GUNNISON, Colo. – Western State Colorado University football played their final game of the 2017 season on Saturday. The Mountaineers were unable to come away with a win falling in a closely contested battle to South Dakota School of Mines & Technology 35-16.
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With 11:21 left to play Western (1-10, 1-9 RMAC) cut the SDSMT (5-6, 4-6 RMAC) score to just five points on a five-play 52 yard drive to make the score 16-21. Quarterback
Easton Bruere ran it into the end zone to keep the Mountaineers within striking distance.
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Bruere threw for a game-high 182 yards and ran for a team-high 82 yards.
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Western's 205 yards passing is the most since week six of the season.
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With the game on the line, the Hardrockers were able to find the end zone and win the game, 35-16.
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Markeith McDonald led the team in receiving with 42 yards on three catches.
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Defensively,
Desmond Marfizo led Western with nine tackles and one tackle for a loss.
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After a first quarter touchdown, Western's defense held SDSMT to a three-and-out to begin the second quarter. The Hardrockers went back to punt from their 29-yard line. The snap went over the SDSMT punter's head, into the end zone and a safety made the score 7-2 with 14:28 left in the second quarter.
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The Hardrockers would get one more touchdown to make it 14-2 at the break.
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