Hardrockers hit Starks reality in ‘Snowcoming’

Despite snowstorm, Eagles offense amasses 599 yards and 6 TDs in 41-25 win

Had it not been for losing two yards from kneeling in the victory formation, the Eagles’ offense gained 601 total yards as Chadron State defeated South Dakota Mines 41-25, Saturday, at Elliott Field.

Compared to gaining 68 rushing yards against Colorado Mesa Oct. 10, CSC gained 238 yards and four touchdowns on the ground against the Hardrockers on Saturday. Jalen Starks, junior of Van Nuys, California, earned Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors after rushing for 116 yards and three touchdowns, but freshman Jayden Cox, of Jackson, Wyoming, provided balance in the backfield with 60 yards on the ground.

“When you can run the football, that makes it so the offense clicks,” Head Coach Jay Long said. “One thing that helps out the play callers is when you can run the football.”

Adding balance to the Eagles’ rushing attack, Dalton Holst, senior of Gillette, Wyoming, threw for 361 yards, two touchdowns and completed 70 percent of his throws.

“Dalton is a real special player for us,” Long said. “By the time he’s done here his name will be all over the record books. He’s going to be a coach, he’s a coach’s son, his dad’s a legendary basketball coach in Wyoming and he’s also been an assistant football coach. Dalton’s been around the game his whole life. When he gets locked in, he is really dangerous and on Saturday he was money.”

 However, CSC receivers Cole Thurness, senior of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Chad Mikelson, junior of Julesburg, Colorado, combined for 341 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Thurness also scored the game’s first touchdown with a four-yard rush.

CSC’s offense converted seven-of-12 on third down and punted for the first and only time midway through the third quarter.

The Eagles’ defense snagged interceptions in back-to-back drives as its offense cashed in those takeaways for 14 points.

After intercepting a pass last week against Mesa, Bobby Peele, junior of Fresno, California, read the eyes of Hardrocker QB Jayden Johannsen, freshman of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and grabbed his second interception in consecutive weeks.

“That was a big turning point in the game because after that play, our offense marched all the way down the field and scored, so really it was a 14-point momentum swing,” Long said.

During Mines’ next possession, Johannsen fired a deep pass to an open receiver in the end zone, but Cole Condon, sophomore of Temecula, California, snuck into his coverage to steal his first interception of the season. Along with the interception, Condon finished the game with seven tackles, one for a loss and a pass break up.

Trailing 28-10 with fourth-and-goal, Johannsen found Anthony Ulrich, junior of San Diego, California, for a sure-fire touchdown, but as the receiver turned while making the catch, Peele forced an incompletion with a last-second hit that caused a turnover on downs. From there, CSC’s offense marched 88 yards in five plays for a game-sealing touchdown run by Starks.

The Eagles’ defense gave up two touchdowns in the fourth quarter including a 65-yard TD from Collin Zur, senior of Park City, Utah.

Coach Long said the team’s mantra has been to finish games and to keep opponents from scoring late, but also said the defense played a solid game.

Chadron State hosts Black Hills State University for its home finale during this shortened season at 2 p.m., Saturday, at Elliott Field. The Yellow Jackets are 0-2 and fell 56-7 against Colorado Mesa on Saturday and its defense allowed 336 rushing yards per game through the last two weeks.

CSC’s home finale may be played in the snow as chances for rain or snowfall are up to 50 percent for Saturday, per weather.com.