LAS VEGAS, N.M. - The (RV) Black Hills State University football team dropped their first game of the 2026 season on Saturday afternoon, falling 44-36 in a shootout with New Mexico Highlands at the Sanchez Family Stadium. Following a back-and-forth opening quarter, 28 unanswered points in the second and third quarters from the Cowboys broke open the game. The Yellow Jackets, however, battled back and pulled within a single possession with less than two minutes to play, but the fourth turnover of the game forced by NMHU closed out the contest in the final seconds.
QUICK DETAILS
Score: (RV) Black Hills State 36, New Mexico Highlands 44
Team Records: (RV) Black Hills State 3-1 (1-1 RMAC), New Mexico Highlands 3-1 (1-1 RMAC)
Attendance: 1,517
HOW IT HAPPENED
- For the first time this season the Yellow Jackets were unable to find the end zone on their opening drive, as New Mexico Highlands' Kaleb Harris picked off Kade Weber on the first offensive play of the game at the BHSU 41-yard line. The Cowboys then picked up one first down with the running abilities of Kadyn Parr but were then held to a 42-yard field goal by Daniel Estrada to give NMHU a 3-0 lead with 12:17 to play in the first quarter.
- The Green & Gold avenged the opening drive interception, quickly picking up a first down and crossing midfield as Wyatt Trembly ran the ball 23 yards to the NMHU 38-yard line, then four plays later on 4th and 6 Weber found Joseph Randle open down the right sideline for a 34-yard passing touchdown to give BHSU the 7-3 lead after the extra point from Ryder Ferguson with 9:16 to play in the opening quarter.
- The back-and-forth affair began to gain traction as the teams again traded scores, first as New Mexico Highlands rattled off three consecutive plays of ten or more yards to begin the drive and ended it with a 24-yard passing touchdown from Parr to Asaiah Smith on 4th and 2. Estrada's extra point was missed wide right, and the score remained 9-7 Cowboys with 5:28 on the clock.
- The ensuing kickoff Bryce Coulson found a hole to the left sideline and turned on the jets for a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown, his first of the season and third of his career as he put the Yellow Jackets back in front 14-9 following Ferguson's PAT with 5:24 remaining in the first quarter.
- New Mexico Highlands slowed things down their next drive, moving the ball 74 yards in 13 plays and 6:05 of game time as they scored their first of three second quarter touchdowns. The Cowboys took the lead for good with a 1-yard rush by Otis Reed, and Estrada's extra point made it 16-14 with 14:19 remaining till halftime. Then after having a 46-yard touchdown pass negated due to a penalty, the Cowboys scored on a 45-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline from Parr to Brian Spotwood II the ensuing play and Estrada's PAT made it 23-14 with 8:42 on the clock. NMHU then concluded a 21-point second quarter by converting a Yellow Jacket interception into points as Parr tossed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Hamilton with just four seconds to play. Estrada's extra point gave the Cowboys a 30-14 advantage at the half.
- After a high scoring first half the defenses dug in early in the third quarter with the Yellow Jackets forcing punts on each of the first two Cowboy possessions, the firsts of the day, while NMHU forced a missed BHSU field goal as Ferguson pushed his 47-yard attempt wide left and then New Mexico Highlands capitalized on a muffed punt return. The muffed punt set up the Cowboy offense at the BHSU 21-yard line and minutes later they scored on a 14-yard pass from Parr to Maurice Collier Jr., while Estrada added the extra point to make it 37-14 with 2:04 left in the quarter.
- Black Hills State ended a string of 28 consecutive points by New Mexico Highlands as Weber avoided heavy pressure, scrambled, and found Randle cutting across the middle of the field for a 9-yard touchdown reception with no time remaining in the quarter. An offsides call against the Cowboys gave the Yellow Jackets an opportunity at a 2-point conversion that was successful as Weber found Randle open in the right flat to bring the score to 37-22 entering the fourth quarter.
- The fourth quarter began with Black Hills State's defense forcing a three and out, giving their offense another opportunity to chip into the deficit. Sparked by a 26-yard rush by Weber to begin the drive, he proceeded to lead the offense 76 yards in ten plays and 4:35 of game time. Weber capped the drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Damien Boozer, who had a defender draped over him and managed to haul it in in the back left corner of the end zone. The Cowboys, however, stopped Wyatt Trembly short of the goal line on the 2-point conversion to keep the score 37-28 with 8:53 to play in the game.
- The first play of the ensuing drive the ball bounced the way of New Mexico Highlands as Jaheim Roper punched the ball out of the hands of Kerya Powell and it bounced 25 yards down the field before being picked up by Asaiah Smith. The next play, however, the Yellow Jackets got the turnover they were looking for as Parr's pass was tipped and intercepted by Joshua Faulkner at the BHSU 13-yard line.
- Despite the turnover, the Yellow Jackets were unable to capitalize, turning the ball over on downs and giving the ball to New Mexico Highlands in the red zone. The Cowboys added their final touchdown of the contest minutes later as Reed found the end zone on a 1-yard touchdown run and Estrada's PAT made it 44-28 with 3:40 to play.
- Black Hills State responded and moved quickly to respond, aided with a Cowboy pass interference penalty and a 30-yard pass from Weber as he rolled out to his left and fired a dart to Zayne Huber as he managed to keep his feet down in bounds for the catch at the NMHU 2-yard line. Two plays later Weber kept the ball himself on an option play and ran into the end zone untouched. To make it a one possession game, Weber scrambled to his right and tossed a pass to Thomas Mabe to convert the 2-point conversion and make it a 44-36 game with 1:43 remaining in the contest.
- Following an unsuccessful onside kick attempt, the Yellow Jacket came up with a timely three and out and gave the offense one final opportunity. BHSU was able to move the ball across midfield with the assistance of NMHU pass interference and roughing the passer penalties, however, the comeback attempt fell short as Weber's pass attempt on a screen play was intercepted by Sam Lokeni with just eight seconds to play.
BLACK HILLS STATE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Kade Weber: 21-38, 226 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 12 rushes, 66 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown
Joseph Randle: 5 receptions, 77 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns
Jayshon Liles: 9.0 total tackles, 1.0 tackle for loss, 1.0 sack
Luke Clay: 8.0 total tackles
Jaheim Roper: 7.0 total tackles, 1 forced fumble
Bryce Coulson: 1 kickoff return, 95 return yards, 1 touchdown
UP NEXT
(RV) Black Hills State returns home to continue RMAC play when they host Fort Lewis on Saturday, September 26. The game will be a 1 p.m. kickoff for Swarm Days at Lyle Hare Stadium in Spearfish, and will be streamed live on the RMAC Network.
