SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University football team came oh so close Saturday afternoon to coming away with a huge win over the No. 3 team in the nation CSU-Pueblo, but the Thunderwolves came through with a couple of keys plays to pull out the tight 35-27 RMAC victory at Altamirano Field.


CSU-Pueblo (CSU-P) started early scoring on their opening drive of the game that took just under three minutes on the clock and ended with a Chris Ashe nine-yard touchdown run and after the point after was good it was 7-0.


What became a theme of the day, Western New Mexico University (WNMU) answered, as they did on many occasions, with a lengthy drive of their own. Beginning at the Mustang four, Mitch Glasmann (Temecula, CA/Chaparral) connected on a pair of big third down conversions to keep the drive alive. On third-and-four early in the drive, he hit Donald Byrd (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) for six yards and a first down. On a third-and-nine out near midfield, Marquis Sumpter (Oceanside/Falbrook Union HS) got loose for a 24-yard strike from Glasmann to move the ball to the CSU-P 22. Three plays later, following a Thunderwolves penalty, Glasmann found Ronnell Pompey (Los Angeles, CA/Fairfax Senior HS) for a nine-yard touchdown to bring WNMU within one. The try after failed, with WNMU trying to go for two, but the pass was dropped just inside the end zone leaving CSU-P ahead, 7-6, midway through the quarter.


CSU-P (3-0, 1-0 RMAC) came back on the ensuing drive, going eight plays and ending with a J.B. Matthews touchdown from six yards out. It would turn out to be the first of many scores for Matthews. The try after was good extending the lead to 14-6 with two minutes to go in the opening quarter.


The Mustang defense came up with a big play early in the second quarter. With the Thunderwolves pinned up deep in their own territory, Ross Dausin was in trouble and about to go down for a sack when he tried to complete a pass, but in the process found WNMU's Jerrald Hines (Los Angeles, CA/) who collected the interception and brought it back to the seven of CSU-P. After a penalty, the Mustangs began at the 12. On the second play, Glasmann hit a streaking Donald Byrd (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) over the middle, who shook off a tackle and went in for the score. Josh McIntire (El Cajon, CA/West Hills) added the extra point leaving WNMU behind by one again, 14-13.


Every time WNMU (1-2, 0-1 RMAC) came close, the Thunderwolves had an answer. They responded with a 12 play, 75 yard drive culminating in a seven-yard TD run from Matthews and after the extra point was good the lead was 21-13 midway through the second quarter.


CSU-P came up with a defensive stop on the next possession forcing the Mustangs to punt and Kameron Drawhorn (San Diego, CA/Fallbrook HS) pinned the Thunderwolves at the six on a perfectly placed kick. CSU-P, with still 2:19 to go before halftime nearly made it all the way down the field for a score, but time ran out as Dausin found Josh Sandoval for 23 yards to the WNMU six when the clock reached zero ending the half with the Thunderwolves still ahead, 21-13.


To start the second half, CSU-P began with some trickery pouching the kick that hit a Mustang and became live at the WNMU 30 which the Thunderwolves recovered. The Mustang defense rose to the occasion, forcing the Thunderwolves to turn the ball over on downs after gaining just six yards.


This inspired the offense, which quickly answered. A couple of runs and few short passes moved the ball out to midfield when the fireworks happened. Glasmann dropped back and let loose a strike across the middle hitting Byrd at the CSU-P 15, he then eluded two defenders going in for the score and after McIntire hit the point after, it was a one-point game again, 21-20, with 10 minutes left in the third frame.


The Thunderwolves answered back once again, picking up two third downs and a fourth-and-one to keep the drive alive before ending it with a 24-yard Matthews scamper. The try after was good leaving the Thunderwolves ahead, 28-20, with five minutes left in the third.


CSU-P looked to be breaking away on the next series, with Jarrod Lacy coming up with a big interception at the CSU-P 45 and he returned it all the way to the Mustang 10 where the quarterback, Glasmann, made the touchdown-saving stop.
Matthews took the ensuing snap 10 yards to the end zone and with the point after the lead was 35-20.


WNMU turned the ball over on downs on their next drive deep in their own territory after Drawhorn's pass to Eldrick Bright (Deland, FL/Deland HS) was incomplete. The Mustang defense came up large with the ball at the WNMU 31, they forced it to a fourth-and-five at the 26 and a sack by Bijon Franklin (Long Beach/Long Beach Polythechnic HS) turned the ball over on downs early at the start of the fourth quarter.


A trick pass helped the next drive, with Glasmann throwing a lateral to Byrd who threw it downfield to Sumpter for a 40 yard gain down to the CSU-P 17. The next play, Abraham Macias (El Paso, TX/Socorro HS) busted through the line going 17 yards for the touchdown and McIntire was good again on the point after cutting the lead back to eight, 35-27, with 13 minutes to play.


