The ThunderWolves defeated Adams State last season on Sept. 22 at the Neta & Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl 30-0. Photo courtesy of gothunderwolves.com

Two of the biggest rivals in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference will meet Saturday when the Colorado State University-Pueblo ThunderWolves take on the Adams State University Grizzlies at Rex Stadium in Alamosa, Colo. 

The meeting will mark the 30th time that the teams, separated by just over 100 miles, will clash, with CSU-Pueblo holding a 17-10-2 advantage all-time.

The ThunderWolves are riding a series of streaks heading into the game, including an RMAC record 29 consecutive regular season victories, and 25 straight wins against RMAC opponents. Specifically against conference foe Adams State, the ThunderWolves have won four consecutive matchups dating to 2009, and haven’t lost in Alamosa since 1976.

“It’s a backyard brawl,” head coach John Wristen said of the rivalry. “It’s 119 miles from their stadium to our stadium, and we’re really excited to go out there and play on Saturday night.”

Wristen and the Pack know that this year’s game won’t be handed to them, as Adams State is off to an equal 3-0 start to the season.

“We realize that for this program to go where it wants to go, these games are so important; these games are like playoff games,” Wristen said. “[Adams State] has a good program, and coach [Marty] Heaton does a good job of coaching their guys.”

The ThunderWolves are off to a 3-0 start for the fourth consecutive season, largely in part to the dynamic play of their offense, which is averaging 43.3 points per game, setting a new school record for consecutive 40-plus point outings.

The 43.3 points per game is No. 12 in the country, and trails only Colorado School of Mines for the highest scoring average in the RMAC.

“All I want to do is win by one point,” Wristen said. “If that means we have to score 50 and they score 49, then I’m happy.”

The ThunderWolves’ defense is off to a great start as well, forcing nine three-and-out drives, and 13 total punts last week against Western New Mexico.

“Our defense has done an outstanding job,” Wristen said. “But my expectation is just for us to have fun, play hard and enjoy this together; if that happens, then we’ve done our job.”

Defensively, linebacker Ben Estica is leading the way with 32 total tackles, an average of just over 10 per game. Estica also has an interception, forced fumble and four tackles for loss on his already stellar sophomore campaign.

Meanwhile, wide receiver Paul Browning is continuing his outstanding season catching passes from junior quarterback Chris Bonner, accumulating more than 100 receiving yards in each of his first three games and averaging a Division II best 31.8 yards per reception.

The ThunderWolves and Grizzlies are scheduled to kickoff at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

Fullback Coleman MacArthur vs. Western New Mexico. Photo courtesy of Gothunderwolves.com

The Thunderbowl was an electric sea of red Saturday as the No. 5 ThunderWolves defeated the Western New Mexico Mustangs 44-7 in the 2013 CSU-Pueblo home opener. 

The ThunderWolves amassed 553 yards and forced 13 Mustang punts en route to their third consecutive victory.

Quarterback Chris Bonner and the ThunderWolves got off to a fast start, driving 52 yards on just seven plays on the opening possession of the game, capped off by a one yard touchdown reception by Chris Ashe less than two minutes in.

CSU-Pueblo ran a no-huddle offense for most of the game, making it difficult for the Mustang defense to keep up. The up-tempo offense was effective, as proved by Kieren Duncan’s 57-yard touchdown on an end-around run that gave the ThunderWolves a 14-0 advantage in the first quarter.

“The way that play opened up in the game, it was just a culmination of the hard work we’ve put in,” Duncan said of his big play, “I had good blocking on the end, so that made it that much easier for me.”

Paul Browning added to the offensive onslaught in the second quarter as he continued his dynamic season full of big plays. Browning hauled in yet another long touchdown pass from Bonner, this one from 63 yards, to help the ThunderWolves build a 24-0 lead in the first half.

“We wanted to try to use some up-tempo to help us out,” head coach John Wristen said, “But we also have the ability to slow it down and call the plays we need to.”

