SPEARFISH, S.D. – The Black Hills State University Yellow Jacket football team suffered another loss at the hands of the Chadron State Eagles, 43-13. The score does not indicate how hard fought this game was as missed opportunities and the inability to stop the run were the two main stories of the game.
Emotions were running high as former BHSU coach, Jay Long, brought his new team along with some former Yellow Jackets football players on his staff to face his old team.
Chadron State received the opening kickoff and began marching down the field immediately, but safety Neil Novak intercepted a tip pass to give the Jackets their first turnover on the day. The Yellow Jackets wasted no time moving the ball right down the field with a spread offense attack. The spread offense seemed to be the most effective way the Yellow Jackets were able to move the ball. The Yellow Jackets stalled on that drive and settled for three points after a Christian Parr field goal made it, 3-0.
On Chadron State's next position they were again moving the ball effectively and the defense forced another turnover to give the offensive a short field. The BHSU coaching staff couldn't have drawn up a better start to the game, but unfortunately the offensive was unable to do anything with the turnover, missing an opportunity to put points up on the board.
After turning the ball over twice in their first two possessions, the Eagles decided that the ground game was the most effective way to move the ball as they racked up a school-record 495 yards rushing. CSC won time of possession, 36:05 to 23:55. The Eagles then marched right down the field and put up the first touchdown of the day on a five-yard pass to Kyle Vinich from quarterback John McLain.
Throughout the first half the BHSU offense just couldn't seem to find their rhythm as they failed to cross midfield. CSC went up 14-3 with just under five minutes to go in the half, which seemed to motivate the Yellow Jacket offense.
BHSU junior quarterback, Ward Anderson, led a 13 play 95-yard drive to get into the red zone of CSC, but the Yellow Jackets had to settle for another field goal by Parr to go into halftime trailing 14-6.
CSC took the opening drive to score on a Michael Madkins 17-yard touchdown run. W. Anderson moved the offensive quickly down the field to get into the red zone and from there took it upon himself to get the Yellow Jackets within seven points, after one-yard touchdown run made it 20-13, CSC with the lead.
The Eagles then had complete control of the game after reeling off the final 23 points of the game. The Eagles' Glen Clinton led the Eagles in rushing with 255 yards on 30 carries with three touchdowns. CSC's McLain was not needed threw the air, but finished 17-of-26 with one touchdown and two interceptions.
BHSU's W. Anderson led the Yellow Jackets in passing with 255 yards after going 21-of-44 with one interception. Senior running back, Drew Nielsen, did not find much running room on the day managing just 43 yards on 12 attacks.
The BHSU defense was led by defensive back, Darick Eisenbraun, who had 10 total tackles. Aaron Olson chipped in eight-and-a-half tackles and the leading tackler for the Yellow Jackets on the season, Trent Boner added eight tackles.
With the loss, the Jackets move to 0-6 overall and 0-4 in the RMAC. Next Saturday, the Jackets are back on their home field versus Colorado St.-Pueblo. (6-0, 4-0 RMAC) on Saturday, Oct. 26th, at 1:00 p.m. MT.
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