SPEARFISH, S.D. – The defending NCAA Division II National Champions proved to be too much for Black Hills State University Saturday in a 42-10 loss to Colorado State University – Pueblo in Lyle Hare Stadium.
Just under three minutes into the game, Cameron McDondle ran 71 yards for the CSUP touchdown for a 7-0 lead. Over the next three drives the Yellow Jacket defense forced a pair of punts and on the third drive, with the ThunderWolves in punt formation, the Green and Gold pounded on a bad snap for excellent field position at the CSUP 19-yard line.
Trey Fleming, the wide receiver converted to kicker, connected on a 27-yard field goal with 1:03 remaining in the first quarter to make the score 7-3.
With 4:58 remaining in the second quarter, McDondle again found the end zone, this time a four-yard run to cap an 11-play, 77-yard drive and a 14-3 lead.
The Yellow Jacket offense struggled through the first two and a half quarters to find any momentum, but down 35-3 in the third quarter, Ryan Hommel led Black Hills State on a 13-play, 86 yard drive spanning 4:59 to connect with Liam Heaney on a five-yard touchdown.
The drive included rushes of seven and 10 yards from Phydell Paris and a fourth-and-one conversion when Paris scampered for five yards.
Following the fourth-down conversion, Hommel hit Erick Hairston-Belcher, for 17 yards and eight yards on back-to-back plays then Jerome Krysl for 11 yards. On a second-and-goal from the five, Hommel stepped back in the pocket and immediately hit Heaney for the touchdown with 3:07 remaining in the fourth quarter.
That was the biggest drive for the Yellow Jackets as the nation's third ranked rushing defense and 35th ranked defense overall held the Green and Gold to 210 yards of offense and just 52 on the ground.
No. 4 Colorado State – Pueblo countered with 459 yards of total offense led by McDondle's 248 yards and three touchdowns.
Hommel finished the day 19-of-36 for 158 yards and a touchdown. AJ Thompson countered 10-of-15 for 165 yards and two touchdowns.
JJ Kilgore intercepted of Thompson's passes while Kolten Johnson forced a fumble with Travis Groves and Conrad Rice each recovering a fumble. Cody Benne tallied a game-high 12 tackles while Groves accumulated 10, including eight solo.
The Yellow Jackets travel to Las Vegas, New Mexico, Saturday for a 1 p.m. kickoff against New Mexico Highlands before returning home for the season-finale against Western New Mexico.
