SPEARFISH, S.D. – Trailing 30-13 entering the fourth quarter, the Cowboys mounted a furious fourth quarter rally but came up short as the New Mexico Highlands football team (3-7, 3-5 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) lost to Black Hills State (3-7, 2-6 RMAC) 30-27 Saturday afternoon (Nov. 8).
With the Cowboy trailing 17 and taking over from Black Hills State early in the fourth quarter, senior quarterback
Lance Orender completed 3-of-4 passes to put Highlands at the home team's 32-yard line. Freshman
Khadeem Campbell followed with a six yard rush before Orender found junior
Travon Payne for five yards. Canpbell capped the drive with a 21-yards touchdown run to cut the deficit to 10.
Highlands produced a three and out and quickly got the ball back at their own 14. It took all of two plays for the Cowboys to score as Orender hit Payne for 12-yards, followed by a 74-yard strike to senior
Tyler Slavin to cut the deficit to three with 3:29 remaining. However, the Cowboys kicked it deep and the Yellow Jackets ran out the clock for the win.
Slavin led the team with six catches for 99 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore
Vincent Venegas led the team in rushing with 90 yards in 14 carries while Campbell contributed 62 yards in nine carries and a score.
Freshman
Tanner Wright also threw a touchdown for the Cowboys, completing 13-of-18 passes. Orender was 12-21 for 159 yards and a score.
Black Hills State led Highlands in total yards (436-384) and passing yards (296-256).
After both teams failed to score on their opening possession, the Yellow Jackets put points on the board in three of the next four times they had the football to take a 17-0 lead after the first quarter. After Black Hills State blocked a punt, the Highlands defense held strong and forced a 26-yard field goal.
Both teams traded punts, but Black Hills State returned senior
Patrick Carney's boot 40-yards to set up it up at the Highlands 22. A pass and two rushes later by quarterback Ward Anderson put the home team up 10-0. Anderson completed 18-of-33 passes for 296 yards and a touchdown while he was second on the team with 15 rushes for 28 yards.
Phydell Paris led the Yellow Jackets with 60 yards rushing on 16 carries and a touchdown.
Following another Highlands punt, Anderson hit Anthony Eboreim for a 67-yard pass and the touchdown as Black Hills State led 17-0 near the end of the first. Eboreim led Black Hills State with five catches for 124 yards.
The second and third quarters were just trading scores. Senior
Zach Tapia hit a 19 and 47-yard field goal while Black Hills State's Steven Soderstr nailed a 29-yard field goal in the second quarter. The home team led 20-6 head to intermission.
The Cowboys cut the deficit to seven when Wright hit junior
Harold Smith-Mobley for a six-yard score to begin the third. However, Black Hills State answered with a Paris' only score of the game and a Soderstr 29-yard field goal to push the lead to 30-13 entering the fourth quarter.
Highlands concludes the 2014 season next week when it travels to take on nationally-ranked CSU-Pueblo at 2 p.m. on November 15.
