Nick Jurney
Fresh off a 34-6 victory against Colorado Mesa at home, the Colorado State University-Pueblo ThunderWolves have set their sights toward a showdown with New Mexico Highlands in Las Vegas, N.M. on Saturday.
With a win Saturday, the ThunderWolves can all but clinch their third consecutive Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title.
Currently sitting at 7-0 in the conference, a win against New Mexico Highlands and a Chadron State win against Fort Lewis will keep CSU-Pueblo’s conference lead at one game, with one to play.
That would mean even with a loss in the final week against Western State, the ThunderWolves would have at least a share of the RMAC title.
Of course, all of that is circumstantial, and the ThunderWolves still have to take care of business against a dangerous Cowboys squad.
All season long, head coach John Wristen has preached going 1-0 for the week and gets his players prepared for any team, with signs posted all throughout the football clubhouse saying, “win the week.”
Though the Cowboys of New Mexico Highlands are sitting near the bottom of the conference with a 2-7 record, they have more than held their own in conference contests. Their most recent three losses to Adams State, Chadron State and Black Hills State respectively, have all been single digit losses.
Quarterbacking the NMHU squad is Emmanuel Lewis, who has been a dual-threat all season. Lewis has thrown for more than 2,500 yards and rushed for 216 more, while scoring 13 total touchdowns on the year.
The ThunderWolves’ defense is proving to be up for any challenge, however, as was proved last week in a gritty win against Colorado Mesa. The ThunderWolves are second in the conference with 30 sacks, and third with 13 interceptions this season.
The ThunderWolves defense has also been effective at stripping the ball, forcing 12 fumbles on the year.
Quarterback Chris Bonner is still on pace to break Ross Dausin’s single-season touchdown mark for the ThunderWolves. Bonner is sitting at 24 touchdown tosses thus far, just one shy of the record that was set by Dausin last season.
Should the ThunderWolves win and clinch at least a share of the RMAC title, fans can expect to be a part of a trophy presentation the following week at home after the game against Western State.
CSU-Pueblo and NMHU kick off from New Mexico at 2 p.m. Saturday.