LAS VEGAS, N.M. – It was a day of big kicks with the Cowboys making the last one that counts.
Senior
Zach Tapia kicked a 46-yard field goal as time expired to give New Mexico Highlands (3-4, 3-2 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) a 46-43 win Saturday afternoon (Oct. 18) in Las Vegas, New Mexico.
Meanwhile at halftime, senior
Patrick Carney's brother, Charlie Carney, won the JC's New York Pizza Department Challenge at halftime to win $10,000 dollars. He had to start at the back of the endzone and pass the ball. He punted from where that ball landed and kicked a field goal from the spot where the ball landed. Despite a wobbly kick at an angle, Charlie split the uprights for the prize.
Who knew
Patrick Carney holding for his brother was just an audition for later? Patrick was also the holder for Tapia's game-winning kick and all of his field goals – including three 45 yards or longer.
Both teams combined to be successful on all nine field goals attempted on the day.
But it first took an amazing comeback to even be in position for the possible game-winning kick. With the Cowboys trailing 43-36 with less than a 1:30 remaining, senior
Lance Orender led the Cowboys on an eight play, 75-yard drive to tie the game. After starting the drive with two incompletions, Orender went 5-for-6 and hit senior wide receiver
Tyler Slavin in the front right corner of the end zone for the equalizing score.
On the ensuing kickoff, Western State fumbled at its 30 with Highlands recovering. The Cowboys positioned themselves in the middle of the field and called timeout with five seconds left. Tapia split the uprights with the 46-yard field goal to win the game.
For the contest, Highlands managed 595 yards of offense compared to 423 for the Mountaineers. Orender was 41-58 for 405 yards and three touchdowns. Slavin eclipsed the 1,000-yard barrier with 16 catches for 164 yards and three touchdowns. Sophomore
Vincent Venegas accumulated a career-best 197 yards on 30 carries with a touchdown.
For the seventh time this season in as many games, Highland kicked off to begin the game. After forcing a three-and-out on defense, Orender marched the Cowboys 68 yards in 11 plays for the game's first score. On fourth and one at the Western State 23, Orender hit junior
CJ Grice for Highlands second fourth down touchdown of the season. Grice finished with six catches for 58 yards and one score in the game.
Western State responded to take a 9-7 lead after one quarter thanks to three field goals by Ryan Winke.
After Highlands punted to begin the second quarter, the Cowboys got a big fourth down stop and used it as a catalyst to retake the lead. On fourth and one for Western State at the Highlands 35, Austin Ekeler was stopped by seniors
Michael Schuhe and
John Paul. After the stop, the Cowboys only needed four plays to drive the 35 yards for the score. Slavin hauled in the first of three touchdown catches to put Highlands up.
Sophomore
Don Carter then picked off a pass on the ensuing possession that led to the first 46-yard field goal of the day by Tapia. After a Western State touchdown, Tapia made a 45-yarder with less than a minute remaining before half to give Highlands a 20-16 advantage heading into the locker room.
The Highlands defense came out on all cylinders in the third quarter, holding the Mountaineers scoreless while Tapia added a 21-yard field goal and Venegas added a two-yard rushing touchdown.
Despite the 14-point lead heading into the final stanza, Western State mounted a furious rally with 27 fourth quarter points. Ironically, while both field goal kickers combined to make three field goals in the quarter, including two more than 40 yards, both teams missed extra points.
With 2:35 left and Highlands clinging to a 36-35 lead, Orender threw an interception that was returned to the Highlands 45. Western State drove to the Highlands 32 before Ekeler – who finished the game with 116 yards rushing – found a seam and scampered to the end zone with 1:27 left to put the Mountaineers in the lead. Western State converted the two-point conversion.
Despite the lead with 1:27 left in the game, the Cowboys were undeterred and won in dramatic fashion.
New Mexico Highlands returns to action next Saturday (Oct. 15) when it travels to Alamosa, Colorado, to take on Adams State. Game time is at noon.