The ThunderWolves dominance was not limited to just offense, however. The CSU-Pueblo defense was suffocating, preventing the Mustangs from getting anything going whatsoever.

In the first half, the Mustangs were held to 70 yards on 37 offensive plays, compared to 318 yards on 44 plays for the ThunderWolves.

“We wanted to make them go 80 yards and not give them the big plays,” Wristen said, “Our defense did a heck of a job with that.”

The story was much of the same in the second half, as the ThunderWolves defense stifled the Mustangs offense and held them to 211 total offensive yards, while a 33-yard touchdown run by the other member of the ThunderWolves’ potent running attack, Cameron McDondle, all but sealed the deal in the third quarter.

A strip-sack in the fourth quarter by Josh Croy halted one of the more successful drives by the Mustangs and all but sealed the deal for the ThunderWolves.

The victory kept several streaks alive for the ThunderWolves, including 29 consecutive regular season wins and 23 consecutive wins in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

With the 44 points scored, it also marks the first time in school history that the ThunderWolves have scored 40 or more points in three consecutive games.

“I think we have weapons at every single position on the field, and the right coaching staff to call the right plays and get the right personnel out there,” Duncan said, “I think we’re definitely a force to be reckoned with.”

The ThunderWolves continue RMAC play next Saturday as they head to Alamosa to take on Adams State at 6 p.m.

ThunderWolves put up big numbers in win over Angelo State.

CSU-Pueblo played big-league football in a big-league football stadium in a 45-24 victory over the Angelo State Rams at Cowboys Stadium on Saturday.

The ThunderWolves put up 617 yards of offense while forcing three turnovers to run their regular season win streak to 28 games, the second longest streak in any division of collegiate football.

Despite Angelo State having over twice the time of possession as CSU-Pueblo, the ThunderWolves were able to capitalize off of turnovers and big plays in the first half.

The ThunderWolves set the tone immediately upon receiving the opening kickoff, as Paul Browning caught a 64-yard touchdown pass from Chris Bonner on the first play from scrimmage.

Just seven offensive plays later, CSU-Pueblo recovered a botched punt return by the Rams, setting up a five-yard touchdown rush by Chris Ashe.

The defense of CSU-Pueblo effectively stifled the offensive attack of the Rams in the first half, limiting them to only a field goal and 168 total yards.

Angelo State made a comeback bid early in the second half, scoring two touchdowns in a four-minute span, but CSU-Pueblo continued to play like a top-five team and refused to let the score get any closer.

A streak of 17 unanswered points for the ThunderWolves began when Josh Sandoval took an Angelo State punt 55-yards for a touchdown near midway through the third quarter, giving them a 28-17 lead at the time.

Paul Browning furthered his reputation as a home-run threat on the next drive, hauling in an 84-yard pass from Bonner to set up a Greg O’Donnell field goal.

With two catches for 148 yards, Browning averaged 74-yards-per-catch and made it two consecutive weeks of having over 100 yards receiving and a touchdown.

The ThunderWolves were efficient on the ground as well, as sophomore running back Cameron McDondle broke out for 160 yards on 13 carries and Chris Ashe went 84 yards on 10 carries. Both McDondle and Ashe scored a touchdown on the night as well.

Meanwhile, quarterback Chris Bonner turned in another outstanding performance in his second start in a CSU-Pueblo uniform, completing 14 passes on 26 attempts with two touchdowns and 354 yards.

The ThunderWolves have now scored over 40 points in each of their first two games, and will look to continue their winning ways in their home opener Sept. 21 at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl at 2 p.m.

The crowd is encouraged to wear red for the game against Western New Mexico as part of a “Red Out.”

Stephan Dickens returns an interception for a touchdown against UNC. Photo from gothunderwolves.com

ThunderWolves defensive back Stephan Dickens knows how to make a comeback.

After missing the entire 2012 season due to injury, Dickens returned in the 2013 season opener at Northern Colorado and made a game-changing impact.

