Fort Lewis College led 16-0, caused three turnovers in the first half, but still couldn’t hold on for a victory.
The FLC Skyhawks let their 16-0 lead against the Western State Mountaineers dissipate into a 21-16 deficit.
The Skyhawks clawed back in front 23-21 on an 11-yard run by junior running back Cameron Padilla, who had a breakout game. And they pushed their lead to 26-21 on a 24-yard field goal by backup kicker Joseph Cavale with just 2 minutes, 56 seconds to play.
But Western State (4-5, 3-4 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) wouldn’t go down, as redshirt sophomore quarterback Brett Arrivey navigated the Mountaineers down the field on a six-play, 69-yard touchdown drive that concluded with a 31-yard touchdown pass to fellow redshirt sophomore wide receiver Kyle Adkins. The Mountaineers couldn’t convert a 2-point conversion, but it didn’t matter, as the Skyhawks were unable to drive for a go-ahead score with 1:19 left on the clock, resulting in a 27-26 loss and ensuring the eighth consecutive losing season for the Skyhawks (3-5, 2-5 RMAC).
“We have to score points. When the defense turns the ball over to us and gives us opportunities and we can’t put it in the endzone, then we’re not going to win, plain and simple,” FLC second-year head coach John L. Smith said.
A missed extra point and a missed 35-yard field goal by kicker Kipp Castanha came back to haunt the Skyhawks. The missed field goal came after Western State’s Arrivey fumbled the ball on a bad option pitch on the Mountaineers’ own 20-yard line.
“It loses you a game. It’s crucial,” Smith said of the missed kicks. “Extra point loses you a game.”
The game-winning touchdown pass from Arrivey to Adkins has been in the making since the two players were in the second grade. They went to school together all the way through Woodinville High School in Washington, and both decided to go to Gunnison and play for the Mountaineers.
“We’ve been playing together since we were in second grade. We came down here, and we got that chemistry on the field and off the field,” Arrivey said. “(Adkins) made a great play.”
Western State stole the momentum going into halftime when star running back Austin Ekeler broke an 82-yard touchdown run. FLC bottled Ekeler up for just 9 yards on six carries in the first quarter. Ekeler entered the game fourth in Division II in rushing yards, and he finished with 114 yards and the one touchdown on 23 carries.
That long touchdown run came after the FLC missed field goal and made it a one-score game at halftime.
The Skyhawks came out lethargic in the second half, and it showed, as the Mountaineers scored on their first offensive play from scrimmage just 14 seconds into the third quarter. The score came on a 78-yard touchdown pass from Arrivey to Kendall Worth, as Worth went over the back of an FLC defender to haul in the pass while keeping his balance to run for the touchdown.
“We were flat when we came out,” Smith said. “We can’t just come out and play the game the way you’re supposed to play the game. We have to come out and play with energy, and we didn’t execute.”
Suddenly, the Skyhawks’ lead was down to 16-14, and Western State scored again with 6:33 to go in the third quarter when Arrivey capped off a 14-play, 90-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run.
Arrivey finished the game 13-of-27 passing for 242 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. The Skyhawks sacked him four times.
FLC battled back behind Padilla, who received the No. 1 running back duties when star freshman PJ Hall exited the game in the first quarter with a left ankle injury. Hall had 10 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown before being injured, and Padilla picked up where he left off.
Padilla, a transfer from the University of New Mexico, galloped for 128 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries.
“It was really hard watching one of our key running backs go down. I knew I had to step up,” Padilla said. “In the beginning we ran the ball, stuck it down their throat. Then we drifted off, and then we came back again the second half.”
The FLC offensive line went to work on the Skyhawks’ fourth-quarter scoring drive that last 7 minutes, 38 seconds. It was the second consecutive week the Skyhawks mounted a 7-minute fourth-quarter drive.
But, after Padilla’s touchdown run, the Skyhawks were called for two separate 15-yard penalties, and another personal foul penalty was called against FLC on the ensuing kickoff.
“We have to grind it out and win. We can’t beat people big; we’re not that good. But apparently we think we are, because we got a lot of penalties that kind of showed that we thought we’re mouthy,” a frustrated Smith said. “So, that really upsets me.”
The Skyhawks’ strong start to the game was fueled by interceptions by defensive end Juan Hall and linebacker Shane Nelson. Brandarius Johnson also recovered the Western State fumble.
Sophomore quarterback Trevor Bonifasi made his first career start at quarterback for FLC, as he replaced junior Jordan Doyle, who suffered a broken leg against Colorado Mesa last week.
Bonifasi finished the game 13-of-27 passing for 86 yards and one touchdown pass to Nova Hardy. Bonifasi also rushed for 65 yards on 10 carries.
FLC was reluctant to pass the ball in the third quarter, as Bonifasi only had three passing yards in the quarter. He only had 16 yards passing the entire second half.
“If we just execute, if I just execute, as well, we will be fine,” Bonifasi said. “We will move the ball. We were moving the ball and would misexecute on a third down or one play, and that killed us. If we keep doing that and keep running the ball like we have and get our pass game going – something I need to work on – we’ll be fine.”
FLC still is winless against opponents with a losing record this season. They need one win in their final two games to match last year’s win total of four, but a winning season is out of reach.
Still, the Skyhawks will play an important rivalry game next Saturday in Alamosa against Adams State (3-5, 2-6 RMAC).
“Well, we’re gonna play for the musket. It’s a big game for us and probably our rival,” Smith said of the Adams State game. “It’s huge, and we better take it as huge. We have to pick our sorry chin off the ground and get our tail going.”
jlivingston@ durangoherald.com
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