Fort Collins Coloradoan from Fort Collins, Colorado • Page 39

www.coloradoan.com, The Coloradoan, Sunday, September 24, 2006, SPORTS, D5 COLLEGE FOOTBALL Weddle sparks Utah's 38-7 rout It MWC r-. Xx rV" 7 Barbara PerenicThe Laramie (Wyo.) Boomerang Air Force running back Chad Hall dives into the end zone after a 27-yard run in the first quarter of the Falcons' MWC opener in Laramie, Wyo. Mmm grotmd wMm By The Associated Press SAN DIEGO Eric Weddle returned two interceptions for touchdowns Saturday night and scored another on offense to lead Utah to a 38-7 rout of San Diego State. Weddle's first two scores came 32 seconds apart in the second quarter as Utah (3-1, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) took a 21-7 halftime lead. Darryl Poston added a pair of touchdowns and Louie Sakoda had a 23-yard field goaL Weddle, last season's MWC Defensive Player of the Year, scored his first touchdown on offense on a 2-yard run at the 1144 mark of the second quarter for a 14-7 lead.

On San Diego State's first play after the kickoff, Weddle intercepted Darren Mougeys pass and returned it 30 yards for another score. Weddle intercepted Mougey again midway through the fourth quarter and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown and a 38-7 lead. San Diego State (0-3, 0-1 MWC) lost its first three games for the second consecutive year and for the fifth time in nine seasons. The Aztecs' only score came on Mougeys 18-yard pass to Brett Swain that tied the game at 7 in the first quarter. Poston's TDs came on a 1-yard run and an 18-yard pass from Brett Ratliff, the last one late in the third quarter to put Utah ahead 28-7.

Mougey, who was 9 for 19 with 83 yards passing, was intercepted four times. BYU 38, UTAH ST. 0 At Provo, Utah, Jason Beck passed for 305 yards and a touchdown in his first start and Fui Vakapuna ran for three scores to lead Brigham Vbung past Utah State. Beck was starting for John Beck (no relation), who rested his sprained right ankle, and completed 20 of 28 passes with one interception as the Cougars (2-2) gained 441 yards of offense. 1 Utah State (04) was shut out for the third consecutive game and has yet to score a point on offense this season.

Marcus Cross ran for 127 yards more than half of Utah State's 242 yards of offense. Leon Jackson was 14 for 24 for 90 yards with one interception, which Justin Robinson returned 64 yards for a touchdown. The first game between the two schools since 2002 was a blowout and the Aggies frustration showed. Four personal fouls were called and on one play early in the fourth quarter there was some pushing and shoving at the Utah State bench after Vakapuna was knocked out of bounds. There were no punches thrown before the coaches broke up the fracas and Vakapuna got the only penalty.

The Aggies had little left at that point and the Cougars were able to keep the shutout intact. Despite the big lead, Beck was still throwing the ball late in the fourth quarter and added an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jonny Harline with 2:16 left. After Beck's first pass was tipped and nearly intercepted, his next two were on target as the Cougars drove 89 yards in the opening drive, which Vakapuna capped with a 6-yard run. Vakapuna also opened the drive by running 16 yards on the first play of the game. Vakapuna scored later in the half on runs of 11 and 8 yards and BYU led 24-0 at halftime.

BYU was a yard away from leading by another touchdown, but Utah State stopped Curtis Brown on fourth-and-goal just before halftime. After the goal-line stand, the Aggies had a few chances to get back into the game in the third quarter but self-destructedagain. Justin Hamblin attempted a 33-yard field goal that Russell Tialavea swatted right back at the kicker. Utah State tried another field goal later in the period but Ryan Wilson's snap was way over the holder's head. Wilson had been called for a personal foul on the same drive after the Aggies had reached the BYU 12.

