Grizzlies win turnover battle, spoil NMHU's homecoming

Two quick turnovers led to Adams State points Saturday evening, setting the tone for New Mexico Highlands’ homecoming defeat by a 27-7 count at Perkins Stadium.

Highlands is 0-5 overall and 0-3 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. ASC is 1-4, 1-2.

The Cowboys fumbled the ball away 46 seconds into the game, and the Grizzlies wound up with a 26-yard David Van Voris field goal. Then on the following series, Levi Gallas intercepted a Jordan Mendoza pass and ran it back 28 yards for a touchdown. With 11:26 still left on the clock in the opening quarter, Adams State led 10-0.

Van Voris added a 27-yard field goal to stretch the margin to 10-0 by quarter’s end.

Highlands settled in and overcame its early turnovers but couldn’t match the Grizzlies’ ability to march up and down the field. Adams scored on each of its first three offensive series in rolling up 350 yards, including 228 through the air.

The Grizzlies did it with two quarterbacks. Starter Sean McDougal was bumped from the game on a crunching hit in the first quarter. Trevor Eggleston stepped in and went on to orchestrate two scoring drives before halftime.

The first of these ended with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Trevor Zott at the 12:47 mark in the quarter.

NMHU’s Herman Young scored a 1-yard rush TD with 6:44 left in the half; Luis Marin’s extra point trimmed the gap to 20-7.

But Eggleston and company restored the 20-point spread after the next drive, which culminated with Eggleston’s 6-yard TD pass to Dustin Bolt. With 3:48 left before intermission, Adams State led 27-7.

Neither school scored after the fireworks-and-coronation halftime show.

Eggleston finished 12 of 27 for 227 yards, two TDs and two interceptions, along with 40 rushing yards.

Bolt collected six catches for 162 yards, including the TD.

For Highlands, Mendoza was 7 for 23, 121 yards and one pick.

Thomas Raiola led the Cowboy defense with 10 tackles, three for loss. Carl Willis and Troy Johnson both had interceptions.

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Highlands’ women’s soccer team (2-7) earned a major road win Friday, beating Nebraska-Kearney 1-0.

Krista Mashak, taking a pass from Susannah Hertz, booted the game-winning goal in the 61st minute.

Cowgirl goalkeeper Lauren Waite earned the shutout with one save in 90 minutes.

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 NMHU volleyball lost 25-20, 25-19, 27-25 Friday at Western State, then fell 25-21, 25-15, 22-25, 25-27, 15-5 Saturday at Fort Lewis.

In the two matches, NMHU’s Dominique Benton had a combined 21 kills; Colleen Chauncey 20. The Cowgirls are 1-13, 0-6.