RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Hardrockers were able to get back in the win column on Saturday, defeating Fort Lewis on their homecoming. South Dakota Mines took early control and was able to maintain it throughout, scoring 65 points
How It Happened – In the first quarter, the two teams started by trading touchdowns with the Hardrockers starting the day with a 50-yard run by
Orlando Westbrook-Sanchez III. Following that, Fort Lewis answered with a 10-play, 77-yard drive to tie it up. After that, the Hardrockers would take over, scoring 58 unanswered points starting with a pair of connections from
Jayden Johannsen and
Jeremiah Bridges from 5 and 2 yards out, followed by a blocked field goal by
Jacob Schwab.
To begin the second it was a blocked punt, this time by
Bross Lee that put the Hardrockers in position for a touchdown pass from Johannsen to
Jake Leone. Going into the half, the Hardrockers held a 34-7 lead.
Johannsen would find Leone again from 25 yards out to open the second half scoring. On the next drive, the Hardrockers would find the endzone once again, this time with Johannsen finding
Mason Galbreath from 9 yards out for his sixth passing touchdown of the day, tying a school record. On the ensuing Fort Lewis drive, Braden Wingle burst up the middle for 14 yards before
Kaleb Tischler stole the ball out of his arms and ran it 20 yards to the end zone. The defense would make another play, intercepting a pass on the following drive when
Elijah Davis picked it off and returned it for 27-yards setting up a 29-yard
Spencer Skeesick field goal. The Hardrocker special teams would do it again, with
Wren Jacobs blocking the punt, setting up a
Spencer Zur touchdown pass to
Isaiah Eastman.
They would go into the fourth with a 65-7 lead and Fort Lewis would find the endzone twice in the fourth quarter, but the Hardrockers moved to 5-3 and 4-2 in the RMAC with Adams State coming to town next weekend.
Notes –
Jayden Johannsen threw for six touchdowns to tie a school record and 238 yards while not committing any turnovers…
Orlando Westbrook-Sanchez III rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown…
Isaiah Eastman had six receptions for 96 yards and a touchdown…
Jeremiah Bridges had 82 receiving yards on 7 receptions and three touchdowns…
Kaleb Tischler recorded a sack as well as a pass breakup and forced a fumble which he recovered and returned for six points…
Elijah Davis,
Tony Monroe Jr., and
Jacob Schwab recorded interceptions…Schwab blocked a kick while
Wren Jacobs and
Bross Lee recorded punt blocks.
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 10 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.
