RAPID CITY, S.D. --- The South Dakota Mines football team battled and fought and had chances late to pull out the win, but it wasn't enough as they fell on senior day by a score of 13-10.
In the first quarter, both defenses played well with neither offense getting much going until a Colorado Mesa drive went 9 plays for 65-yards and ended in a field goal. At the end of the first, the Hardrockers were in the midst of a good drive.

The drive would continue early into the second. The drive would span 14 plays and 57-yards ending in a missed field goal by Connor Taylor. The play following, Colorado Mesa would connect on a 77-yard touchdown pass. The Hardrocker offense would continue to stall out with the defense keeping the Mavericks off the scoreboard, but the offense would continue to struggle. With the first half winding down, a Gavin Chaddock sack would force a Maverick punt. As they have done all season long, the special teams of South Dakota Mines stepped and got a block. As a result, the offense would capitalize with a field goal to get on the board with just over a minute to go in the half, now trailing 10-3. To end the first half a hail mary try for the Mavericks would be batted down to go into the locker rooms with the same score.

The third quarter started the same way as the first half went until Colorado Mesa attempted to go for it on 4^th and it was intercepted by Adrian Eastman who brought it back all the way to the Mesa 18-yard line. The Hardrockers would continue to struggle to move the ball but on 3^rd down, Colorado was flagged for a facemask which extended the drive. A couple of plays later the Hardrockers connected on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Jayden Johannsen to Josh Leone. The PAT was good to tie the game at 10. The third quarter would end with the same score.

The Hardrocker offense would finally convert a big play early in the fourth quarter for 48-yards but it would be called back for a block-in-the-back penalty. A couple of plays later it would be the same connection from Johannsen to Bridges for 45-yards. Later, the Hardrockers converted on a short 4th-and-1 to continue the drive. Later another holding would be called taking back a would-be first down, forcing another 4^th down conversion attempt. This time it would be unsuccessful. Colorado Mesa would take on the lead on the ensuing drive, connecting on a field goal after an 11 play 62-yard drive. On the next drive, with the game on the line, the Hardrockers would fail to convert a 4^th down. Colorado Mesa would run the time out on the ensuing drive, leading to the Hardrocker 13-10 loss.
 
About South Dakota Mines
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology is a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) and NCAA Division II offering 11 men's and women's varsity intercollegiate athletic programs. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference is a premier NCAA Division II conference with 15 members, as well as four associate members, located in the states of California, Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Utah.