","thumbnailUrl":null,"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"Utah Tech University Athletics","jobTitle":null},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Utah Tech University Athletics","url":"https://utahtechtrailblazers.com","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://utahtechtrailblazers.com/images/logos/site/site.png","width":50,"height":50}},"about":null,"speakable":{"type":"SpeakableSpecification","cssSelector":["article-content","article-headline"]}} GNAC leading Wildcats face Red Storm on Saturday - Utah Tech University Athletics
Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Utah Tech University Athletics

Frei catch
Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics

Football John Potter, Media Relations Assistant

GNAC leading Wildcats face Red Storm on Saturday

DSC tries to blemish CWU undefeated league mark



Football vs. Central Washington - 1 PM MST (Hansen Stadium)
Live Radio: SportsRadio ESPN 1210AM, 107.3/102.3 FM
Live Online Audio/Video: Dixie State All-Access
Live stats: Dixie State Live Stats
Game Notes: Dixie State

Dixie State College welcomes the leaders atop the Great Northwest Athletic Conference football standings, the Wildcats of Central Washington University, on Saturday, October 6, 2012, at Hansen Stadium. The game will feature the first afternoon kickoff of the season – 1:05 p.m. Mountain.

•     Dixie State has dropped two straight games, entering the contest with an overall record of 2-3. The Red Storm sport a 2-2 record in the GNAC after last Saturday's 41-28 loss at Simon Fraser.
•     After allowing 49 points combined in the first three weeks of the season, the Red Storm have allowed 40+ points in two consecutive games.
• Sophomore quarterback Kaleo Nawahine (Fruitland, ID/Fruitland) is expected to make his first start for Dixie State. The Fruitland, ID resident has seen action in every game this season and filled the reserve role in 2011 behind Cody Stevenson (Sandy, UT/Juan Diego) and Stefan Cantwell (South Jordan, UT/Bingham). Nawahine was the only QB on the DSC roster with any GNAC gameplay prior to the season.
• The Red Storm are 0-8 all-time against the Wildcats – losing both games in 2011 (31-24 in St. George, 42-14 in Ellensburg). The most competitive games of the series have seen Hansen Stadium as the backdrop. None of the previous four games in Utah had a final margin more than 14 points. On the flip side, the closest margin in Ellensburg was 22 points in a 43-21 loss in 2011.

BENNETT'S WONDERFUL WILDCATS: Since a week one loss to Texas A&M-Kingsville, Central Washington has been rolling through the early part of its GNAC schedule in impressive fashion. The Wildcats are third in the GNAC scoring on average 31.2 points per game through five weeks and, more impressively, hold the league's stingiest point-scoring defense at just 19.2 points. CWU also has the GNAC top spot in rushing offense (223.6), kickoff returns (25.8), punting net (36.5), 3rd-Down conversions (47.4 percent) and 4th-Down conversions (70 percent). Individually, senior quarterback Ryan Robertson is fourth in the GNAC with 193.0 passing yards a game. He has thrown for six touchdown and seven interceptions. The second-ranked runner in the GNAC, Demetrius Sumler, leads the Wildcat's lethal rush attack. Sumler gained 152 yards against Humboldt State last week and is averaging 114.0 yards per game in 2012. Tavoy Moore, a transfer from Idaho State, paces the receivers with a 50.0 yard per game clip. Defensively, middle linebacker Stan Langlow and strong safety Kevin Puckett each have over 40 tackles.

WHERE THE STORM STAND: Dixie State dropped another spot in Total Defense to third after allowing 463 yards to the Clan last Saturday. An average of 351.2 yards a game places the Red Strom third in the GNAC behind Humboldt State and Azusa Pacific. DSC ranks third in both rushing defense (152.6) and passing defense (198.6). On the offensive side, DSC sits fifth in the league with 337.2 yards a contest and fourth scoring 19.6 points per game.

STELLAR GAMES:  200 Yards Passing: 4 – Trey Wheeler, SFU.  3 – Ryan Robertson, CWU; Alex Rump, HSU; Cody VonAppen, WOU.  2 – Alex Rump, HSU.  1 – Griff Robles (Spanish Fork, UT/Spanish Fork), DSC; Kaleo Nawahine (Fruitland, ID/Fruitland), DSC.  100 Yards Rushing: 5 – Nick Ricciardulli, HSU. 3 - Demetrius Sumler, CWU.  2 – Johri Fogerson, CWU; Terrell Watson, APU; Bo Palmer, SFU.  1 – A.J. Johnson (Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills), DSC; Cody VonAppen, WOU. 100 Yards Receiving:  4 – Lemar Durant, SFU.  1 – Zack Fox (Spanish Fork. UT/Spanish Fork HS), DSC; Bobby Pospischil, SFU; Royce Spencer, WOU; Victor Spencer, HSU; Tyrell Williams, WOU; Randon Willlard, DSC.

INDIVIDUAL GNAC RANKS: RUSH: A.J. Johnson (Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills), 5th (68.5), Griff Robles (Spanish Fork, UT/Spanish Fork), 8th (50.0). YARDS PER RUSH: A.J. Johnson (Chino Hills, CA/Chino Hills), 7th (5.8) TOTAL OFFENSE: Griff Robles (Spanish Fork, UT/Spanish Fork), 5th (175.5). PASS: Griff Robles (Spanish Fork, UT/Spanish Fork), 5th (125.5); Kaleo Nawahine (Fruitland, ID/Fruitland), 7th (42.2). RECEPTIONS/GAME: Zack Fox (Spanish Fork. UT/Spanish Fork HS), T-3rd (5.2), Andre Aron (Inglewood, CA/Westchester), T-8th (3.2). RECEIVING YARDS: Zack Fox (Spanish Fork. UT/Spanish Fork HS), 6th (57.5), Andre Aron (Inglewood, CA/Westchester), 9th (32.0). PUNTING: Robert Metz (Tucson, AZ/Canyon Del Oro), 6th (34.2). TACKLES: Jake Duncan (Corona, CA/Notre Dame), T-4th (23.0), Daniel Moffett (Kaysville, UT/Davis) and Matt Tanuvasa (Laie, HI/Southridge) T-23rd (22.0). KICK RETURN: Cache Morgan (West Jordan, UT/West Jordan), 1st (27.9)

NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Sept. 22): Team (Top 30):  Passing Offense – 25. Simon Fraser 283.2. Passing Defense –25. Dixie State 170.2. Kickoff Returns –29. Dixie State 24.9. Punt Returns – 13. Simon Fraser 20.2.  Individuals (Top 30): Total Offense – 24. Trey Wheeler, SFU, 282.8. Receptions – 2. Lemar Durant, SFU, 9.8; 7. Bobby Pospischil, SFU, 9.0.  Receiving Yards – 7. Lemar Durant, SFU, 119.0. Kick Returns – 28. Cache Morgan (West Jordan, UT/West Jordan), DSC, 27.9.

Print Friendly Version