LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- Go for the tie or the win?
New Mexico Highlands coach
Marty Fine and his staff had no hesitation as they faced that situation after scoring a touchdown to cut the South Dakota Mines lead to 52-51 with 40 seconds remaining in the game – go for two and the win.
The gutsy decision paid off as
Danny Cameron hit
Zach Drew-Toles on an out pattern for the go-ahead, two-point conversion and the Cowboy defense held off a potent Hardrocker offense when it needed to the most to come away with a thrilling 53-52 victory in front of a large and energetic homecoming crowd Saturday afternoon at Sanchez Family Stadium.
"If you could just feel the energy on the field (when Fine said we were going for two) – it was ecstatic," Drew-Toles said. "In practice we don't really go for two very often, but to hear coach say that, it was the biggest blessing we could hear and I'm glad we did it."
It was a wild contest throughout that saw the teams combine for more than 100 points and 1,300 yards of offense – 775 for the Hardrockers (4-4, 3-4) and 571 for the Cowboys (3-5, 3-4). It also saw the Cowboys turn a 14-point, second-quarter deficit (28-14) into 10-point, early fourth-quarter lead (45-35) – only to fall behind 52-45 after a South Dakota Mines field goal with 1:39 remaining in the game.
The Cowboys got the game-winning drive rolling on the right foot as Cameron hit
Diego Elebario with a 23-yard pass to quickly get the ball to the Hardrocker 49. A 7-yard rush by Cameron that included a 15-yard personal foul on South Dakota Mines put the ball on the Hardrocker 27. After two plays moved the ball to the South Dakota Mines 16, the Cowboys were called for a personal foul (the teams combined for 14 penalties for 165 yards) that moved the ball back to the 31.
NMHU's Cameron on second down hit
D.J. McFadden for a 26 yard completion as the Cowboys had first and goal from the Hardrocker 5. Two plays later Cameron hit
Darrell McIntyre for a 5-yard score with 40 seconds left to make it 52-51 South Dakota Mines. The Cowboys went for two and Cameron hit Drew-Toles for the score to give NMHU a 53-52 advantage.
"We were lit (when we heard we were going for two) because we had nothing to lose," said running back Dion Alston, who had a career day himself.
But the game was far from over as the Hardrockers quickly moved the ball into field goal range, but their 44-yard field goal attempt with seconds remaining went wide right and the Cowboys celebrated their first win in three tries against SD Mines in program history and snapped their own five-game skid.
"That was a great team win," Cameron said. "We came out here on homecoming and we knew we had to get back on track. Now we need to just take this momentum into our final three weeks."
It's the first time NMHU has had three or more wins in a season since 2014 and tied for the most since going 8-3 in 2012.
Cameron finished 23-for-46 for 366 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Two receivers eclipsed the 100-yard mark in Drew-Toles (134 yards on six catches) and McFadden (109 yards on five catches, including two touchdowns). Elebario added six catches for 66 yards.
Alston had a huge day as well, rushing for a career-high 210 yards and four touchdowns on 26 carries – an average of 8.1 yards per carry. He also added three catches for 35 yards.
"That's the line – the O-line did a perfect job today," Alston said. "I just found a crease and hit it, that's all it was."
Playing a huge roll in the victory on the defensive side of the ball was
Malik Brown as he finished with 15 tackles (seven solo, eight assisted) to go along with two second-half interceptions and a pass breakup.
Cameron Forziati had 14 tackles,
Eli Schoettmer had 13 tackles to go along with a sack and
Davon Muldrow had four tackles and another interception.
The Cowboys play their final road game of the season next Saturday as they travel to take on Chadron State in Nebraska.
