RAPID CITY, .S.D. --- The South Dakota School of Mines football team will have a big home test this weekend as the Hardrockers are back at O'Harra Stadium in Rapid City for the final home game of the 2017 season as they face the No. 15 Colorado Mesa University in a 1 p.m. Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference matchup.
After a tough loss on the road last weekend in Durango, Colo., against Fort Lewis, the 'Rockers will look to get back in the win column and keep their impressive home record intact. SD Mines boasts a 3-1 home mark this year, including arguable the biggest win in program history knocking off Colorado School of Mines during that run.
During last weekend's game, The Skyhawks and the Hardrockers traded scores in the first, leading to a 14-14 tie at the end of the period. Opening up the second, the Hardrockers' took their first lead of the game when Hardrocker
Michael Retland sacked FLC's Jake Lowry for a 20-yard loss in the end zone and a safety.
SD Mines extended their lead to 23-14 with a rushing score from freshman
Brandon LaBrie. Fort Lewis responded later in the second with a 61-yard run from the Skyhawks' Tyler Telphy, who rushed for a career-high 170-yards in the game. The Hardrockers would close out the first half with a 25-yard field goal from sophomore
Enis Sefa, bringing the score to 26-21.
With the Hardrockers set to receive the ball first in the second half, Skyhawks' kicker Ben Raybon executed a successful onside kick, setting up a 25-yard field goal. The Skyhawks would gain the lead back in the third as Raybon hit two more field goals from 44- and 46- yards, a career-long.
In the final period, Fort Lewis extended their lead to 11 with a nine-yard run from Lowry. The Hardrockers responded on the ensuing drive with a 31-yard Sefa field goal, bringing the deficit down to a little more than one score.
The Skyhawks' defense would try to seal the victory with a 25-yard interception return from Donell Pleasant III, giving Fort Lewis their largest lead of the game at 44-29. The Hardrockers scored as the clock expired on a 27-yard pass from
Jake Sullivan to
Collin Zur, making the final score 44-35. The Skyhawks improved to 4-4 in RMAC play and 4-5 overall. The Hardrockers fell to 4-5 overall.
Stopping the run will be the key focus this week for the Hardrocker defense, as the home team will face the second-leading rusher in the RMAC David Tann (1,149 yards, 16 TD). Tann just reached 1,000 yards from scrimmage in his second consecutive season for the Mavericks.
For Colorado Mesa, the Mavericks hosted the New Mexico Highlands' Cowboys for homecoming on Saturday, repeating their performance from last week in a 77-14 win. The Mavericks dominated during the first half, scoring an unanswered 70 points against the Cowboys.
SD Mines football shouldn't have any issues putting points on the board as they are the RMAC's third-best scoring offense going up against the conference's top scoring offense in CMU. As any big game, the team that wins the turnover battle has the best chance at winning the game.
Colorado Mesa moved up one spot in this week's NCAA Super Region Four Rankings to No. 6. The top seven teams make the 49 team NCAA Playoff field.
The stakes are high for this home game at O'Harra Stadium this weekend. The Hardrockers can take the wind out of the Maverick sails and keep them from clinching the RMAC championship on Dunham field.
Players to watch:
Jake Sullivan – No. 2 RMAC Passing Avg./GM (252.7)
Brandon LaBrie – No. 3 RMAC Receptions/GM (6.8); No. 2 RMAC Receiving YDS/GM (98.6); No. 3 RMAC All Purpose YDS/GM (174.1)
Blake Stone – No. 5 RMAC Tackles (76 TOT / 8.4 GM)
