ROSWELL, N.M.—The tenth-ranked Snow College Badgers were firing on all cylinders as they beat the New Mexico Military Broncos 45 – 27 on Saturday afternoon in JUCO football action. Snow led 45 – 7 after three quarters, but gave up 20 unanswered points in the final period – the first time the Badgers did not score themselves in 19 quarters.

     The Badgers rolled to a 31 – 7 lead at halftime led by running back Breon Allen who had touchdowns both rushing and receiving in the first half. Allen, who started the day second in the nation in yards per game, finished with 170 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. He added 26 yards and another TD on 3 receptions.

     Snow defensive tackle Ofa Hautau forced a fumble on the first play of the game which Tana Afeaki recovered at the Bronco 16-yard line leading to a one-yard scoring run by Allen. Allen scored again in the second period on a 14-yard pass from Christian Stewart.

     Stewart started quickly hitting his first six passes and finished 16-of-33 passing for 223 yards and four touchdowns. Stewart hit fullback Frank Sanft from three yards out and then had strikes of 11 and 51 yards to wide receiver Damond Powell. Wide receiver Lowry Akers also threw to Powell for a 39-yard touchdown six minutes into the second quarter on a reverse option play. Powell finished with five receptions for 136 yards and three touchdowns.

     The Broncos capitalized on one of the few Badger mistakes in the first half, scoring quickly after recovering a Stewart fumble at the Snow 44-yard line midway through the opening period. Benjamin Langford ran it in from the one following a 43-yard Quinn Billerman to Troy Gatling pass. Gatling had five receptions for 99 yards for New Mexico Military and Billerman finished with 205 yards passing.

     Snow, second nationally in sacks coming into the game, added six more against the Broncos, but did not have a defensive score for only the second time this year.

     Snow is now 7-1 overall and 5-0 in the Western States Football League. They will host Eastern Arizona this week in their final home game. The Badgers will finish on the road at Phoenix College and Arizona Western. The Broncos drop to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the WSFL.

story by: Doug Johnson