MPR__Mines_vs_SD_Mines-9_Touchdown

Orediggers start season strong with near shutout against SDSM&T

Saturday marked the start of the Orediggers 2013 football season, and they certainly started off on the right foot, routing South Dakota School of Mines 72-6.

Junior quarterback Matt Brown got things started in a hurry, connecting with receiver Diamond Gillis for a 32 yard touchdown just over four minutes into the game. Brown scored two more touchdowns with his legs on the next two CSM drives, including a one yard quarterback keeper on the goalline and a 33 yard scramble on a broken play. After just one quarter, the Orediggers led 21-0, and the game appeared to already be getting out of hand.

The second quarter featured even more of an offensive explosion from CSM than the first, with the Orediggers scoring four times in as many drives. After a nine yard Tevin Champagne touchdown run started off the quarter, the Oredigger defense forced a South Dakota School of Mines turnover deep in their own territory, resulting in another Matt Brown one yard scoring run a mere 31 seconds later. Combine all this with a three yard touchdown pass from Brown to Jordan Ward and an Avery Llewellyn 32 yard field goal, and you’ve got a game that was all but over by halftime, with CSM leading 44-0.

Quarter number three provided one more Matt Brown touchdown pass, this time to Ty Young, before sophomore quarterback Joe Schneider was handed the reins of the offense. Schneider picked up right where Brown left off, driving down the field and hooking up with Young for a three yard touchdown pass towards the end of the third giving the Orediggers a 58-0 lead at the break.

The offense continued to roll through the final quarter as well, putting up 14 more points on a Joe Schneider pass to Alex Waner and a one yard Zack Newnam run. South Dakota School of Mines scored their only points of the game in the final minute, completing a short touchdown pass to break up the potential shutout, giving the Orediggers the 72-6 win.

While the Oredigger offense was outstanding, amassing over 700 yards of total offense and an advantage of over ten minutes in time of possession, the defense also deserves a large amount of credit. Led by Chad McGraw, the defense held South Dakota School of Mines to under 200 yards of total offense, forced a turnover (a Shawn Kobylinski interception), and forced the Hardrockers to punt nine times. Overall, this was a great game from all parts of the CSM team, a fact reflected by the final score.

The Orediggers will look to keep their momentum going next weekend as they host the 17th ranked Carson-Newman Eagles here in Golden, September 14th at noon.



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