RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The South Dakota Mines football team returns home this weekend for a rematch against the Chadron State Eagles Saturday afternoon on Dunham Field at O'Harra Stadium in Rapid City, South Dakota. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m.

The Hardrockers last played at home on Oct. 10 where they dispatched Black Hills State, 34-17. Since then, they went to Nebraska, where the Eagles defeated them, 41-25, and then traveled to Grand Junction, Colorado, to upend the Colorado Mesa Mavericks, 24-9.

The Eagles on the other hand, had theirs home game against Black Hills State last Saturday cancelled because the Yellow Jackets had several players stricken with or quarantined because of the coronavirus.

Black Hills notified Chadron State last Thursday that it would not be coming to play the Eagles. CSC Athletic Director Joel Smith said the college was totally supportive of the Yellow Jackets' decision.
Naturally, cancellation of the game was disappointing to the Eagles.
 
After Saturday's first-ever win over the Mavs, South Dakota Mines made it a clean sweep as Dominick Jackson, Ahmad Lewis and Casey Knutsen all earned Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Football Player of the Week honors.

Jackson, a senior from Aurora, Colorado, was named the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week as he helped set the tone early for the Hardrockers. He recorded his third "pick -six" of his career after intercepting a Maverick pass midway through the first quarter and returning it 33 yards to give the 'Rockers the first score of the game. That set the tempo, motivating SDM to go into halftime with a 17-0 advantage and on to earn the milestone victory. Jackson added three solo tackles in the game.

Knutsen, a sophomore from Fort Collins, Colorado, was named the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week. The Hardrocker punter helped the Hardrockers keep Colorado Mesa pinned deep all game long as he put the boot to seven punts for 279 yards, averaging 40 yards per punt. He had a long of 62 yards and four punts were inside the 20 --- including one down to the Mavs' one- yard line. Knutsen also recorded six total tackles in the game.

For the second time this season, junior Ahmad Lewis was named the RMAC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts on Saturday. The running back from Tacoma, Washington led the Hardrockers' rushing attack, carrying the ball 30 times in the game for 85 yards and two touchdowns. He also had three receptions for 42 yards.

Against Colorado Mesa, The Hardrockers tallied 333 yards of total offense with a well-balanced attack. SDM racked up 178 passing yards and 155 rushing. The Mavericks had 261 yards of total offense.

Spencer Zur got the start at quarterback on Saturday for South Dakota Mines, completing 16-23 passes for 178 yards, and one interception. He also rushed the ball 10 times for 59 yards.

Eight different receivers caught passes in Saturday's victory. Isaiah Eastman, the RMAC Special Teams Player of the Week, led the team with five receptions for 61 yards. Lewis caught three for 42 and Collin Zur hauled in three for 28 yards.

Defensively, Cole Peterson led the team with 11 total tackles, Kyante Christian added nine and Bryan Akunna registered eight, including two sacks. Gavin Chaddock and Otutoa Afu both had one sack in the game and Adrian Eastman was also credited with an interception returned for eight yards.