COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – After the Chadron State Eagles recorded one of the biggest program wins in recent memory, the game's two overtime heroes were honored by the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference for their standout performances.
Redshirt sophomore defensive back
Aiden Kuester and senior kicker
Wilson Yee were named the RMAC Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Week, respectively, after CSC's 27-24 win over then-No. 11/9 Western Colorado. It is the first career Player of the Week wins for both Kuester and Yee.
Kuester had two interceptions, including one on the first play of overtime to set the stage for Yee, who hit a 50-yard field goal early in the contest and held his nerve to nail a 47-yarder in overtime and give the Eagles a walk-off win.
Yee's win marks CSC's first Special Teams weekly award of the season and the first for the program since punter
Brodie Eisenbraun captured one on September 30, 2024. With Kuester's nod, Chadron State now has five defensive Player of the Week award wins this season, but this marks the first Eagles win by somebody other than four-time winner
Logan O'Brien.
Kuester would have been an unlikely hero pregame, as the Neligh, Nebraska native was a game-time injury fill-in for the CSC secondary and was making just his second career start. His performance also came against formidable competition, as reigning Second Team All-American QB Drew Nash had thrown only two interceptions all season before Kuester doubled up Nash's total on his own Saturday.
Kuester came up with his first interception with 12:44 remaining in the fourth quarter, flipping the field to give the Eagles possession at the 15-yard line, which led to CSC punching it in and taking the lead for the first time in the game at 17-16. When the game went to overtime, Kuester halted Western's first possession immediately by making another interception on the Mountaineers' first play. The picks were the first two of Kuester's career.
Yee and the rest of the special teams units on both teams had an adventurous day with cold and windy conditions. After being honored on Senior Night pregame, Yee drilled a 50-yard field goal in the second quarter to put Chadron State on the board, the sixth 50-plus field goal of the Littleton, Colorado native's career.
After Kuester's interception, the Eagles ran two plays to get the ball to the left hash before turning it over to Yee on third down, who left no doubt on a 47-yarder to send Elliott Field at Don Beebe Stadium into a frenzy.
Chadron State (8-2, 8-0 RMAC) plays in a winner-take-all game for the RMAC Championship next Saturday on the road against CSU Pueblo (9-1, 8-0 RMAC). Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. The ThunderWolves feature wide receiver Reggie Retzlaff, who joined Kuester and Yee this week by winning Offensive Player of the Week.
