Box Score HOW IT HAPPENED
#7 Colorado School of Mines couldn't contain #6 CSU-Pueblo's potent rushing attack as the Thunderwolves ran away early for a 49-21 win.
The Thunderwolves (7-1, 6-0 RMAC) were spotted a 28-0 lead at halftime, using explosive big-play potential to establish their offense. The Orediggers' (7-1, 5-1 RMAC) high-powered offense was all but stopped in the first half but found its rhythm early in the third quarter before Pueblo shut the door with two straight scores.
Pueblo scored their first-half points on a pair of Cameron McDondle runs wrapped around Zach Boyd's 13-yard touchdown catch and a 49-yarder to Kieren Duncan.
Cole Spurgeon caught an eight-yard pass to open the second half for Mines' first points of the day, but CSUP answered with two consecutive Bernard McDondle scores to lead 42-7 late in the third. Sam Seeton scored from 11 yards out before CSUP's Fradlet Dort capped off a 75-yard drive with his three-yard run early in the fourth.
Steven Yoshihara added a touchdown for Mines in the final minute, the first of his career.
OFFENSIVELY SPEAKING
Justin Dvorak went 26-for-36 for 226 yards and a touchdown. Cameron McDondle led CSU-Pueblo with 308 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The Orediggers had 293 yards passing and 367 total offensive yards.
BIG PLAY PUEBLO
Pueblo's ability to produce big plays was the key to their win. The Thunderwolves had five plays of 40 or more yards, with two producing touchdowns. CSUP racked up 546 total yards, 434 of which were on the ground.
NOTABLES
- A week after classmate Jimmy Ellis did the same, Cole Spurgeon crossed 2,000 yards career receiving. He now has 2,006 yards.
- Andrew Renfrew led all players with 11 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss. Tommy Hoskins had both of Mines' sacks to take his season total to a team-best 7.5.
- Spurgeon's touchdown catch was his 11th of the season. The senior came into the weekend ranked in the national top-25 in that category.
- Neither team committed a turnover in the game.
- Sam Seeton carried 17 times for 63 yards and a score and also caught six passes for 32 yards.
- Jimmy Ellis led all receivers with 67 yards on four catches.
- Yoshihara had a productive spell in the fourth quarter, going 7-for-10 for 59 yards and rushing for the game's final touchdown.
- Dvorak and Yoshihara weren't the only ball-slingers for Mines – wide receiver Jimmy Ellis found Dvorak on an eight-yard option in the first quarter.
NEXT UP
Mines heads to #23 Colorado Mesa on Halloween.
