Box Score ELLENSBURG, WASHINGTON – The Dixie State rushing attack was held to negative yardage Saturday afternoon by nationally-ranked Central Washington en route to a 37-6 defeat in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
The loss was the fourth in-a-row away from home this season for Dixie State (2-4, 1-2 GNAC) and their third consecutive over the Wildcats. #5 CWU (6-0, 1-0 GMAC) extended their regular-season win streak to 13 and GNAC mark without a loss to 26 games.
No Red Storm runner broke through for positive yardage culminating totaling minus-29 yards for the team.
Adam Wells (Kenmore. WA/Inglemoor) was the closest to the break-even mark carrying the ball twice for a loss of two yards.
The duo of quarterback
Judd Thompson (Crystal Lake. IL/Prarie Ridge HS) and tight end
Alex Nelsen (Brigham City. UT/Box Elder HS) connected eight times including the Storm's only score – a 49-yard pass right down the middle of the field capping a quick two play drive. CWU blocked the extra point giving Dixie State their only lead at 6-3 at 6:07 in the first period.
Thompson was 24-for-43 for 198 yards. He was picked off twice, sacked twice and hurried all day by the pressure from the Wildcat defensive core. Nelsen had season-highs in catches and yards (97).
Nick Cragin (Issaquah, WA/Skyline) led Dixie State defensively with 11 total tackles including seven unassisted.
Keauntea Bankhead (Seattle, WA/Ballard) added nine tackles while
James Freed (Sandy, UT/Brighton) and
Wesley Beavers (Las Vegas. NV/Cheyenne) each had six.
Central kicker Garrett Rolsma posted points in the first quarter with a 35-yard field goal early and another from 41 yards out at the gun to knot the score at 6-6. He added a chip shot of 21 yards with 9:11 in the second quarter to give the Wildcats a lead they never surrendered.
Wildcat WR Johnny Spevak caught eight balls for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Spevak became the all-time CWU leader in reception yards with over 3,000 in the game.
Running backs Randall Eldridge and Bryson Kelley combined for 133 yards on 27 carries on the ground for the Wildcats.
CWU capped a string of 34 consecutive points scored in the 3rd quarter when Jamal Weeks returned a blocked punt 15 yards for a score.
Central Washington ran 21 more plays than Dixie State to outgain the Storm 385-174 in total yards.
Dixie State returns home to Hansen Stadium for the next two weeks. The Storm host Western Oregon next Saturday (Oct. 10) at 1:05pm in GNAC-play on Homecoming. DSC will try and avenge a 17-16 loss to the Wolves in Monmouth on September 19. The following week (Oct. 17), Azuza Pacific University travels to Hansen for a non-conference battle with kickoff at 1:05pm.
