Football short win streak ends
By Eben Rosentrater
It was a disappointing weekend for the CSC football team after a tough defensive battle turned into 34-12 lost against the Thunderwolves of CSU Pueblo in Colorado.
The Eagles were flying high going into the weekend after beating the Grizzlies of Adams State in a close 29-27 game, their second win of the season. However, the Thunderwolves had no intent of letting the Eagles’ win streak continue. But with the return of first-string quarterback Heath Beemiller, junior of Chandler, Arizona, the Eagles had some hope.
The game looked optimistic for the Eagles for all of the first half. The first drive of the game, Thunderwolves quarterback Hunter Raquet, senior of Santa Cruz, California, hit a 63-yard pass to receiver Andrew Cook, redshirt sophomore of Tucson, Arizona. However, the Eagle defense was stout and held the Thunderwolves to a field goal to which they missed. The Eagles were the first to score after a Pueblo turnover led to a seven-yard touchdown connection between Beemiller and receiver Grant Swenson, sophomore of Broomfield, Colorado.
After that, the game was a stalemate. The Thunderwolves quickly tied the game 6-6, and the defenses battled for the rest of the first half. Going into the halftime, the score was still tied, something nobody expected considering the CSU Pueblo offense is the second highest scoring offense in the RMAC right behind Colorado Mines.
Much of the third quarter was similar to the first half, low scoring with a lot of defense. The Thunderwolves didn’t take the lead until late in the third with a touchdown connection between Raquet and Beck, the second touchdown pass of four between the two players, making the score 13-6.
Raquet and Cook continued to roll scoring two more touchdowns. The Eagle offense struggled and only scored six more points of the foot of Gunnar Jones, graduate student of Rogersville, Alabama. The team would fail to pick up speed and went on to lose 34-12.
Offensively, the Eagles were led by Beemiller, who completed 23 passes on 35 attempts for 148 yards and one touchdown. However, Beemiller threw another interception, his eighth of the year. Jalen Starks, senior of Chicago, yet again, led the Eagles in rushing netting 61 yards on 18 carries, averaging just over three yard a carry. The receiving game was led by a new face. Swenson made his first career start over the weekend and nearly doubled his total career yards recording 70 on 9 receptions and scoring the team’s only touchdown.
Defensively, another new face led the team. Defensive lineman Hunter O’Connor, sophomore of Broomfield, Colorado, racked up 10 total tackles, one pass breakup, and three-and-a-half sacks, the most sacks by an Eagle defender all season.
“We changed our defensive front this week,” CSC Football Head Coach Jay Long said to CSC Sports Information, “from a tight formation to a wider one. Hunter has really provided a great rush in that formation. Today was one of those days he really stood out.”
The Eagles will look to get back on track against the Cowboys of New Mexico Highlands at Don Beebe Stadium, in Chadron, next Saturday.