The teams would trade possessions when the Thunderwolves came through big on defense a couple of times down the stretch to secure the win.
First, with WNMU out near midfield, a fumble was recovered by the Thunderwolves stopping a drive. The next Mustang possession, a completion of 22 yards had the ball at the CSU-P 31, but another fumble was recovered by the Thunderwolves.


This time CSU-P held onto the ball for good, connecting on a third-and-seven pass play for 26 yards that allowed the offense to run the clock out to claim the win.
CSU-P outgained WNMU, 519-371, including a 318-101 advantage on the ground, while WNMU held a 270-201 advantage through the air.


Macias powered the rushing attack going for 75 yards on 15 carries for a touchdown. Through the air, Glasmann connected on 23-of-30 for 230 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Byrd was the main target, pulling in seven receptions for 97 yards and two scores. Sumpter added 84 yards on six catches.
Matthews had a large game for the Thunderwolves, rolling to 227 yards on 34 carries and four touchdowns. He also was the second-leading receiver with three receptions for 66 yards.


Defensively, Dylan Contreras (Litchfield Park, AZ/Peoria) led the way with 13 tackles, including six solo stops. Bernard Williams and Cody Hawkins (Show Low, AZ/Show Low) were in double-figured with 10 stops each. Fernie De La Rosa (Vinton, TX/Canutillo HS) added nine stops.


WNMU will remain home for their next game that will take place next Saturday against Fort Lewis with kickoff set for 12 p.m. inside Altamirano Field.
 
     #3 CSU-Pueblo vs Western New Mexico (Sep 15, 2012 at Silver City, NM)
 
  Score by Quarters     1  2  3  4   Score
  -----------------    -- -- -- --   -----
  CSU-Pueblo.......... 14  7 14  0  - 35       Record: (3-0,1-0)
  Western New Mexico..  6  7  7  7  - 27       Record: (1-2,0-1)
 
  Scoring Summary:
  1st 12:18 CSUP - Chris Ashe 9 yd run (Greg O'Donnell kick), 6-75 2:42, CSUP 7 - WNMU 0
      05:47 WNMU - Ronnell Pompey (Los Angeles, CA/Fairfax Senior HS) 9 yd pass from Mitch Glasmann (Temecula, CA/Chaparral) (Jerald Hines drop-kick failed), 14-96 6:31, CSUP 7 - WNMU 6
      01:59 CSUP - J.B. Matthews 6 yd run (Greg O'Donnell kick), 8-75 3:48, CSUP 14 - WNMU 6
  2nd 13:26 WNMU - Donald Byrd (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) 10 yd pass from Mitch Glasmann (Temecula, CA/Chaparral) (Josh McIntire (El Cajon, CA/West Hills) kick), 2-7 0:38, CSUP 14 - WNMU 13
      06:44 CSUP - J.B. Matthews 7 yd run (Greg O'Donnell kick), 12-75 6:42, CSUP 21 - WNMU 13
  3rd 10:05 WNMU - Donald Byrd (Long Beach, CA/Long Beach Poly) 50 yd pass from Mitch Glasmann (Temecula, CA/Chaparral) (Josh McIntire (El Cajon, CA/West Hills) kick), 7-76 3:30, CSUP 21 - WNMU 20
      05:05 CSUP - J.B. Matthews 24 yd run (Greg O'Donnell kick), 11-77 4:53, CSUP 28 - WNMU 20
      02:35 CSUP - J.B. Matthews 10 yd run (Greg O'Donnell kick), 1-10 0:04, CSUP 35 - WNMU 20
  4th 13:24 WNMU - Abraham Macias (El Paso, TX/Socorro HS) 17 yd run (Josh McIntire (El Cajon, CA/West Hills) kick), 5-68 1:30, CSUP 35 - WNMU 27
 
 
                                     CSUP     WNMU
  FIRST DOWNS...................       29       21
  RUSHES-YARDS (NET)............   57-318   26-101
  PASSING YDS (NET).............      201      270
  Passes Att-Comp-Int...........  22-13-1  32-24-2
  TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS.....   79-519   58-371
  Fumble Returns-Yards..........      0-0      0-0
  Punt Returns-Yards............      0-0      1-2
  Kickoff Returns-Yards.........     1-24     3-48
  Interception Returns-Yards....     2-45     1-13
  Punts (Number-Avg)............   1-48.0   1-39.0
  Fumbles-Lost..................      1-0      3-3
  Penalties-Yards...............     7-68     6-26
  Possession Time...............    35:50    24:10
  Third-Down Conversions........  5 of 12  7 of 11
  Fourth-Down Conversions.......   2 of 4   0 of 1
  Red-Zone Scores-Chances.......      4-5      3-3
  Sacks By: Number-Yards........      0-0     2-10