GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Sophomore running back
Vincent Venegas eclipsed the 100-yard mark for the first time this season and recorded the Cowboys first rushing score of 2014, but it was not enough as New Mexico Highlands (2-4, 2-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) lost to Colorado Mesa (4-2, 3-1 RMAC) 31-19 Saturday afternoon (Oct. 11) in Grand Junction, Colorado.
The Mavericks jumped out to a 17-0 lead at halftime and led 24-0 at one point.
Venegas finished the game with 114 yards rushing on 24 carries with one touchdown. Senior
Tyler Slavin caught 11 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown while junior
Geno Hall hauled in three catches for 52 yards, including a 30-yard touchdown pass in the final minute of the game. Freshman
Tanner Wright threw two touchdowns on 10-16 passing for 119 yards. Senior
Lance Orender completed 21-35 passes for 155 yards but threw five interceptions.
Senior
Jared Koster, the nations leading tackler, overcame just two tackles in the first quarter to finish with 17 for the game – including 12 solo stops. Classmate punter
Patrick Carney boomed four punts for an average of 48.2 yards, with two punts more than 50 yards and placed one kick inside the 20.
Andrew Cota led the Mavericks threw for 271 yards and 25 completions on 40 attempts with two touchdowns. He also ran for 108 yards and a pair of scores.
The Cowboys forced a 3-and-out from Colorado Mesa to begin the game and marched down the Mavericks 21. Orender hit Slavin for what looked like a 21-yard touchdown, but Slavin was whistled for offensive pass interference. Highlands again went for it on fourth down but was unsuccessful. Colorado Mesa answered with a field goal and led 3-0 after the first quarter.
Near the end of the first, Highlands drove down into the redzone, but Orender threw an interception to Dustin Rivas near the goalline – his first of two picks in the game – as the Cowboys' drive stalled. Rivas ended the game with a pair of interceptions. Cota for Colorado Mesa ended the half with a passing and rushing touchdown to put the home team up 17-0 at break. The Mavericks final touchdown came after a Highlands' interception.
Colorado Mesa raced out to a 24-0 lead before the Cowboys put their first points on the board. In the middle of the third, Wright came in an was the signal caller. He led Highlands 68 yards in 10 plays, capped by an eight-yard touchdown pass to Slavin. The kick failed and the Cowboys trailed 24-6 with 4:03 left in the third. Near the end of the quarter, Cota ran for his second touchdown of the game as the Mavericks closed out their scoring with a 31-6 lead.
Venegas added a rushing touchdown and Hall caught a touchdown pass in the final minute of the game to cut the final deficit to 12.
The Cowboys return to action next Saturday (Oct. 18) when they host Western State at Perkins Stadium. Game time is slated for 1 p.m.