After the blocked kick, Utah State got the ball back at the BYU 45 on an interception. But on third down, Jackson threw a soft pass toward the sideline and Robinson intercepted it and returned it for a touchdown that put BYU ahead 31-0. It was the fourth interception Jackson has thrown this season and all four have been returned four touchdowns. NEW MEXICO 26, UTEP 13 At Albuquerque, N.M., Rodney Ferguson, Chris Nelson and the defense led the way in a day of firsts for New Mexico. Ferguson rushed for a career-high 162 yards and Nelson threw for two touchdowns and had New Mexico's first rushing score of the season in a win over the Miners.

New Mexico's defense sacked UTEP quarterback Jordan Palmer five times, the first sacks given up by UTEP's offensive line this season. And the Lobos won at home for the first time in more than a year, snapping a five-game losing streak in Albuquerque. "The boys finally put one together," New Mexico coach Rocky Long said. That's the first full game we've played." New Mexico (2-2) constantly pressured Palmer, forcing him to hurry throws or settle for short-yardage completions. Palmer completed 13 consecutive passes early in the second half, but by then New Mexico led 26-3.

Palmer, who holds virtually every UTEP passing record, completed 26 of 37 passes for 211 yards, including a 25-yard TD pass to Daniel Robinson in the third quarter that extended his streak of touctxlown passes to 23 consecutive games. But Palmer had trouble sustaining drives against the Lobos' blitzing defense and UTEP (1-2) couldn't stop Ferguson's bullish runs. "They got to us on our Palmer said. They did a good job of mixing things up and bringing people from different areas. Some of it we knew what they were going to do, but they've had three different game plans for three different games." .11 I si1! I Air Force QB, running back gallop in win By MEAD GRUVER The Associated Press LARAMIE, Wyo.

Air Force controlled the bail on the way to beating Wyoming. Quarterback Shaun Carney ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns Saturday and Air Force beat Wyoming 31-24 in the Mountain West Conference opener for both teams. Chad Hall added 122 yards rushing and a touchdown as the Falcons (1-1, 1-0) took control in the second quarter. "Whenever plays needed to be made, the defense rose up and made plays," Falcons coach Fisher DeBerry said. "But also the offense, I thought, did a masterful job of controlling the 'clock today, keeping the ball out of their hands." Air Force had more than double Wyoming's time of Wyoming fumbled on fourth down in their own territory with less than a minute left.

The Cowboys relied on plays like a 54-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown and a 31-yard touchdown pass to remain competitive in the second half. Wyoming coach Joe Glenn said mistakes particularly a fumbled punt return in the second quarter cost his team. "We seem to be making one of those errors that's the killer error the last three weeks," he said. 'We've got to get away from it And you can't say it's on defense. You can't say it's on offense, on special teams.

It's been in different areas. "Probably we're going to have to play almost a perfect game to beat somebody right now. And we're not playing perfect." Last week, two interceptions hurt the Cowboys in a 17-10 loss to Boise State. The week before, Wyoming missed a point-after in overtime in a 13-12 loss at Vir-ginia. Early in the fourth, the Cowboys came within 28-21 on a 31-yard touchdown catch by Michael Ford.

Barbara PerenicAhe Laramie (Wyo.) Boomerang Air Force quarterback Shaun Carney ran for 131 yards and passed for 40 more in the Falcons' 31 -24 road win over Wyoming. ball team," DeBerry said. Late in the fourth quarter, Air Force's Zach Sasser kicked a 27-yard field goal to put the Falcons up 31-21, Wyoming (1-3, 0-1) responded with a 28-yard field goal by Aric Goodman but couldn't get any closer. The game ended when The Falcons totaled 367 yards on offense nearly double what Wyoming had been allowing heading into the game. "We kept coming back and we kept fighting back and I think that's the sign of a team that has the potential to grow and develop into a very competitive foot Less than two weeks after stabbing, Bears punter Mendoza returns to action in loss Coupon 2: 0929 Coupon 0929 STATE 1 mm Coupon 2: 1013 Coupon 1: 1013 Coupon 1 1020 Coupon 2: 1020 By The Associated Press GREELEY Rafael Mendoza was punting again for Northern Colorado on Saturday, less than two weeks after being stabbed allegedly by his backup in what police said was a rivalry over the team's starting punter position.

