GUNNISON, Colo.  Trailing 24-7 early in the third quarter Saturday, No. 8 Western Colorado finally got down to business and rallied for a 35-24 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference win over visiting South Dakota Mines, scoring 28 unanswered points on four Drew Nash to Josiah Ayon touchdown passes.

JUST THE FACTS
Final score: Western def. S.D. Mines, 35-24
Records: Western 7-0 overall (5-0 RMAC), S.D. Mines 3-5 (2-4)
Location: Mojo Field at Mountaineer Bowl at The Rady Family Sports Complex, Gunnison, Colo.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After a 3-and-out on its first possession of the third quarter, Nash got the offense moving his next time on the field, finishing off a 75-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to Ayon. A key play on the drive was a 50-yard connection to DJ Allen Jr. that got the ball down to the SDM 7 yard line.
• Cutting the deficit to just 10 points with the score, Western's defense held on the Hardrockers' ensuing possession, ending with a Jack Jones 19-yard punt return to the Mountaineer 35.
• Nash pushed the offense down the field once again, culminating in an 11-yard TD toss to Ayon that brought Western to within a field goal, at 24-21. Nash's legs provided a key play in the drive, as he scrambled for a 22-yard gain on a 3rd and 21.
• A 3-and-out for minus-4 yards by the Mines offense put the ball back in Western's hot hands, this time taking over at their own 40 as the third quarter was ending.
• The Mountaineers went down the field again, with Nash and Ayon finishing the go-ahead scoring drive off with a 24-yard touchdown pass, a drive that was extended with a 17-yard catch by Elias Zarate on 3rd and 7 at the SDM 47.
• The Hardrockers found themselves trailing for the first time in the game, 28-24, and responded with a solid drive that finally stalled at the Western 25. Connor Taylor lined up for a 42-yard field goal attempt that would draw Mines to within a point, but Ricky Freymond would block his second field goal of the season to maintain the Mountaineers' four-point advantage.
• Sage Yazzie's 8-yard reception on a 3rd-and-8 would keep Western's next drive rolling, and for the fourth time in the second half, Nash and Ayon would finish a drive with a touchdown pass, this one a 20-yard lofted toss into the back, left corner of the end zone.
• The Western defense finished off the win by intercepting a fourth-down pass, as Ethan Sanchez-Maxwell stepped in front of a Mines receiver at their 28 to put the nail in the coffin.

MOJO FIELD NOTES

• Western trailed 10-7 at the half, and two plays were key in forging that deficit. The first was a 50-yard sprint by Mines' Henry Dryden down to the Western 2 that positioned the Hardrockers for the game's opening touchdown. Late in the second half the Western defense held on a 3rd down but Mines gained new life on a penalty and would go down to kick a 44-yard field goal for the halftime lead.
• Things got worse for Western before they got better, as a hard tackle on the opening kickoff of the second half resulted in in a fumble return touchdown by Mines' Eli Bowman. Western went 3-and-out in its ensuing drive with Mines piecing together an 85-yard touchdown drive after the Mountaineer punt to take a 24-14 lead barely five minutes into the third quarter.
• Ayon would finish the afternoon with four touchdowns from six catches and a total of 59 yards receiving. Allen Jr. would total 97 yards from 5 catches while Victory David would catch 3 for a 60 yards.
• Nash passed for 320 yards on a 27-for-42 afternoon, his first touchdown pass of the day coming on a 59-yard toss to Allen Jr. that answered Mines' initial touchdown.
• Jack Jones consistently provided the Western offense with positive field position, returning eight punts for 118 yards with a long of 32 yards.
• Freymond and Cameron Cooper led the Mountaineer defense with 10 and 9 total tackles, respectively. Freymond, in addition to his blocked field goal, would also earn three sacks during the game.
• Mines' Jake Martinelli, who came into the game with 17 touchdown passes, was limited to just 188 yards passing and with two more scoring passes.

THEY SAID IT


HALL OF FAME WEEKEND
At halftime, Friday night's Class of 2024 inductees into the Mountaineer Sports Hall of Fame were honored on the field. The inductees include Dr. William Banks '05 (cross country, track & field), John Svoboda '73 (tootball, wrestling), Susan Jackson '14 (track & field), the 1992-93 men's basketball team, and local treasure John 'Harv' Rees as a Lifetime Achievement inductee.

UP NEXT
Eighth-ranked Western travels for its next game, taking on 12th-ranked Colorado School of Mines on Saturday in a 12 p.m. game at the Orediggers' Alumni Field at Marv Kay Stadium.