GUNNISON, Colo. - After going down 10-7 to start the game, Western State Colorado University football scored 31 straight points against Black Hills State University. The Mountaineers convincingly earned the victory on the road 62-23.
Western (1-5, 1-3 RMAC) finally clicked on all cylinders Saturday. The Mountaineers dominated nearly every facet of play, tearing apart the BHSU (0-6, 0-4 RMAC) defense and racking-up 604 yards of total offense.
Special teams sparked the comeback for Western. After the Mountaineer defense held BHSU to a field goal,
Rodray Perkins (RFr., Mesquite, Texas) took the Yellow Jackets kickoff at the 10-yard line. Perkins returned the kick 90 yards for a touchdown. It was the first kickoff returned for a touchdown since 2003. Rodrick added 112 yards on kickoff returns, the most kick return yards since Marc Jones recorded 111 last November.
Adding six points on the 31-point Mountaineer run was defensive back
Rodrick Waters. Waters intercepted the BHSU pass and returned it 53-yards for the touchdown. It was the first pick-six for Western since Sept. 27, 2014.
Putting-up big numbers on the offensive side of the ball was Western quarterback
Brett Arrivey (Jr., Woodinville, Washington). Arrivey threw for 304 yards and four touchdowns. It was the fifth 300-yard passing day for Arrivey this season and third game in-a-row for the junior. It also was the second four-touchdown passing game of the season for Arrivey.
A favorite target of Arrivey's,
Anthony Apodaca (Jr., Northglenn, Colorado) recorded 102 yards passing on six receptions.
Travis Haney (Sr., Aurora, Colorado) recorded two touchdown receptions, while adding 70 yards receiving.
Defensively, the Mountaineers applied pressure to the Yellow Jacket quarterback, forcing three interceptions. The BHSU offense looked like a dolphin out of water as Waters,
Carter Wasser (So., Cedaredge, Colorado) and
David Velazquez (RFr., Scottsdale, Arizona) provided the turnovers for the Mountaineers.
Jacob Bernhard (Sr., Fort Lupton, Colorado) once again led the game in tackles, recording 14 tackles. Bernhard has recorded 14 or more tackles in all five games played.
Kicker
Ryan Winke (Jr., Aurora, Colorado) added 14 points in the victory, making field goals from 37 yards and 40 yards.
On the ground,
Austin Ekeler (Jr., Eaton, Colorado) led the game in rushing. Ekeler recorded 146 yards on the ground and one touchdown.
Western returns home for an Oct. 17 game against New Mexico Highlands University.
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