LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The South Dakota Mines football team traveled south for a long bus trip at New Mexico Highlands. The Hardrockers were certainly not weary from the trip, as they were up for the matchup, scoring early and often and getting a dominant defensive performance.
How It Happened – On the first drive of the game, the Hardrockers went down the field in just over three minutes with Johannsen ending a 7-play, 75-yard drive on a 17-yard scamper.
Neither team would score again until late in the second quarter when Johannsen would finish off an identical 85-yard drive this time on 8 plays and a 10-yard run. Moments later, the Hardrockers would get a stop defensively and get the ball back for the offense at the New Mexico Highlands 12-yard line. Two
Ty Harris rushes later and South Dakota Mines was up 21-0 after a converted PAT and that would be the score heading into the second half.
The Hardrockers would punch it in again on their first drive of the second half with Johannsen finding
Mason Galbreath for 13 yards to complete a 10-play, 60-yard drive. Later, the Hardrockers would score again on Johannsen's legs, this time from 19 yards out, increasing the lead to 35-0 after three.
In the fourth, each team would score with the Hardrockers getting 7 from
Dawson Dunbar for his first collegiate touchdown, while New Mexico Highlands would break the shutout with 1:54 to go.
South Dakota Mines moved to 2-2 with the 42-7 victory.
Notes –
Jayden Johannsen was a dual-threat weapon, accounting for four touchdowns (3 on the ground, 1 through the air) and 166 passing yards to go with 102 rushing yards…
Jalen Frye also ran for 78 yards on 14 carries, an average of 5.6 per carry…
Max Hoatson led the team in receiving with six catches for 55 yards, while
Mason Galbreath added a receiving touchdown…
Hunter Newsom added 10 tackles…The Hardrockers recorded two sacks, getting one from
Elijah Davis and .5 each from
Caleb Franklin and
Nathan Kneubuhler…
Isaac Engle recovered a fumble.
Up Next – The Hardrockers move on to their hated rival, taking on Black Hills State for the 138th time in a 6:00 p.m. matchup in Spearfish.
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 13 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.