A little over midway through the second quarter, with the ThunderWolves trailing the Division I UNC Bears 16-7, Dickens picked off a pass and took it 80 yards for a touchdown, cutting the Bears’ lead to 16-14 and setting up a comeback victory for the Thunderwolves.

Not only did Dickens record a momentum shifting pick-six, but he also deflected two passes from UNC quarterback Seth Lobato and made a team high 14 tackles.

That was enough for Dickens to earn Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week honors for the week of September 9, the second time he has earned that honor in his career.

He was also named RMAC Player of the Week in October 2011 after turning in a two-interception game against Nebraska-Kearney.

Now Dickens and the rest of the CSU-Pueblo ThunderWolves have their sights set on Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, where they will take on Division II foe Angelo State.

The game is part of the Lone Star Conference Football Festival and allows members of the Lone Star Conference, including Angelo State, to face off against the top teams in the nation under the lights at Cowboys Stadium.

The ThunderWolves will square off against Angelo State for the first time ever on Saturday, and will have what head coach John Wristen called a “tough task” against the Angelo State defense.

“They were a top-10 defense in the country last year,” Wristen said. “We’ve got our work cut out for us.”

If last Saturday is any indication, the ThunderWolves offense will be more than ready to face that challenge. New quarterback Chris Bonner debuted in a big way against UNC, going 20-for-36 while amassing 276 yards and three touchdowns in the 41-36 opening game victory.

Bonner’s number one target last week, Paul Browning, noted that while it is going to be a memorable experience playing in an NFL stadium, it is still a “business trip.”

Browning came away with seven receptions and 113 yards while scoring one touchdown Saturday, helping the ThunderWolves improve their regular season win streak to 27.

“No hangovers,” coach Wristen said of coming off the big win last week, “That’s not what being a pack football player is all about. We have to understand that game is over with.”

That streak is most impressive considering it’s the second longest active streak in any NCAA football division, trailing only the 73-game regular season win streak put together by Division III Mount Union.

As for the giant screen hanging over the field from the roof of Cowboys Stadium, Coach Wristen says his punter has a “good chance” to hit it with a punt. Other than that, it’s just a regular football stadium to him.

“It’s still 100 yards, last time I checked,” Wristen said. “The only thing anyone will remember is whether you won or lost.”

The game will be televised locally on Altitude 2, which will air on campus through channel 22, and will begin at 7 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.

Quincy Kindred, junior quarterback at Centennial High School, breaking tackles in first half. Photo courtesy of Tyler Shomaker

The Pueblo Centennial Bulldogs defeated the Pueblo Central Wildcats 41-29 in front of a packed Dutch Clark Stadium crowd on Friday night in the 63rd annual Bell Game. 

While several players from each team turned in respectable performances, Bulldog quarterback Quincy Kindred stole the spotlight in the 113th matchup between the two teams.

Kindred, a junior listed at 5-foot-8 and 175-pounds, ran over every bit of the artificial turf at Dutch Clark Stadium on his way to 278 yards rushing and six touchdowns, five of them on the ground.

Kindred also added one touchdown pass and a made a crucial interception on defense in the contest, which turned out to be the Kindred show.

“He’s amazing. He’s a great player that works hard,” Mike Palumbo, head coach of the Bulldogs said, “He’s a three sport athlete and we’re lucky to have him.”

Bulldogs got off to a quick start, as senior Avary Currington took the opening kickoff over 70 yards and put his offense deep into Wildcats territory.

It didn’t take long for Kindred to make his way into the end zone for the first time, as he scampered for a 32-yard run on third down to find pay dirt.

Tristan Williams, Senior at Centennial High School, dives on a fumble in first quarter. Photo courtesy of Tyler Shomaker

The Wildcats found themselves in a big hole early, as senior Bulldog Tristan Williams blocked a punt on Central’s first possession, giving Centennial the ball at the 19-yard line and setting up a quick score for Kindred.

“It was straight adrenaline, it was awesome,” Williams said, “I felt like I was on top of the world.”

Only two minutes later, Kindred was running for a 67-yard score following another Wildcat punt, giving his team a 20-0 lead within the first seven minutes of the game.

