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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
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The CSC Eagle Newspaper – Chadron, NE
FootballSports

CSC falls in first home game, 23-13

Preston Goehring

For the first time in Jay Long’s coaching career at CSC, the Eagles lost their home opener at Elliott Field, Saturday, to the Colorado Mesa University Mavericks, 23-13.

The Eagles, 1-3, once again failed to produce a solid offensive performance in their second straight conference loss. The ground game wasn’t able to break through like in previous games, only rushing for 109 yards off 33 attempts. The rushing attack was led by Derek Jackson, sophomore of Pueblo West, Colorado. CSC also had four fumbles in the game, losing three of them.

Redshirt freshman TD Stein, of Chadron, completed nine of 27 passes for 163 yards and an interception. The longest play of the game was a 63 yard completion to Marcus Brown, junior of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Stein is averaging 162 yards per game through the air, with one touchdown pass and seven interceptions. Alex Ferdinand, senior kicker of Rapid City, South Dakota, put the only offensive points on the board for CSC. He capped off a 73-yard drive with a 29-yard field goal, and a 53-yard drive with a 35-yard field goal.

Quarterback Matt Vinson (12), sophomore of Box Elder, South Dakota, looks to throw Saturday during the game against Colorado Mesa University at Elliott Field.— Photo by Teri Robinson
Quarterback Matt Vinson (12), sophomore of Box Elder, South Dakota, looks to throw Saturday during the game against Colorado Mesa University at Elliott Field.— Photo by Teri Robinson

The defense for the Eagles kept the game interesting, with the only touchdown coming from Conor Casey, senior of Rapid City, South Dakota, who scooped up a blocked punt from Collin Eisenman, sophomore of Sheridan, Wyoming, and returned it for a touchdown. All around, the defense proved to be a powerhouse, holding the Mavs to 262 total yards of offense, only 69 of them through the air.

“We had a great game plan going in,” Cole Montgomery, senior of Casper, Wyoming, said. “The coaches broke down game after game and were able to give us some really good tendencies. We knew exactly what route combos they were going to run and everyone played pretty disciplined.”

The Eagles intercepted Mesa quarterback Sean Rubalcaba, junior of Grand Junction, Colorado, twice, one from senior linebacker Clay Cundall, of Greybull, Wyoming, and the other from Brian Wood, junior of Stockton, California. Cundall and Eisenman tie with redshirt freshman Kirk Durtsche, of Casper, Wyoming, with 10 tackles each.

Penalties once again hurt the Eagles, accumulating 12 flags for 110 yards. CSC now has 43 penalties on the year for a total of 384 yards.

This week, CSC will match-up against Western State Colorado University in Gunnison. Western State is currently ranked last in the RMAC with an overall record of 0-4, 0-2 in conference.

Western quarterback Brett Arrivey, junior of Woodinville, Washington, threw for 238 yards and three touchdowns against Adams State University. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.