Mountaineers scored on their second possession. Quarterback
Brett Arrivey (So., Woodinville, Washington) completed a 16 yard pass to
Travis Haney (Jr., Aurora, Colorado) who found his way into the end zone, giving the Mountaineers an early 7-0 lead.
Arrivey threw for a total of 209 yards and two touchdowns on Saturday. Haney caught nine of those for 75 yards and one score.
Senior defensive back Cole Walizcek (Sr., Thornton, Colorado) intercepted CSM (9-1, 7-1 RMAC) on their following possession, setting up another Western scoring drive.
Running back
Isaac Fuqua (Fr., Houston, Texas) found the end zone on a two-yard run and put Western ahead 14-0 with 2:26 remaining in the first quarter.
While the Mountaineers held the Orediggers scoreless in the first quarter, CSM scored on the first possession of the second quarter on a three yard run.
Western was able to get three of those points back with a 35-yard
Ryan Winke (So., Aurora, Colorado) field goal, but the Orediggers scored another touchdown with 3:32 remaining in the first half to make the score 17-14 in favor of the Mountaineers.
After a fumble on a punt return, forced and recovered by Western's
Dylan Markley (Sr., Olathe, Colorado), Western added another field goal as time expired in the second quarter. The Mountaineers were ahead 20-14 at the break.
CSM took over the game in the third quarter, scoring the first 14 points of the second half.
The Mountaineers were able to pull within two points 28-26 after
Austin Ekeler (So., Eaton, Colorado) caught a screen pass from Arrivey and ran 18 yards for a touchdown. Western was unable to convert on the two point conversion.
Ekeler was Western's primary ball carrier on Saturday, compiling 101 yards on the ground. Ekeler has ran for over 100 yards in eight games this season.
The only score of the fourth quarter came from CSM as they took a 35-26 lead and the win.
Western will play their final game of the season next Saturday against Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado. The game, originally scheduled for 6 p.m., will be played at 2 p.m. from Stocker Stadium.
