Box Score EPHRAIM—Mesa Community College made the plays when they needed them and rode the arm of their outstanding sophomore quarterback to take a key road win, 33-24, over the Snow College Badgers on Saturday. Ranked No. 20 in the nation, the Thunderbirds broke a string of 21 straight losses to the Badgers and maintain at least a tie atop the Western States Football League standings. Quarterback Blake Kemp completed 20-of-37 passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns in leading Mesa to the win.
Following a first quarter which saw the teams deadlocked at 10, on consecutive possessions Snow started the second period by pinning the Thunderbirds inside the five-yard line on precision punts by the Badgers' ace punter Nick Porebski. But both times Kemp bailed his team out on big third down plays starting quick paced drives that moved the ball the length of the field. Mesa fumbled into the Badger end zone the first time to narrowly miss taking the lead, but scored on an 84-yard Kemp to Michael Allen pass play the next time to take a 17-10 halftime lead.
Both teams scored twice in the third quarter, Mesa striking first on a 66-yard fumble return by Daniel Jackson when it looked like Snow was moving in to again tie the game. A 15-yard pass from Kemp to Omar Rodriquez put Mesa ahead 30-10 with just three minutes left in the third.
The Badgers brought the crowd back to life by scoring twice in the last minute of the period to get back to within six points. First Connor McGuire grabbed a seven-yard TD pass from Crosby Jensen with 52 seconds left, his second scoring reception of the game.
Following the kickoff Snow's Tavian Lott intercepted a Kemp pass on second down which he returned 19 yards to the Mesa 20. Jensen hit Nicholas West at the goal line on first down and suddenly it was "game on" as the Badgers were within six heading into the fourth quarter.
Snow just couldn't build any more momentum, however, as Mesa defensive back Landry Payne picked off Jensen twice in the final period and DeMarlon Morris added a third pick with less than a minute left on the clock.
Jensen had his best game so far as a Badger, completing 32-of-57 passes to ten different receivers for 357 yards and three touchdowns. McGuire, getting his first real chance this season to show what he could do, pulled in a game-high nine receptions for 76 yards, including two touchdowns. Hassan Richardson also had a big day with seven receptions for 93 yards. Tyler Barron caught five passes for 68 yards.
The Badgers will host New Mexico Military for homecoming on Saturday. The Badgers are now 1-4 on the season, 1-3 in the Western States Football League.
