Senior duo breaks CSC football records

Dalton Holst, graduate of Gillette, Wyoming, and Cole Thurness, senior of Rapid City, South Dakota, wrapped up their Eagle careers, breaking Chadron State College career records and taking their final win against Black Hills State University, 57-6. 

“When the season started, we knew that Dalton was going to have his name all up and down the record books and Cole also had an opportunity,” Jay Long, head football coach, said. “We knew they need to have a good year.” 

Holst capped off his time as an Eagle by beating the career passing touchdowns with 97, throwing four against BHSU Saturday. This season, he also became CSC’s career passing yards record holder during the Eagles’ victory against New Mexico Highlands. 

Jonn McLain previously held the record with 94 passing touchdowns when he played for Chadron State from 2009 to 2014.  

Holst’s career of passing touchdowns and 11,529 career passing yards placed him as number four all-time in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). 

Holst said that he’s been able to play with some amazing receivers, running backs, and offensive linemen, and without those players like the offensive linemen blocking well, he wouldn’t have been able to get the ball off as much.

“It was one I didn’t really know like how far away it was or what needed to be done,” He said. “I’ve just been able to play with so many great players in my career. That’s a credit to my teammates throughout the years, they’ve been amazing.” 

Thurness received eight passes from Holst of Saturday allowing the wide receiver to set the career receptions record at 191, passing Cory Brooks’ record of 188 from 1992 to 1995. Thurness was able to tie the college’s career receiving touchdowns at 26 with Tevon Wright, of Miami, Florida, who played from 2016 to 2019. 

“It was awesome to see him (Thurness) get that record; I knew he was kind of close,” Holst said. “He’s just a guy that we relied on over the years just because of his great hands to catch the ball in traffic. He had a great career here and I’m excited to see what the future holds for him.” 

Against the Yellow Jackets, the duo (Holst and Thurness) scored the first touchdown in the second quarter with a one-yard pass from Holst to Thurness, moving the Eagles lead to 16-6 with an extra point kick from Gunnar Jones, senior of Florence, Alabama.  

Four minutes later, Jeydon Cox, redshirt freshman of Jackson, Wyoming, rushed in a 17-yard touchdown, his second one of the game after scoring the first six points for the Eagles in the first quarter. 

Holst connected with two other receivers for his next two touchdown throws, Ahlonte Hair, sophomore of Live Oak, Florida, for a 71-yard pass in the second quarter and Chad Mikelson, senior of Julesburg, Colorado, for 38 yards with about a minute left in the third quarter. 

The two touchdowns were spaced between kicked points by Jones who made all three of his field goal and six extra point attempts, despite it being a windy day. 

“Winning our last three or four games was really big for us,” Long said. “Our motto is always to finish. I thought that we finished this season on a strong note and I’m really proud of our seniors for doing that with us.” 

Holst threw to Thurness once more for a four-yard touchdown during the first drive of the fourth quarter, and the quarterback was taken out shortly after to officially finish his Eagle football career. 

The Eagles accomplished a clean sweep of the final 2021 RMAC Football Players of the Week.  

Long said he doesn’t know if he’s seen a clean sweep in the RMAC before, and that it was pretty neat to experience for our guys, especially with how well the three played and how well all three phases played on Saturday. 

Holst received Offensive Player of the Week for his game, throwing 236 yards and four touchdowns.  

Jones took specials teams for the third time this season, scoring 15 of the 57 points scored against BHSU and having a kickoff average of 55.7 yards. 

Joey Geil, sophomore of Casper, Wyoming, finished as the Defensive Player of the Week with 10 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter. 

CSC football moves into the off season of recruiting, before restarting their training in January to build themselves up for the 2022 season while seniors say good-bye.  

Along with the two records he set this year, Holst already held two carrier records of passing yards per game and total offense per game. He also has four CSC season records of passing attempts, passing yards, passing touchdowns and total offense. 

“I’ve loved my time at Chadron,” Holst said. “I wouldn’t even start to speculate what my career would been like. There will always be some more wins and some games you’d like to maybe change the outcome of but honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing.”