Eagles spoil Trailblazer homecoming

The Eagles outscored the Dixie State Trailblazers 28-7 in the first half en route to a 40-27 victory, Saturday, in St. George, Utah.

The win marked CSC’s third straight victory and improved them to 4-4. The loss drops the Trailblazers to 6-2.

Senior receiver Tevon Wright, of Miami, caught a career-best nine passes for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Wright is now tied for first in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with 11 TDs. He’s second in total receiving yards with 733.

Wright says his key to consistency this season is knowing that as a senior it’s his last chance to make his mark on the college game. He’s also motivated by what he calls his “why” – his family and his plans for them.  

“Taking advantage of all my opportunities and being consistent is one of the ways I can fulfill my plans for my family,” Wright said. 

Dixie State struck first, scoring on the first play from scrimmage when senior running back Sei-J Lauago, of Paramount, California, ran the ball 69 yards into the end zone.

“Our guys just came out with a lot of emotion and energy,” Long said to CSC Sports Information following the game. “Dixie caught us on the first play, where we just didn’t have a guy there at the right time, but the thing to talk about is when, after that long touchdown, we marched it all the way down the field, on a 93-yard drive. That was something, to show that we’re going to have a good day today.”

The drive began at Chadron State’s 7-yard line and went for 13 plays, taking up 6:41 of the first quarter. On first and 10 at the Dixie 20-yard line, junior quarterback Dalton Holst, of Gillette, Wyoming, found receiver Cole Thurness, junior of Rapid City, South Dakota, in the corner of the end zone to tie the game 7-7.

From there, it was all Eagles as they scored 21 unanswered points to lead 28-7 at the end of the half.

Prior to the game, Dixie State had not trailed by more than two touchdowns since week two against Fort Lewis.

Down 31-7 sophomore quarterback Tanner Hammond, of Bountiful, Utah, who entered the game in the first quarter after an injury to starting quarterback Kody Wilstead, sophomore of St. George, Utah, started the Trailblazers’ push for a comeback. Hammond led the group on a 10-play drive that was capped off by a 16-yard touchdown pass to Dejuan Dantzler, senior of Moreno Valley, California, bringing the score to 31-14.

With about 2:33 left in the third quarter Hammond ran the ball in himself from 33 yards out to bring Dixie within two TDs, 34-21.

With about 12 minutes remaining in the game, a defensive stop on fourth and two by CSC linebacker Travis Wilson, junior of Fresno, California, set the Eagle offense up on the Dixie 15-yard line. Three plays later sophomore running back Elijah Myles, of Hawthorne, California, ran the ball in from 3 yards out to make it 40-21 with about 10 minutes remaining.

Dixie would score again with six minutes remaining, but it was too little, too late.

CSC’s defense totaled four sacks, forced a fumble and CSC safety Tyree Fryar, senior of Burlington, New Jersey, intercepted a pass. Senior linebacker Tyler “Gator” Lewis, of Arvada, Colorado, led CSC with 10 solo tackles and two sacks. CSC linebackers Joey Geil, redshirt freshman of Casper, Wyoming, and Wilson had the Eagles’ other two sacks.

“We just have to clean up the third quarter,” Lewis said about the Eagle defense to CSC Sports Information. “We can’t give up long drives like those, but other than that, and the first play of the game, guys were doing their jobs, and tackling well.”

 

CSC’s offense totaled 442 yards, including 203 rushing led by Myles who finished the game with 183 yards and a touchdown on 39 carries. Myles was the only Eagle running back with more than five carries.

Holst tossed all four of his touchdowns in the first half and completed 19 of 34 passes for 239 yards. His preferred target was Wright, who caught nine passes. Teammate Thurness caught eight passes for 34 yards and a TD and Brandon Fullerton, senior of Riverton, caught just one pass, a 28-yard touchdown. 

CSC had nearly twice the time of possession than Dixie State.

Saturday, the Eagles will play their final road game in Las Vegas, New Mexico, against New Mexico Highlands University. The Cowboys are 1-6 this season; their only win was against Black Hills State University, 17-13.

Brandon Davenport contributed to this story.