And Then There Were Two

Late in the third quarter of yesterday's 38-28 CSU-P victory over Chadron State it really hit me. This team, this program, these players all truly belonged on the big stage. Sure there had been victories the past two years against this same Chadron State team. Who could forget last years improbable goal line stand in overtime. And then the wild celebration after Kyle Major's game winner. All that was slightly tempered with the following weeks loss at Mines and then the quick strike blitz Nebraska Kearney inflicted the week after that. The Thunderwolves would win out after that and set the stage for this year. At West Texas it looked like blowout city after falling behind 10-0 to the Buffalos. CSU-P would somehow right the ship and pull out a dramatic fourth quarter win. Against Adams State the defense was outstanding and the offense just good enough to put up a crucial drive for three much needed insurance points in their 20-11 win in Alamosa. All that really wouldnt matter if this four year old program didnt take care of business against Chadron State. And to show you how far CSU-P has come it was consensus amongst all of us media types to say the Thunderwolves were slight favorites to go into the Eagles nest and do something that no other established college program had done since 1997. You see it was Homecoming yesterday in Chadron. 100 years of football history to be celebrated. Revenge was going to be extracted from this upstart program that dare come in two years ago and snap a 28 game home conference winning streak. Revenge for what they interpreted was "home cookin" on ruling those qb sneaks short of the goal line in overtime last year. The trap had been set. All that was left was to send this bunch of Thunderwolves back to the middle of the RMAC pack where it belonged. The first half was a seesaw affair that seemed destined to be tied at the break. Up stepped Jesse Lewis and 70 yards later CSU-P was in business in the redzone. Head coach John Wristen didn't settle for the sure three points and dialed up a little pass over the middle to Josh Sandoval that seemed to just make the field goal a bit easier. But the former East Eagle seemed to have eyes in the back of his head put on a little "spinorama" move that would make Peter Forsberg proud getting the sophomore into the endzone for a 21-14 lead. CSU-P would take the second half kickoff and drive it smartly down the field but the drive stalled and Major was called upon to do his magic and he delivered a 50yd field goal. Chadron looked up for the challenge and quickly cut the margin to 24-21. They had done it. Now surely these pretenders to the throne would cough up the lead. It was the exact opposite. This was winning time. This is when you drive down the opponents throat on the road and take the life out of the crowd. And that's exactly what the Thunderwolves did. Facing a crucial 3rd and eight QB Ross Dausin (18-20-0 272yds , 2tds) calmly hit Marcial Williamson for 16 yards and a first down. This set up a play that Wristen had talked about during the days leading up to the season, more explosive plays from the passing game. On 1st and ten from their own 48 the time had arrived. Dausin calmly delivered a deep strike over the middle to Jared Sperber who raced to the Eagles 4yd line. Freshman running back J.B. Mathews would score from one yard out on 3rd down to complete the quick seven play drive. It was the answer Chadron didn't want to hear to make the score 31-21 with 4:39 left in the third quarter. The Eagles would try to mount an answer drive of their own but somehow the home team was called for holding and the drive stalled out around midfield. Again Dausin would make them pay first hitting Matthews for 36 yards on another well executed screen pass to get the ball down to the 22. A couple of Lewis runs set up a first and goal at the seven. Da'Quan Cartwright then made a beautiful catch in the back of the endzone to push the lead to 38-21. Chadron would get another score with 5:41 to play to make the partisans somewhat interested again but interceptions by Lee Meisner and the "playmaker" Josh Costa sealed the 38-28 victory. The Thunderwolves confirmed and validated what my partner Joe Cervi, assistant coach Dale Cresswell and I agreed on before the game. This team not only looks like it belongs with Chadron State it plays like it belongs as well. Now the Thunderwolves must turn their attention to the two mentioned in my headline. CSU-P is a combined 0-6 versus this week's opponent Colorado Mines and next week against Nebraska Kearney. Last season the Pack went into these two games with an identical 5-0 record before losing a heartbreaker on the road to the Orediggers before falling to the Lopers at the Thunderbowl. To get where they want to go CSU-P will have to win at least one if not both of these next two games. But this year is different. This Thunderwolves team is not a pretender to the throne. They have proven they do belong.
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------------SPOTLIGHT ON THURSDAY----CBS Sports comes to town Thursday evening for their game of the week. Formerly known as the CBS College Sports Network, it can be found at Channel 412 on Comcast and 613 on Direct TV. Altitude Sports will also pick up the feed of this game. Just a few "seats" are in play for the game but general admission for standing room as well as "bowl area seating" in the north endzone is still a great option to be at the big event. Kickoff is set for 6:06pm.
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------------RANKINGS SHUFFLE------CSU-P has moved to 11th in the moste recent AFCA Coaches poll released Monday morning. Number one NW Missouri State dropped to seven this week after their loss Saturday. Other teams ahead of the Pack last week that lost were number three Sherman and number 4 Valdosta State who come in this week right behind CSU-P. Number 12 also dropped behind falling all the way to 23rd after losing Saturday. RMAC rival and Oct 15th opponent Nebraska Kearney jumped three spots to number four with their convincing win at Adams State. Take care of business this Thursday and CSU-P will travel to Kearney for what will surely be the headline game of the day in Division II.
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------------BELL GAME---------What an amazing crowd Friday night at Dutch Clark Stadium Centennial kept the Victory Bell with its 51-22 win over Central. Pueblo City Schools athletic director Rick Macias made the decision to make available extra tickets to make it 6000 total for each school. As I had mentioned in a previous blog too many empty seats are seen each year at the big game despite it being declared a sellout. This was due in part because of all the so-called "freebies" that had to be accounted for. Macias rolled the dice and it worked out great. Also give credit to the Pueblo Police Department for the way routed traffic out of the stadium at the conclusion of the game. Sure it helped that the game was a blowout but still traffic flowed amazingly well. As for the game Centennial displayed it will be a force to be reckoned with in the second half of the season.
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-----------PROGRAM REMINDERS--------The John Wristen Show presented by Miller Lite will take place this week only on Tuesday night at Buffalo Wild Wings in the Northgate shopping center. We go on the air at 706pm on 590KCSJ-AM and as always at www.590kcsj.com . If you do plan to join us live at BWW you will be able to hear the program while dining in the restaurant. Thursdays game broadcast will get underway at 530pm followed by kickoff scheduled for 606pm.