RAPID CITY, S.D. -- October 22, 2016 -- Quarterback
Matt Vinson threw five touchdown passes, four of them to
Max Gray, and Chadron State came up with six turnovers Saturday while overcoming a slow start and edging South Dakota Mines 37-33 in the first game between the long-time rivals in 20 years.
Hardrockers' quarterback Jake Sullivan nearly matched Vinson's touchdown spree. He threw four TD passes, including three that gave his team 19-2 lead early in the second quarter.
Mines also scored again midway in the second period with a help of an interception, but the Eagles reached the end zone on their final three possessions of the quarter to narrow the gap to 26-23 at halftime.
Both of Chadron State second half touchdowns that provided the victory were preceded by pass thefts.
Devante Thomas swiped the first at midfield in the third quarter, and
Cooper Mirich picked off the second midway in the fourth period and returned it 12 yards to the Mines 28 to set up the Eagles' winning touchdown.
Vinson completed 27 of 48 passes for 330 yards. Gray caught nine of the passes for 153 yards and touchdowns of 19, 18, 25 and 18 yards.
Gray is the fourth CSC receiver to catch four TD passes in a game, sharing the honors with Duane Smith in 1985, former NFL standout Don Beebe in 1988 and current teammate
Matt Reader a year ago.
The Eagles' other touchdown came with just three seconds left before halftime, when Vinson hit
Tevon Wright with a 22-yard pass in the end zone. The 74-yard drive also included a 19-yard pass to Wright and three 13-yard receptions by
Jack Dobyns.
Sullivan completed 15 of 26 passes for 249 yards. His first and last touchdown passes went to Damon Barnes covering 60 and 10 yards and the others were to Ben Broeker for 13 yards and Marcus Sanchez for 52. The Hardrockers also scored on a one-yard run by Dorian Cowart.
Mines finished with 221 yards rushing with tailbacks Connor Silveria and Cowart gaining 87 and 81 respectively, and Sullivan 53.
Chadron State had just 18 yards rushing at halftime, but finished with 123, most of them by tailback
Derek Jackson, who carried 20 times for 112 yards. His big gain was a 31-yarder that put the Eagles in four-down territory late in the game when they wanted to run out the clock.
The Eagles' first two points came when Zech James raced 98 yards to the opposite end of the field after he recovered a fumble while Mines was attempting a two-point conversion following its first touchdown. The last time Chadron State had pulled the switcheroo was 2008.
CSC cornerback
Steve Allen recovered two Mines fumbles, including one when the Hardrockers failed to field a CSC kickoff cleanly. Allen pounced on the ball at the Mines 16. Three plays later, Vinson hit Gray for one of their four touchdowns.
Chadron State coach
Jay Long noted that the game was full of unusual plays, and was a terrific way for the Eagles and Hardrockers to renew their rivalry that dates back to 1912.
Mines is now 5-3 overall and 4-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Eagles are 3-5 and 3-4.
CSC SDM
First Downs 27 23
Total Net Yards 453 470
Rushes, Yards 42-123 38-221
Passing Yards 330 249
Passing 27-48-1 15-26-3
Return Yards 91 57
Punts, Average 5-43.6 2-40
Fumbles, Lost 2-1 2-2
Penalties, Yards 9-77 3-15
Chadron State 2 21 7 7 ----37
South Dakota Mines 13 13 0 7 ----33
First Quarter
SDM—Damon Barnes 60 pass from Jake Sullivan (run failed)
CSC—Zech James 98 yards PAT return
SDM—Ben Broeker 13 pass from Jake Sullivan (Robbie Gerarden kick)
Second Quarter
SDM—Marcus Sanchez 52 pass from Sullivan (kick failed)
CSC—
Max Gray 19 pass from
Matt Vinson (
Will Morgan kick)
CSC—
Max Gray 18 pass from Vinson (Morgan kick)
SDM—Dorian Cowart 1 run (Gerarden kick)
CSC—
Tevon Wright 22 pass from Vinson (Morgan kick)
Third Quarter
CSC—
Max Gray 25 pass from Vinson (Morgan kick)
Fourth Quarter
SDM—Barnes 10 pass from Sullivan (Gerarden kick)
CSC—Gray 18 pass from Vinson (Morgan kick)
