GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines put together its best performance of the season, getting in the win column with a 34-3 victory over Fort Lewis at Marv Kay Stadium.
The Orediggers (1-2-1, 1-1 RMAC) rode a dominating defensive display that held Fort Lewis (2-1, 1-1 RMAC) to only 188 total yards of offense, including -27 net rushing yards, and did not allow a score until the waning moments of the fourth quarter while generating three turnovers.
Joseph Capra, in three quarters of play, went 16-of-22 for 267 yards and three touchdowns, and ran for 55 net yards as well.
Aksel Richard had a career-high 150 yards and a touchdown with
Tyson Mauck and
Jake Willis also catching scores, and
Parker Johnson added a 40-yard pick-six in the third quarter.
The Mines run game had its best showing of the season with 218 yards led by
Braelon Tate (86 yards) and
Max Barnes (62).
Preston Kyle started the scoring with a 45-yard field goal midway through the first quarter, and Mines added to the lead later in the period when Capra found Willis for a 27-yard touchdown. The Orediggers drove 76 yards to score on Mauck's nine-yard catch in the end zone later in the second quarter, and the score would stay 17-0 as Mines ran out of time on a long drive to end the first half.
Mines made it 20-0 with a 37-yard Kyle field goal to open the second half, then scored later in the third quarter thanks to
Parker Johnson, who housed an interception from the 40 to extend it to 27-0. Five plays later, Capra found Richard short and the senior receiver made two terrific moves to streak 65 yards for the score.
FLC's only points came deep in the fourth quarter when Lucas Schmitten converted a 44-yard field goal.
NOTABLES
- The game's kickoff was delayed 45 minutes due to a passing thunderstorm during warm-ups, but the game ended up being played under abundant sunshine in Golden.
- Richard becomes the third different Mines receiver with a 100+ yard game this season joining
Pierce Richards and
Nick Stone.
- The last time Mines allowed negative rushing was also against Fort Lewis, putting them 33 yards in the negative in 2023.
- The Orediggers had five sacks, all in the second half, including hits by
Eli Krawczuk,
Christian Peluse,
Davis Perkins,
David Baba,
Aaron Gall, and
Joey Beckner.
- In addition to Johnson's pick-six, Krawczuk had a strip sack recovered by
Brady Zingelmann and
Jackson Harmon came down with an interception.
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Jack Mills led Mines with eight tackles.
- Kicker
Jack Manthey made his Mines debut with two PATs.
- Mines won for the 19th consecutive meeting against the Skyhawks, who were 2-0 for the first time since 1979.
NEXT UP
Mines travels to Chadron State on Sept. 26.