The Wildcats were able to regroup quickly, led by senior quarterback Zach Andrews. Andrews threw for two touchdowns and ran for another while amassing 210 yards in the air, but he also threw two interceptions.

One of the interceptions was made by none other than Kindred with seconds left in the first half, setting up a 73-yard Kindred touchdown run as time expired, giving the Bulldogs a 34-14 lead.

Kindred attributed his fancy footwork to his offseason training and agility exercises, but running for an average of 16-yards-per-carry will take its toll on a player.

Mike Palumbo, head coach of the Bulldogs, talking to his team in final moments of the Bell Game. Photo courtesy of Tyler Shomaker

“I was cramping up pretty bad,” Kindred said with a smile after the game.

The Wildcats were able to control the clock and drive down the field in the second half, but the Bulldog defense was able to halt two drives through two big fourth down stops.

Naturally, a 13-yard Kindred touchdown run sealed the game for the Bulldogs, as there was not enough time for the Wildcats to make a comeback, even after a Hail Mary touchdown pass from Andrews to his top target Michael Ranson.

The victory marks the fourth year in a row that the Bell will ring red, only the second time in history the Bulldogs have compiled such a streak.

“It feels great to make history, it feels great right now” Kindred said.

Palumbo echoed that sentiment, saying that while they never really talked about tying the streak, it was always in the back of their minds.

Although the game marked the 113th time the two teams have met, the first “Bell Game” came in 1950 when local businessman Lewis Rhodes donated a brass train bell to the game.

The Wildcats still lead the all-time series 55-49-9, including a 34-28-3 mark since the bell became a part of the game.

Chris Bonner will be the new general under center for the Thunderwolves, taking over at the quarterback position for recently graduated Ross Dausin. Photo courtesy of /www.gothunderwolves.com

The No. 6 ranked Colorado State University-Pueblo Thunderwolves will travel to Greeley, Colo. on Saturday to open the season against the Northern Colorado Bears of the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision.

The meeting will mark the first time CSU-Pueblo has faced a Division I school, and will be the first meeting between the two since 1976.

The two Colorado schools faced off annually between 1964 and 1976, with UNC earning victories in all but two contests, the other two ended in ties.

The Thunderwolves are looking to turn things around against the Bears and continue their success from last season, in which they finished with a 12-1 record, earning the first playoff victory in school history.

Chris Bonner will be the new general under center for the Thunderwolves, taking over at the quarterback position for recently graduated Ross Dausin. Bonner is a transfer from Grossmont Junior College in San Diego, Calif., where he passed for nearly 2,500 yards and 19 touchdowns last season.

Bonner will have several offensive weapons returning as starters for the Thunderwolves, including senior wide receiver Josh Sandoval, who needs only one reception to make 100 in his career. Sandoval currently sits second in school history in receptions, trailing the mark of 127 catches set by John Trahan.

The Bears, who began their 2013 season with a 31-10 victory over Langston (Okla.) behind senior quarterback Seth Lobato, will be coming into the game on Saturday carrying a five game winning streak.

Lobato is fourth all-time in UNC history in passing yards, racking up over 5,600 yards so far in his career, including a 314-yard performance last week.

Looking to stop Lobato and company for the Thunderwolves will be a revamped defense that includes four new linebackers. The Thunderwolves will be returning starters on the defensive line in Darius Allen and Tony Campton, and will also be bringing back defensive backs C.J. Roberts, Jarrod Lacy and Nick Henderson.

Thunderwolves head coach John Wristen will begin his sixth season with a record of 43-14, and is seeking his sixth consecutive victory to open a season, which would be tied for the second-longest streak in school history.

Under funding from the “On the Move” campaign, the campus will also see renovations to the soccer field, which will be transformed into a $2.5 million soccer and lacrosse complex, complete with grandstand seating for 600, synthetic turf, concessions, a press box and more. Photo courtesy of Gothunderwolves.com

Colorado State University Pueblo will be adding six new sports to the athletics program, as part of a $25 million “On the Move” campaign.

