LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The Black Hills State University football team completed another comeback to defeat New Mexico Highlands, 50-40, on Saturday afternoon. The Yellow Jackets were down 34-20 at the half, and scored 30 second half points to earn the victory.

Phydell Paris and Shandon Jones each had three touchdowns, as Ryan Hommel threw for five. A week after holding an opponent scoreless in the second half, the Yellow Jackets (3-2, 3-2 RMAC) held NMHU (2-3, 1-3 RMAC) to just six points in the second half of the game.

Continuing a theme for the year, the Yellow Jackets trailed early in the game. The Cowboys scored a field goal and a touchdown in the first seven minutes to lead, 10-0. With almost five minutes remaining in the first quarter, Ryan Hommel hit Shandon Jones for a 37-yard touchdown, getting BHSU on the board.
 
The two teams exchanged touchdowns to begin the second quarter, with Bradley Adamson catching a 17-yard pass for the Green and Gold's score, however, NMHU put up two additional touchdowns, to give the home team a 31-13 lead with 4:52 remaining in the half. The Yellow Jackets would get another touchdown before the half, with Paris scoring from a yard out. As time expired, the Cowboys knocked through a field goal, and led the Yellow Jackets, 34-20. Despite trailing, Black Hills State had its highest scoring first half of the season.
 
The Yellow Jackets came out of the locker room focused and aggressive. After Jacob Parks kicked a 21-yard field goal in the team's second possession of the half, Paris rushed in his second touchdown of the game, to draw BHSU within 34-29 with 6:36 to play in the third.
 
The following possession for Black Hills State, Paris caught a 14-yard pass from Hommel to give the Yellow Jackets their first lead of the day. BHSU led the Cowboys, 37-34, after a two-point conversion, with 1:40 remaining in the third quarter.
 
The fourth quarter began with a Shandon Jones 32-yard reception for a touchdown to extend the lead to 44-34 for the Green and Gold. Hommel and Jones connected again, with 6:18 to play, as BHSU went up, 50-34. The Cowboys scored a touchdown with 2:45 remaining in the half, but the Jacket defense forced a turnover on downs in the next NMHU possession, sealing the victory for Black Hills State.
 
The Yellow Jackets scored 50 points for the first time since a 50-48 victory over Western State on November 23, 2013.

Hommel finished with 254 yards, throwing for five touchdowns. He also had four interceptions. Phydell Paris rushed for 105 yards, his fourth 100-yard rushing game of the season. The running back had two rushing touchdowns, while also tallying 43 receiving yards and catching one touchdown. Shandon Jones had his second 100-yard receiving game of the season, totaling 124 yards and three scores.

Defensively, JJ Kilgore and Thayer Sauter led the Yellow Jackets with eight tackles each. Sauter had 1.5 tackles for loss. Sam Garcia had an interception, his second of the season, while Kolten Johnson had a sack and a forced fumble. Austin Goodard had seven tackles, all of the solo variety, and also forced a fumble. The defense as a whole forced five turnovers (four fumbles, one interception).

Danny Cameron threw for 438 yards and two touchdowns for the Cowboys. Rodolph Zleh rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns.


The Green and Gold will next travel to No. 11 ranked Colorado Mesa on Saturday, October 7. The game against the nationally ranked opponent is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
  Black Hills State is located in the Northern Black Hills of South Dakota, sponsoring 13 NCAA sports with membership in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the NCAA emerging sport of women's triathlon and NIRA rodeo. For all information regarding Yellow Jacket Athletics, please visit BHSUAthletics.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @BHSUAthletics.