SPEARFISH, S.D. – After competing strong with the No. 11 ranked team in the country for a quarter and a half, the Black Hills State University football team fell 62-22 to Colorado School of Mines Saturday afternoon in the home opener.
After falling behind 27-3, the Yellow Jackets scored 13-straight points to pull within 27-16 with 3:53 remaining in the second quarter. The first touchdown came on a 30-yard pass from Ryan Hommel to Bradley Adamson, the only play on the Yellow Jacket drive after the Yellow Jackets took advantage of a botched snap on an Oredigger attempted punt. Taking the field position, Hommel found a streaking Adamson.
After stopping a Colorado Mines drive short and taking the punt, Black Hills State embarked on an eight-play, 85-yard drive that saw Hommel toss a 21 yard pass perfectly into the out-stretched arms of Eriq Swiftwater. It was Swiftwater's first career touchdown reception.
The 27-16 score nearly lasted into the intermission but the Orediggers found a way into the end zone with 22 seconds remaining when Justin Dvorak scampered seven yards for the score.
Colorado Mines took the opening kickoff of the second half but couldn't muster any offense giving the Yellow Jackets a first-and-10 from their own 29. Hommel took the quarterback keeper 14 yards then connected with Jerome Krysl for eight yards to the CSM 49 yard line. The very next play was a 49-yard touchdown run from Phydell Paris as he broke several tackles on the run.
With the score 34-22 with 12:06 remaining in the third quarter the Yellow Jackets looked prime for a run at the 11th ranked Orediggers. However, turnovers hampered the Green and Gold and Colorado Mines rattled off four-straight touchdowns for the victory.
Dvorak tossed for 396 yards and a pair of touchdowns as part of 587 yards of total offense for Colorado Mines. Hommel tallied 200 yards and a pair of touchdowns. On the ground, behind his 49-yard run, Paris totaled 132 yards. The yardage are the second-most in his career and second 100-yard game on the season.
Swiftwater recorded four catches for 64 yards while Adamson had four catches for 61 yards.
Defensively, Cody Okray led the Yellow Jackets with 11 tackles while Josh Gurnaby had nine tackles and two pass breakups. Colorado Mines was led by Adam Leonard and Jalen Champagne, each with seven tackles.
Black Hills State returns to the road Saturday, traveling to Grand Junction, Colorado, to face Colorado Mesa University. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
