Facing their second consecutive top-10 nationally ranked league opponent, the Black Hills State University football team provided a Halloween scare to No. 4/5 CSU Pueblo’s RMAC title hopes, but saw the comeback fall short in a 38-31 defeat on Saturday at the CSU Pueblo ThunderBowl. The ThunderWolves jumped out to an early 24-3 lead in the second quarter; however, 21 consecutive points by the Yellow Jackets brought the game to a 24-24 tie late in the third quarter. Despite the momentum and controlling the game with 77 plays ran and 41:39 worth of time of possession for the Green & Gold, the Pack utilized the quick drives and big plays, averaging 10.3 yards per play in the game as they were able to outscore BHSU 14-7 in the final 16 minutes to fend off the upset bid.
QUICK DETAILS
Score: Black Hills State 31, No. 4/5 CSU Pueblo 38
Team Records: Black Hills State 5-4 (3-4 RMAC), No. 4/5 CSU Pueblo 9-0 (7-0 RMAC)
Attendance: 5,469
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Following a fumble on the opening play of the game, the Black Hills State defense held the CSU Pueblo offense to just a 29-yard field goal by Jackson Smith with 14:04 on the clock after they only gained one yard following getting the ball at the BHSU 11-yard line. The ThunderWolves then added a touchdown their ensuing possession, as Navi Bruzon found Marcellus Honeycutt Jr. for a 70-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field. Smith added the extra point to make it 10-0 with 10:40 to play in the opening quarter.
- The Yellow Jacket defense forced their first of three turnovers late in the first quarter, giving the offense good starting field position at the CSUP 37-yard line when Jayshon Liles punched the ball out of the hands of Honeycutt following a 23-yard reception, and Matthew Gray fell on lose ball to secure possession.
- The Green & Gold fed off the momentum of the turnover, beginning the ensuing drive with a 13-yard pass from Kade Weber to Jayden Williams across the middle to midfield. BHSU then tallied another two first downs before being held to a 24-yard field goal by Madden Aquino with 11:54 to play in the second quarter after the Yellow Jackets moved the ball down to the CSUP 7-yard line.
- CSU Pueblo responded with touchdowns on each of their next two drives, first picking up four first downs as they moved the ball down the field for a 5-yard rushing touchdown around the right edge by Russell Patton with 9:00 on the clock, and then right after crossing midfield to the BHSU 46-yard line they used a 46-yard passing touchdown from Bruzon to Honeycutt down the middle of the field with 4:36 remaining in the opening half. Smith tacked on both extra points to make the score 24-3.
- A kickoff out of bounds gave Black Hills State starting field position at their own 37-yard and they took advantage to end the first half with momentum. A 12-yard rush by Weber and a 7-yard rush by Wyatt Trembly quickly moved the ball across midfield in just two plays, and then four plays later Bryce Coulson took a toss in the backfield while motioning to the right side and found a host of blockers to go untouched 24-yards into the end zone with 1:48 to play till halftime. Aquino added the PAT to cut the deficit to 24-10.
- The Yellow Jacket defense then forced their second turnover of the game on just the second play of the following Pack drive, as Bruzon overthrew his intended receiver and the ball sailed directly into the hands of Jack Gentile at the CSUP 47-yard line as he fell to the ground while making the grab with 1:14 on the clock. That would lead to the teams entering the locker rooms with the score remaining 24-10.
- Out of the halftime break the BHSU defense forced a three and out, with Cort Catlin and Jay Cummings teaming up for a tackle for loss, stuffing Jaedon Matthews in the backfield for a 2-yard loss on 3rd and 3. Then on the punt, another mistake by the ThunderWolves, a kick catch interference penalty as Coulson looked to track down the ball towards the sideline resulted in the Green & Gold starting their first drive at their own 47-yard line with 13:09 to play in the third quarter.
