LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Led by a five-touchdown performance from sophomore quarterback Justin Dvorak and three interceptions by the defense, the No. 17 Colorado School of Mines football team outlasted home-standing New Mexico Highlands in a record-breaking 42-35 thriller on Saturday afternoon at Perkins Stadium.
Mines (5-0, 3-0 RMAC) remains unbeaten with the win to post its fourth victory in the last six meetings with NMHU (2-3, 2-1 RMAC). The two squads combined for numerous offensive fireworks over their combined 77 points, 1,146 yards, 66 first downs and 193 plays in the game.
Mines also finished 5-for-5 on 4th downs, posted a trio of sacks and picked off three passes in the win.
The two squads set the Division II record for most passes attempted in a game with 139, breaking the record set by St. Anselm & Seton Hill on November 3, 2012. The squads also tied the Division II record for combined completions with 93 on Saturday, tying the record set by Shippensburg and Kutztown on Oct. 13, 2012.
Mines posted 564 yards on 100 plays, led by a 43-of-65 effort with 476 yards and five touchdowns by Dvorak. He entered the weekend ranked third nationally in passing yards and passing yards per game and trailed national leader Lance Orender of NMHU, who finished 50-of-74 for 559 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions on Saturday.
Senior Tevin Champagne led the ground game with 87 yards on 24 carries, including a 5-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He also caught eight passes for 71 yards and another score, coming on a 10-yard shovel pass from Dvorak in the second quarter. He finished with 158 all-purpose yards in the contest.
Junior Cole Spurgeon led the receiving corps with nine receptions for 142 yards and a touchdown, including a 13-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Junior Nate Wiemers also caught nine passes for 103 yards and a pair of scores, coming on 8- and 9-yard touchdown strikes from Dvorak.
Junior Jimmy Ellis caught eight passes for 94 yards as well, including the eventual game-winning touchdown on a 9-yard pass from Dvorak with 4:44 remaining in the contest. The Littleton product also notched 55 yards on two kickoff returns and 23 yards on three punt returns for 182 all-purpose yards.
NMHU's Tyler Slavin caught a game-high 14 receptions for 278 yards and two touchdowns in a losing effort.
Defensively, the Orediggers were led by the linebacker trio of Kole Kadavy, Chris Pinson and Billy Sprague, who combined for 34 tackles in the game. Kadavy notched 12 stops (nine solo) and 2.5 tackles for loss. The Greeley product also broke up two passes and picked off a pass in the fourth quarter.
Pinson was credited with 12 tackles (eight solo) and Sprague notched 10 stops (six solo), including 1.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss and a blocked punt.
Jalen Champagne added nine stops (eight solo) and Shawn Kobylinski recorded eight (five solo) to lead the secondary.
Emmanuel Graves posted 3.0 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks on his way to seven total tackles in the game. Ian McFadden and Drew Stephon combined for eight stops and each added an interception as well, with Stephon's pick in the red zone sealing the win late in the fourth quarter.
Avery Llewellyn missed his lone field goal attempt, but finished 6-for-6 on point after attempts while also averaging 37.0 yards on four punts.
Mines will return home to host Western New Mexico (2-3, 1-2 RMAC) on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the North Area Athletic Complex in Arvada. WNMU defeated Fort Lewis on Saturday by a score of 24-17 in Silver City, N.M.
Scoring Summary
Qtr Time Scoring Play | Score
1st 09:15 NMHU - Tyler Slavin 24 yd pass from Lance Orender (Zach Tapia kick) | NMHU, 7-0
05:07 CSM - Tevin Champagne 5 yd run (Avery Llewellyn kick) | Tied, 7-7
01:50 NMHU - CJ Grice 17 yd pass from Lance Orender (Zach Tapia kick) | NMHU, 14-7
2nd 13:03 CSM - Nate Wiemers 8 yd pass from Justin Dvorak (Avery Llewellyn kick) | Tied, 14-14
05:00 NMHU - H. Smith-Mobley 16 yd pass from Lance Orender (Zach Tapia kick) | NMHU, 21-14
01:55 CSM - Tevin Champagne 10 yd pass from Justin Dvorak (Avery Llewellyn kick) | Tied, 21-21
3rd 13:26 NMHU - V. Venegas 3 yd pass from Lance Orender (Zach Tapia kick) | NMHU, 28-21
10:32 CSM - Nate Wiemers 9 yd pass from Justin Dvorak (Avery Llewellyn kick) | Tied, 28-28
05:53 CSM - Cole Spurgeon 13 yd pass from Justin Dvorak (Avery Llewellyn kick) | Mines, 35-28
03:12 NMHU - Tyler Slavin 66 yd pass from Lance Orender (Zach Tapia kick) | Tied, 35-35
4th 04:44 CSM - Jimmy Ellis 9 yd pass from Justin Dvorak (Avery Llewellyn kick) | Mines, 42-35
