By: Con Marshall
CSC Sports Information
CHADRON, Neb. -South Dakota Mines jumped out to a 10-7 first quarter lead, but was kept off the scoreboard the rest of the way as the Chadron State Eagles won their seventh consecutive Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference game of the season 35-10 Saturday afternoon in Rapid City.
With the win, Chadron State improved to 7-2 overall and 7-0 in the RMAC. It's the first time the Eagles have won seven straight conference contests since 2008 when they went on to win the RMAC crown with a 9-0 mark.
The victory also allowed the Eagles to reclaim the Eagle-Rock Trophy and keeps them at the top of this RMAC standings along with CSU Pueblo, which overcame a 21-0 deficit to slip past previously-unbeaten Western Colorado 24-21 on Saturday. Western Colorado will be the Eagles' opponent this coming Saturday, November 8 at Elliott Field in Chadron.
After falling behind, the Eagles scored on three quick-strike pass plays in the opening half and added two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, the first on a 30-yard pick six by linebacker Logan O'Brien and the second on a one-yard touchdown by Anthony McMillian that punctuated a long, ground-oriented drive that helped run out the clock. Quarterback Aidan Thompson completed 19 of 31 passes for 244 yards with standout wide receiver Tommy Thomas catching 11 of the tosses for 136 yards. That gives Thomas 61 receptions for 746 yards and a dozen touchdowns this season.
Showing lots of spunk, South Dakota Mines opened the scoring by taking the opening kickoff 75 yards in 11 plays before settling for a 24-yard field goal by Bryson Patten.
The Eagles responded in a hurry, going 81 yards to the end zone in four plays. The drive was capped by a short toss from quarterback Aidan Thompson to Tommy Thomas, who after making the catch while coming out of the backfield, juked his way past a couple of defenders and turned it into a 43-yard touchdown. Wilson Yee kicked first of his five extra points to put CSC ahead 7-3.
The Hardrockers fought back after taking possession of the ball at the own 43-yard line by stopping the Eagles on a fourth and five situation.
Passes from quarterback Gage Baker of 14 yards to Josh Morales and 21 yards to Blake Borchers were the big plays before Baker went the last two yards to the end zone after the Eagles were penalized for pass interference. The touchdown was scored on the final play of the opening quarter.
Strangely, the extra point attempt, which was good putting Mines ahead 10-7, was kicked at the opposite end of the field when the second period began.
Following the kickoff, Thompson and Thomas connected on a 17-yard pass, but the quarterback bobbled the next snap from center for a nine-yard loss, and the Eagles had to punt.
However, the Hardrockers were called for roughing punter Brodie Eisenbraun, giving CSC the ball again and a first down. On the next play, the Eagles scored on a perfectly-placed pass from Thompson to sophomore Garet Schlabs at full stride for a 33-yard TD and a 14-10 lead after Yee added the extra point.
Chadron State also scored again after linebacker Reese Jacobs intercepted Baker's pass and returned it five yards to the Hardrockers' 25. On the first play after the turnover, Thompson found senior Rollin George III wide open in the end zone and a 21-10 halftime margin.
There was no scoring in the third period, but the Eagles added two TDs in the fourth stanza.
Senior linebacker Logan O'Brien, already the recipient of the conference's Defensive Player of the Week three times this fall, got the first when he swiped Baker's pass and took it 30 yards to paydirt. It was the second time this season that he's had a pick-six and it's the third of his career.
Later in the final frame, Chadron State ran about six-and-a-half minutes off the clock while putting together an 11-play, 75-yard drive, nearly all of it on the ground. Anthony McMillian went the final yard after taking a direct snap from center.
The Eagles finished with 428 total net yards, giving them six consecutive games when they've exceeded 400 yards of offense. After having just 34 yards rushing in the first half, they finished with 39 carries for 169 yards. Datuawn Pearson paced the ground game with 15 carries for 74 yards.
Safety Tucker Peterson among the tackle leaders with six solos and two assisted stops while besides returning three kickoffs for 55 yards. Linebacker Cooper Walton also participated in eight tackles and edge rusher William Stemler had seven, including a sack that forced the Hardrockers to punt after they'd earned three first down and driven passed midfield. Chadron State has all big games from here on out, facing Western Colorado (8-1, 6-1 RMAC) next Saturday at home for Senior Day and closing the year against CSU Pueblo (8-1, 7-0 RMAC).