- The Yellow Jackets again utilized the speed of Coulson to jump start the drive as Weber gave him a touch pass behind the line of scrimmage as he came sweeping across the formation to the right side of the field, found the sideline and carried the ball down the CSUP 25-yard line. Then two plays later, just one after being sacked, Weber was flushed out of the pocket to the left and dodged his way through the Pack defense all the way back across the field and found the end zone for a 30-yard rushing touchdown over at the right pylon. Aquino’s extra point brought the deficit back down to seven points at 24-17 with 11:24 to play in the third quarter.
- Immediately after the score the BHSU defense again came up big with their third turnover forced of the day, as on the first play of the drive Jaheim Roper stepped in front of Bruzon’s intended receiver for the interception, giving the Green & Gold the ball at the BHSU 42-yard line just seven seconds after their previous score.
- The ensuing drive Black Hills State would run the ball 12 times and chew eight and a half minutes off the clock as they moved the ball the 58-yards down the field to the end zone to tie the game. Trembly accumulated 23 of his 56 net rushing yards in the game on this single drive, as he recorded key carries with a 4-yard rush through the left side of the line to convert a 4th and 3, then the next play he found a hole straight up the middle for a 9-yard gain into the red zone to the CSUP 18-yard line. He then capped the drive minutes later with a 1-yard rush through the left side of the line, while Aquino came on to tack on the extra point and make it a 24-24 ball game with 2:47 to play in the third quarter.
- The ThunderWolves then responded, ending the string of 21 consecutive points from the Yellow Jackets and bouncing back from a three and out and interception on their first two drives of the second half as they scored on each of their next two drives to move back in front. First, it was a 5-play, 75-yard drive late in the third quarter that was capped with a 56-yard touchdown pass from Bruzon to Matthews in the right flat as he found space along the sideline before cutting back to the middle to race into the end zone with 33 seconds to play in the quarter. Then, on their first drive of the fourth quarter, it was a quick 2-play, 76-yard drive, where after a holding penalty, they used a 51-yard rush by Patton as he bounced the ball outside to the right sideline to carry the ball to the BHSU 35-yard line, and then Bruzon found Dedrek Taylor-Akins open down the left sideline at the goal line for a 35-yard touchdown reception with 12:22 left in the game. Smith added both PATs to make it a 38-24 lead for CSU Pueblo.
- The Black Hills State offense wouldn’t let the Yellow Jackets go down without a fight in the fourth quarter, putting together another long, methodical scoring drive as they took seven minutes off the clock in a 12-play, 75-yard drive. During the drive the Green & Gold utilized a 12-yard rush by Trembly and passes from Weber of 12-yards to Williams and 13-yards to Coulson to move the ball into the red zone. Then on 4th and 4 from the CSUP 8-yard line, Weber evaded the Pack rush and scrambled into the end zone. Aquino’s extra point brought the Yellow Jackets within seven points at 38-31 with 5:22 to play.
- The Yellow Jacket defense would give the offense one final opportunity to tie the game again, forcing a CSU Pueblo punt with 2:41 to play; however, the Pack defense forced a turnover on downs and avoided the Halloween scare.
BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Kade Weber: 14-27, 156 passing yards, 19 rushes, 73 net rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns
Wyatt Trembly: 18 rushes, 56 net rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown
Bryce Coulson: 1 rush, 24 rushing yards, 3 receptions, 47 receiving yards
Jayden Williams: 5 receptions, 57 receiving yards
Jack Gentile: 5 total tackles, 1 interception
Kaleb Tulloss: 5 total tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss
Jayshon Liles: 3 total tackles, 1 forced fumble
Jaheim Roper: 1 total tackle, 1 interception
UP NEXT
Black Hills State returns home for their final home game of the season on Saturday, November 7, as they host Chadron State for senior day. It will be a 1 p.m. kickoff at Lyle Hare Stadium with the game available on the RMAC Network, KNBN-3, and KSFL, as well as KDSJ Radio.
