By: Jamal Smith Sports Editor
It was a cold, wet, and windy night at McArthur Field, but the Wolves got their seventh consecutive victory on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015 against South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SD). The final score was 37-26.
The victory improves the Wolves overall record to 7-3 and 5-1 in GNAC play.
Redshirt-sophomore Phillip Fenumiai (QB) led Western downfield on their first drive of the game, connecting with senior Daniel Thomas (WR) for a 26-yard touchdown pass.
Fenumiai would finish the game with 168-yards through the air, four passing touchdowns and tack on 55-yards rushing.
Fenumiai, who is known for his ability to run the ball, showed that he is not just a one trick pony, connecting with sophomore Maurice McSwain (WR) for a 16-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter.
The Wolves led 12-0 after the first quarter.
SD would score the only points in the second quarter after the Hardrockers started their drive on the Western Oregon 17-yard line. SD would convert on a two-point attempt to tighten the score to 12-8 going into half time.
Fenumiai picked up right where he left off on the Wolves’ first drive of the second half, throwing his second touchdown pass to McSwain, his third TD pass of the game.
Five minutes later, Fenumiai would connect with sophomore Paul Revis (WR) for a 15-yard touchdown, giving Fenumiai four total passing touchdowns for the game. The third quarter would end with the Western leading 26-8.
“Phillip threw a pass up the middle, and once I made the catch I just followed my blockers,” said Revis. “There just happened to be no one in front of me and I just walked into the end zone.”
In the fourth quarter, with just minutes remaining in the game, first year Malik Braxton (RB) would break way for 57-yard run, but was stopped at the SD 4-yard line.
He finished the drive by bullying his way into the end zone. Braxton would finish the game with 136-yards rushing.
“Every week the offensive line keeps doing what they’re doing, and I just had to get a touchdown for them,” said Braxton after the game.
Junior George Swartzlender (DL) led the defense with 10 total stops and four tackles for a loss which included a 10-yard sack.
Swartzlender was named the GNAC Defensive Player of the Week.
“We felt positive about the way we played on defense. We made a lot of defensive stands, and we have been doing that all year,” said head coach Arne Ferguson. “Offensively, our offensive line took some time to wear them down. Malik had a big run, Phillip played well and we were getting the ball to Paul.”
Next up, the Wolves finish out the regular season at home against Humboldt State University (HSU) on Saturday, Nov. 14, 2015 at 1 p.m. With a win against HSU, the Wolf Pack has a good chance at improving their regional ranking to keep their post-season hopes alive.
“We’re 10th in the region, Humboldt is second. The top seven go to the NCAA playoffs,” said Ferguson. “We feel really good about beating Northern Alabama and if we are able to beat Humboldt the last game of the season, with winning seven in a row, there is a really good chance we can make it.”
“They are a really good team; they’re coached really well and they are on fire, so it’s going to be a really tough task,” added Ferguson.