Mendoza punted four times in reclaiming his starting role, including a season-best 58-yarder, and averaged 39.8 yards in a 42-28 loss to Western Illinois. He even tried to make a tackle just 11 days after the attack left a 3- to 5-inch deep puncture wound in his leg. "It felt good today," Mendoza said. 'When I tried to tackle the guy on the punt return, it got tweaked a little, but overall, I'm glad to be back." Later, Mendoza said, "I don't have any bandages. It's still an open wound, it's just starting to heal on the outside." Mitch Cozad, Mendoza's former backup, was arrested after the Sept.

12 stabbing, but prosecutors said Friday they needed more information before deciding whether to file charges. Mendoza's first punt came with 8:12 remaining in the second quarter and was a low line drive that rolled to the 24-yard line, netting 46 yards. Coach Scott Downing said Mendoza had been checking with doctors all week and practicing punting with Nerf footballs and volley-balls. He decided after pregame warmups to put Mendoza in when the kicker told him he felt no pain. "I was concerned about his flexibility but he was doing a good job," Downing said.

"It was just like the old Rafael, he was punting welL" Herb Donaldson rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns and Thomas Marco caught two of Steve LaFalce's three touchdown pass- Save $5 off the regular CHADRON ST. 57, COLORADO MINES 0 At Chadron, Chadron State scored on its first nine possessions en route to a easy victory over the Colorado School of Mines. Chadron State led 43-0 at hatftime, and scored two more touchdowns in the first six minutes of the second half. The Eagles also had four interceptions. Chadron State produced 538 yards of offense and had 23 first downs.

Running back Danny Woodhead scored four touchdowns for the Eagles, including one receiving touchdown. Woodhead carried the ball 17 times for 125 yards and caught three passes for another 63 yards. Receiver Landon Ehlers scored three touchdowns for the Eagles (4-0, 1-0 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference). He caught four passes for 89 yards. Colorado Mines (1-3, 0-2 RMAC) finished with 28 total yards of offense and had three first downs.

Mines completed 10 of 28 passes for 42 yards, but lost 14 yards rushing because of four quarterback sacks. ADAMS ST. 34, N.M. HIGHLANDS 1 7 At Alamosa, Billy Lindquist threw three touchdowns as Adams State beat New Mexico Highlands in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action. Lindquist, who completed 21 of 32 passes for 226 yards, threw touchdowns to Dave Copelan, Gene Mejia, and Chris Ross.

Kenny Jenkins gained 47 yards with two carriers late in the fourth quarter, which included a 40-yard totichdown run for Adams State RMAC). Adams State's defense held New Mexico Highlands (2-2, 0-2) to 225 yards of total offense. COLORADO COLLEGE 46, LEWIS CLARK 3 At Colorado Springs, Chris Neal threw for two touchdowns and rushed for two more as Colorado College beat Lewis Clark. Running back Justin Alexander scored a 44-yard touchdown and rushed for 224 yards, including 156 yards in the third quarter, for Colorado College (2-1 Lewis Clark (0-3) managed a 44-yard field in the third quarter. WESTERN N.M.

24, WESTERN ST. 0 At Gunnison, Rod Windsor threw two touchdowns to Josh Gill and Windsor rushed for another as Western New Mexico beat Western State In Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action. Western New Mexico RMAC) gained 396 yards In total offense. QB Windsor gained 55 yards on eight carries. price of each coin.

Collect all fPW" i 15 Legends Bret HartmaryThe Greeley Tribune Northern Colorado punter Rafael Mendoza, who was stabbed in the leg less than two weeks ago, punted for the Bears on Saturday. es in Western Illinois' (3-1) victory. LaFalce, who completed 14-of-21 for 214 yards with no interceptions, also had a touchdown toss to Javid Miltoa Andrew Wilson ran for three touchdowns and Dominic Breazeale added another for Northern Colorado (1-3), which upset Texas State 14-13 last week. Here's how: Coloradoan subscribers SUBARU'S ONLY Log onto Coloradoan.com and click on the Baseball Legends Icon. Enter your account number.

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