Mountaineers take care of business in must-win game

Members of the Western Colorado University football team run onto the field at the beginning of Saturday's game. Pictured from left to right are Ian Loomis, Ernesto Lopez and Ricky Freymond.

On a record-setting day for senior All-American quarterback Drew Nash, the 18th-ranked Mountaineers took care of business in a must-win game Saturday, downing visiting Colorado Mesa University 42-28 in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference matchup at the Mountaineer Bowl.

Nash factored into all six Western Colorado touchdowns, throwing for four scores and running in two himself on a day in which his career total for touchdown passes grew to 74, a new Mountaineer career program record.

Just the facts 

Final score: Western defeats CMU, 42-28

Records: Western 9-2 overall (7-2 RMAC)

Location: MOJO Field at Mountaineer Bowl at the Rady Family Sports Complex, Gunnison, Colo.

How it happened

It took almost a quarter to get the offense clicking, but late in the first quarter Nash drove Western on a four-play, 47 yard drive that ended with a 23-yard Nash touchdown scamper around the left side on the opening play of the second quarter.

The Mountaineer defense held the Mavericks to a quick three-and-out in the ensuing possession, handing the ball back to Nash and company at the Mountaineer 20.

Eight plays and 80 yards later Nash pushed Western in front by two scores with a 10-yard touchdown pass over the middle to Joshua Dixon on the first play of the second quarter.

Mesa would finally get on the board with an 11-play, 75 yard touchdown drive, but Western responded with an 82-yard drive in three plays, scoring its third touchdown of the quarter on a 71-yard Nash to Victory David pass.

The Mavs would double-dip around the halftime break, scoring a touchdown with seven seconds left in the second quarter, then opening up the third quarter with a seven minute, 15 second touchdown drive that tied the score at 21-21.

The Mountaineers would score on their next three possessions, though, to build a cushion the Mavericks were unable to overcome.

Blake Kramer scored on a 52-yard pass from Nash for the first of the touchdowns, followed by an 11-play drive that ended with a Nash jump pass from the four yard line to defensive end Ricky Freymond.

The final Western touchdown was a fourth and one play at the CMU eight, where Nash took the snap, pushed into the back of the pile, bounced off the mass of humanity then scooted around the left edge untouched.

Mesa would try to inch closer with an answering touchdown but that would be its final score in the game.

Mojo notes

Western entered the game ranked ninth in Super Region Four, with the top eight teams qualifying for the NCAA Division II tournament, making the contest a must-win one for the Mountaineers.

Nash would finish the day with 326 yards through the air on a 15-for-21, four-touchdown afternoon, adding 31 rushing yards with two scores on the ground.

Freshman running back Quinn Bailey posted a season-high 94 rushing yards, while David (95 yds.), Dixon (78) and Kramer (74) would each post single-game receiving highs for the season.

Mesa was led by 332 passing yards and 3 touchdowns from quarterback Cole Hansen and 135 receiving yards with 2 touchdowns by Trek Keyworth.

Linebackers Ian Loomis, Kaden Stewart, Kade Musser and Cameron Cooper topped the defense’s total tackles column. Loomis led with 10, Stewart added seven, Musser came up with six and Cooper had five stops.

Loomis, Cooper and Ryan Downard each had one sack of Hansen, with Stewart and Freymond sharing a sack of the Mesa QB.

Safety Drea Thompson added a key play in the game for the Mountaineer defense, intercepting a Hansen pass that gave the ball back to Nash and the offense for what would become its opening touchdown drive.