Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Utah Tech University Athletics

FB - Conner Miller vs. SD Mines (2018)
Stan Plewe/Utah Tech Athletics
41
Winner Dixie State DSFB 4-1 , 4-1
38
Black Hills State BHFB 0-5 , 0-5
Winner
Dixie State DSFB
4-1 , 4-1
41
Final
38
Black Hills State BHFB
0-5 , 0-5
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
DSFB Dixie State 7 21 7 6 41
BHFB Black Hills State 7 7 14 10 38

Game Recap: Football | | By DSU Athletics Media Relations

Trailblazers claim roller-coaster win at BHSU

Dixie State rallies for D2 era best fourth straight win after three-touchdown lead slips away

Dixie State football made more history on Saturday with a 41-38 roller-coaster victory over Black Hills State at Lyle Hare Stadium in Spearfish, South Dakota, pushing its win streak to a Division II-era record four games in the process.

The Trailblazers (4-1, 4-1 RMAC) outgained the Yellow Jackets by nearly 200 yards (526-354) and built a three-touchdown lead early in the second half, but still needed a game-winning touchdown drive with less than a minute remaining after BHSU roared back in the final two frames.

Dixie State scored on the game's opening drive, marching 75 yards in 14 plays to take an early 7-0 lead. The Trailblazers converted twice on third down and another time on fourth down on the drive, while Lawrence Starks (Fontana, Calif./Etiwanda HS) plunged into the end zone from three yards out to cap the drive.

Black Hills State (0-5, 0-5 RMAC) countered later in the first quarter, driving 41 yards in six plays, capped by a 9-yard touchdown pass, to tie the game at 7-7 with 2:45 remaining in the opening frame.

The Trailblazers answered the BHSU touchdown with 14 unanswered points to push the lead to 21-7 midway through the second quarter. Conner Miller (Santa Ana, Calif./Brethren Christian HS) scored his first rushing touchdown of the season, plunging in from 1-yard to push the lead to 14-7 after Starks set up the score with a 45-yard breakaway run to the 3-yard line. Miller found the end zone for the second time later in the frame, capping an 11-play, 68-yard drive to give the visitors a two-touchdown lead.

The Yellow Jackets capitalized on a DSU fumbled punt on the ensuing drive, eventually cutting the deficit to 21-14 with a 17-yard touchdown pass at the 5:04 mark in the second frame.

BHSU put together another promising drive late in the first half, but the series was halted when Remington Kelly (Bountiful, Utah/Bountiful HS) forced a fumble with less than a minute until the break.

Dixie State promptly took advantage of the situation, using a 26-yard pass to Giovanni Sanders (Murrieta, Calif./Murrieta Mesa HS) and a 29-yard run by Trent Darms (Chico, Calif./Pleasant Valley HS) to set up a 3-yard touchdown scamper for a Sei-J Lauago (Paramount, Calif./La Mirada HS) to take a 28-14 lead at halftime.

The Trailblazers seemed poised to run away with the game early in the third quarter, forcing a BHSU punt, then marching 77 yards in nine plays to take a 35-14 lead at the 6:22 mark of the frame. Darms passed for 31 yards on the drive before sprinting 31 yards to the end zone for a score on a quarterback keeper.

But Black Hills State refused to go away.

The Yellow Jackets needed just five plays and less than two minutes on the ensuing possession to drive 65 yards for a touchdown to pull to within 35-21. BHSU blocked a Dixie State punt four plays later and quickly turned the block into seven more points with a 1-yard touchdown run. In less than five minutes, the home team cut a three-touchdown lead down to one at 35-28.

The teams traded punts early in the fourth quarter until the Yellow Jackets tied the game at 35-35 with a 31-yard touchdown pass with more than 10 minutes remaining in the game. BHSU capped the comeback of 24 unanswered points to take a 38-35 advantage with a 28-yard field goal at the 2:07 mark of the final period.

Facing its first deficit of the game, Dixie State responded like it has the last two weeks when trailing, marching 58 yards for the go-ahead touchdown in less than 90 seconds. Xavier Smith (Kansas City, Mo./Ruskin HS) set up the drive with a 37-yard kickoff return, and Michael Sanders (Phoenix, Ariz./Pinnacle HS) entered at quarterback to command the final drive.

Sanders, playing in his first game in a DSU uniform, completed 4-of-6 passes on the drive, including a 23-yard strike to Smith and a 23-yard laser to Miller inside the BHSU 10-yard line. Sanders capped the drive on the next play, avoiding multiple defenders to fire another strike to Miller, who made the catch and dove for the pylon to regain the lead for the Trailblazers at 41-38 with 36 seconds remaining.

BHSU completed three passes of more than 10 yards on the ensuing drive, but was set back by a holding penalty and eventually ran out of time as DSU clinched the win.

Dixie State surpassed the 500-yard mark for the second straight game with 526 yards (268 rush, 258 pass) of total offense. Darms enjoyed a career day, completing 18-of-27 passes for 177 yards, while rushing for another 103 yards and a touchdown. Michael Sanders (Phoenix, Ariz./Pinnacle HS) connected on 6-of-10 passes for 81 yards and the game-winning touchdown. Miller also enjoyed a career day, catching five passes for 70 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for two more touchdowns. Lauago finished with 83 yards rushing and one touchdown, while Starks added 78 yards rushing and one touchdown.

The Trailblazers allowed 354 yards (256 pass/98 rush) of total offense. Abraham Reinhardt (Wailuku, Hawaii/H.P. Baldwin HS) led the charge with a career-high 13 tackles (4.0 for loss) and 1.5 sacks, while Trayvon Watson (Los Angeles, Calif./West Adams Prep HS) added six tackles, and Shiloh Pritchard (American Samoa/Leone HS) and Alex Lilliard (San Diego, Calif./Grossmont HS) each finished with six tackles.

Dixie State travels to Allendale, Michigan, for a non-conference battle next Saturday with No. 3 Grand Valley State. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Eastern Time (5 p.m. MT).
 
Print Friendly Version