LAS VEGAS, N.M. --- The New Mexico Highlands football team's offense picked up where it left off last week at Fort Lewis as the Cowboys racked up 583 yards of offense and the most points in at least the last 16 seasons in a 65-37 victory over Adams State on Saturday afternoon at Sanchez Family Stadium.
NMHU (2-0 for the first time since 2012), which defeated Fort Lewis 45-31 on the road Aug. 31, outscored the Grizzlies (0-2) 24-3 in the second quarter and put up another 24 points in the third quarter to take a 51-30 lead into the final period.
"During the game those first-quarter adjustments by your quarterback and how much he can change on the run and how much he understand football is critical for us," NMHU coach
Marty Fine said about making adjustments in-game and at halftime. "We have a quarterback (
Danny Cameron) that can do that as well as anybody at this level. Then at halftime we have a chance to talk about trying to make good decisions on how to start the third quarter on offense. … Today (offensive coordinator)
Matt Clark and (running back and tight end coach)
Joe Fine did a great job of calling the right plays and scoring right away and I thought that first drive of the third quarter was the single-most important drive of the game. I'm really pleased when the second and third quarters go well because those are critical."
The Cowboys led 27-10 as the as the second-half kickoff went to NMHU. After getting strong field position on a 28-yard return by
Devon Henderson to their own 38,
Dione Alston – who again had another strong game for the Cowboys – opened the drive with a 22-yard run to quickly get the ball into Adams State territory. After a pass interference penalty moved the ball to the ASU 25 and a pair of incomplete passes, Cameron hit Henderson for a 25-yard score to make it 34-10 Cowboys.
Adams State looked like it was going to answer as it moved the ball on the following drive to the NMHU 23, but
T.J. Jackson broke beautifully on a pass, intercepted the ball and returned it 46 yards down to the Grizzly 36.
The interception was one of three for Jackson (a career high) to go along with five tackles – and he also saw time on offense (catching one pass) and returned kicks.
"I was just going with the game plan today," Jackson said. "We have a drive technique and I was just baiting the QB. That was it."
Israel Farfan kicked a 33-yard field goal two minutes after the Jackson interception to give the Cowboys a 37-10 lead as Adams State wouldn't get closer than 20 points the rest of the way. Farfan also shined, going 3-for-3 in field goals and 8-for-8 in extra points.
Cameron for the second consecutive game threw four touchdowns and was 23-for-35 passing for 275 yards. He completed passes to nine receivers with
Zach Drew-Toles leading the way with five catches for 88 yards and two scores. Henderson had five catches for 67 yards and a touchdown (he also had 22 yards and a touchdown rushing) and
David McGee had four catches for 54 yards.
Alston again showed his explosiveness as he finished with 161 yards and a score on the ground on 16 carries (10.1 yards per carry) while catching three passes for 13 yards and another score.
Kamari Mosby had 57 yards rushing and a touchdown on eight carries,
Dazmon Scott had 25 yards on the ground while
Elijah Boyd added a touchdown run.
Defensively,
Malik Brown and
Cameron Forziati had six tackles apiece while
Nick Locken picked up a sack.
The Cowboys dominated time of possession in the first three quarters – holding the ball for 10 or more minutes in each of those periods.
NMHU hits the road next week as they travel to Utah to take on Dixie State 6 p.m. Saturday.