The $25 million campaign, which is planned to take place over the next three years, includes three parts: $15 million in new scholarships and financial aid, $5 million devoted to renovation of the OUC and $5 million for the addition of the new sports.

The sports will include men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s cross country, men’s indoor and outdoor track and field and women’s swimming and diving.

CSU-Pueblo Foundation chair Dan DeRose spoke on the details of the campaign, and noted that although they knew it was going to be a difficult challenge, the foundation board stepped up to the occasion and unanimously said, “Let’s do it.”

DeRose noted that in the past 60 years of the foundation, they have accumulated $26.3 million.

“Basically what we accumulated in 60 years, we’re going to try to raise in three (years),” DeRose said.

He went on to explain exactly how the money would be distributed and put to use.

The campus will also see renovations to the soccer field, which will be transformed into a $2.5 million soccer and lacrosse complex, complete with grandstand seating for 600, synthetic turf, concessions, a press box and more.

“It will be the nicest soccer and lacrosse stadium in the state of Colorado,” DeRose said, “And certainly the nicest in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.”

The other $2.5 million of the money dedicated to the addition of the new sports will go toward scholarship funds and other athletic expansion costs for men’s track, men’s cross country, women’s swimming and diving and men’s and women’s lacrosse.

“As a result of the six new sports, we will bring in at least 130 new student-athletes to the university,” athletics director Joe Folda said, “And that doesn’t take into account the friends, girlfriends and boyfriends that may follow them here.”

CSU-Pueblo previously offered men’s indoor and outdoor track and men’s cross country, but the programs were cut in 1993. The programs had a rich history before their end, boasting dozens of all-Americans and four individual national champions.

Matt Morris will be the man in charge of the new men’s track and cross-country programs, and will also lead the women’s teams. Morris comes from Carroll College in Montana where he brought a start-up program to the national spotlight, earning four conference championships, three coach of the year honors and three NAIA national champions.

Folda said the addition of sports like lacrosse is very beneficial, as it is one of the fastest growing sports in America. He went on to say the addition of the six new sports, bringing the university total to 22, would be somewhat of a “final step” in CSU-Pueblo becoming the “Jewel of the South” in Colorado.

The CSU-Pueblo baseball team won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference on May 12, and qualified for the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship. Photo courtesy of gothunderwolves.com

The CSU-Pueblo baseball team won the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference on May 12, and qualified for the NCAA Division II Baseball Championship.

The ThunderWolves advance to the tournament for the ninth time in school history after defeating Colorado Mesa University in the RMAC Championship.

The ThunderWolves were undefeated in the double elimination tournament heading into the championship game, meaning the Mavericks, from CMU, would have to defeat them twice in order to earn the title.

CSU-Pueblo dropped the first game 6-1, leading to a winner-take-all scenario in game two on Colorado Mesa’s home field in Grand Junction, Colo.

Colorado Mesa came out strong in the second game, jumping out to a 2-0 lead early on, but the ThunderWolves battled back, scoring five runs in the second inning and went on to win the game and the automatic NCAA tournament berth by a score of 7-5.

Mario Sanchez led the way for the ThunderWolves, driving in two runs, including a solo homerun in the bottom of the seventh inning to add to CSU-Pueblo’s lead, which they would not relinquish.

Jeremiah Struble gave up three earned runs in 6 2/3 innings on his way to his ninth victory of the year. Mike Fabrizio, a starter for most of the year, came in and earned his first save of the season, despite giving up two hits.

Struble was named the MVP of the tournament after also throwing a complete game victory against Metro State to begin the tournament.

CSU-Pueblo will now play as the No. 6 seed in the South Central Region of the Division II tournament, beginning on May 16.

The ThunderWolves will begin play against the top-seeded host Texas A&M-Kingsville at Nolan Ryan Field in Kingsville, Tex.

Each of the eight regionals will be a double-elimination tournament between six teams, with the winners of each region advancing to the double-elimination championship finals May 25-June 1.