Box Score by Doug Johnson, Snow College
EPHRAIM, Utah — The Snow College Badgers rolled over the Eastern Arizona, 35-14, in Western States Football League (WSFL) action on Saturday afternoon in Utah. The Badgers used a balanced attack with 184 rushing yards and 234 passing to pressure Eastern Arizona's defense all afternoon.
Sophomore quarterback
Alex Kuresa had another efficient day for Snow, completing 20 of 34 passes for 239 yards and four touchdowns before yielding the way to
Thomas Jewell in the fourth quarter. Kuresa was picked off once, but the Gila Monsters fumbled the ball on the return to give possession back to the Badgers. Kuresa finished with 42 yards rushing to lead six Badger backs who shared the rushing duties.
Silas Jefferson led the Eastern Arizona running game with 62 yards on 13 carries and Tim Cook added 48 yards, also on 13 carries. But the Snow defense came up with nine tackles for loss which reduced the Gila Monster rushing total by 53 yards down to 132 yards net. Quarterback Ryheem Dixon completed five of his eight passes for 92 yards. Dixon was picked off one time, by Badger safety
Eric Takenaka who came into the game tied for the national lead in picks and now has seven on the year.
Snow scored on a 24-yard pass play from Kuresa to
Louie Hamilton in the first quarter and followed that with a five-yard scoring pass from Kuresa to
Darrell Milburn in the second. Eastern Arizona tightened it back to a one-score game midway through the second when Cook scored on an eight-yard run following a 56-yard completion on third and long from Dixon to Hunter Udall.
Snow quickly turned it back into a two-score game when Takenaka returned the ensuing kickoff 59 yards into Gila Monster territory at the 41. Kuresa then hit
Stephen Shepard for 17 yards, and Arlonzo Simpson made a spectacular one-handed, diving catch in the end zone for a 24-yard TD on the next play to put the Badgers ahead 21-7.
Louie Hamilton scored for Snow on a three-yard run early in the second half and tight end
Dalton Fackrell completed the Badgers' scoring with a 20-yard TD pass from Kuresa midway through the third.
Eastern Arizona's scored came in the fourth quarter on a two-yard run by Jefferson which was the culmination of an eight play Gila Monster drive to make the final score 35-14.
Snow moves temporarily into a tie with Arizona Western atop the WSFL standings at 6-1. Arizona Western plays tonight at Mesa (3-3)and then finishes the regular season next week with a non-league game against Air Force Prep. Scottsdale (5-1) can keep pace if they can beat Phoenix College tonight. Snow finishes its regular season next week at Pima while Scottsdale finishes next week hosting Mesa. Eastern Arizona (now 3-4) closes the regular season next week hosting New Mexico Military (2-5). The WSFL playoffs will begin on Oct. 25.
