LAS VEGAS, N.M. – After the first quarter ended in a scoreless tie, the game did not feel like it would be a record breaker. Senior quarterback
Lance Orender quickly changed that.
Orender broke the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference record in both completions (56) and touchdown passes (eight) for a game as New Mexico Highlands (1-2, 1-0 RMAC) took back the Warrior Helmet with a 59-38 win over rival Western New Mexico (1-2, 0-1 RMAC).
Orender finished the day completing 56 of 78 passes (71.8 percent) for a school record 620 yards and eight touchdowns. But to focus just on the quarterback would be a disservice as eight different receivers caught a pass during the record-breaking day. Classmate
Tyler Slavin turned in a career day, catching 17 passes for 225 yards and four touchdowns. His 17 receptions is the most by an RMAC player since the 2009 season.
The Highlands offense scored 59 points and racked up 700 yards on 100 plays (seven yards per play). Western New Mexico finished with 593 yards as quarterback Mitch Glansmann was 26-58 for 477 yards, four touchdowns and two interceptions.
Also individually for the Mustangs, Marques Rodgers ran for 104 yards on 20 carries while Donald Byrd turned in a solid performance with nine catches for 158 yards and a touchdown.
Despite the high-scoring affair, neither team scored in the first quarter. In the first possession of the second quarter, the Cowboys marched 80 yards in 11 plays. The drive was capped by a 13-yard touchdown reception by sophomore
Vincent Venegas, who finished the day with 150 all-purpose yards (75 passing and 75 receiving). On the ensuing Mustangs possession, Sophomore
Eric Smith nabbed his first of two interceptions to put Highlands 17 yards from the goal line.
The Cowboys wasted no time as Slavin covered all 17 yards in only five seconds on the touchdown score.
Western New Mexico answered right back with two touchdowns on long pass plays to tie the ballgame with 5:24 remaining in the first half, but the Cowboys quickly answered on the ensuing possession. Orender completed 5-of-6 passes on the drive with the capper from Slavin, catching a five-yard pass. Three players later, senior
John Paul forced a Mustangs fumble which senior
Jared Koster – who led the Highlands defense for the third-straight game with 13 tackles – scooped up the football at the Western New Mexico 23.
For the second time in the half on as many Mustang turnovers, Orender found a receiver for the quick touchdown on one play. This time it was to junior
CJ Grice, who finished the day with nine catches for 73 yards.
Western New Mexico added a field goal right before the break to cut the deficit to 28-17, the closest the visitors came the rest of the way. Slavin opened the second half with a 51-yard touchdown reception for the longest play for the Cowboys on the day. Just more than three minutes later, junior
Kirt Terry-Springs got in on the action with a 30-yard reception for a score. The lead ballooned to 25, the largest on the day for the Cowboys.
Breaking the Highlands record for touchdown receptions on a 18-yard pass play to Slavin with 12:08 left in the game, Orender eclipsed the RMAC record with his eighth touchdown toss – a 12-yard toss to
Travon Payne – with 4:13 left in the fourth. That capped the scoring as the teams combined for 97 points total.
It was the most points scored in a game for the Cowboys since a 60-point outburst against Oklahoma State Panhandle on Sept. 10, 2011 (a 60-14 Highlands win). In was also the second game in a row at home against Western New Mexico the Cowboys have put up more than 50 points.
New Mexico Highlands returns to action next Saturday (Sept. 27) when it takes on Fort Lewis in Durango, Colo. Kickoff is slated for noon.
