Only the musket and pride are on the line, and that’s more than enough.
The Fort Lewis College Skyhawks’ football team is set for a big rivalry road trip to face the Adams State Grizzlies at noon Saturday at Rex Stadium in Alamosa.
Both teams will enter the game 3-6 overall and 2-5 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. Though the game will have little effect on the RMAC landscape, both teams will give it their all to try and win the traveling trophy – a Springfield .45-70 military issue musket rifle.
“You’re playing for pride, bragging rights of Southern Colorado and for a trophy,” FLC head coach John L. Smith said Friday in a phone interview with The Durango Herald. “It’s something to hang on our wall and say ‘Hey, we’re better than these guys.’
“We take that to heart, and we’ve been trying, at least in the two years I’ve been here, to make sure people understand how important it is to play for something and for programs to have a rival. It makes it fun and makes the game what it is.”
Smith mentioned the importance of the win this season against previously No. 2 CSU-Pueblo and ending the ThunderWolves’ 42-game regular-season winning streak, but he said a win Saturday in Alamosa would be just as important. FLC is trailing the all-time series 14-33-1, and the Skyhawks haven’t won at Rex Stadium since 2010, a 14-7 victory.
“Everybody got all fired up, ‘You beat Pueblo.’ Well, that’s not a rival game. Our rival game is this week,” he said.
Mahlon “Butch” White donated the musket to the two schools in 1966. After the game, only the winning seniors are allowed to fire the weapon.
Smith hopes his class of 13 seniors are the ones doing the shooting Saturday.
“You’re only as good as your seniors, and we play for those guys,” the coach said. “They’ve got this game and one more, and then they’re done. I hope the younger guys take it to heart. They have to leave it all on the field and play for these guys. Give ’em a chance to shoot that thing and come home.”
FLC is in possession of the musket after a 27-24 win last season at Ray Dennison Memorial Field. The win came on a 24-yard Kipp Castanha field goal as time expired.
This year, the Skyhawks’ defense will have to contain Adams State sophomore quarterback Auston Hillman. The 6-2, 185-quarterback leads the team with 400 rushing yards and three touchdowns. He averages 5.4 yards per carry.
Hillman also has completed 52.7 percent of his passes for 1,242 yards, eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He has averaged 128 yards per game through the air.
“Well, hopefully we can cover some guys instead of giving up the big play,” said Smith, whose team was burned for touchdowns of 82, 78 and 31 yards in a 27-26 home loss to Western State last week.
In nine games this season, the Skyhawks have allowed touchdowns of more than 30 yards 19 times, with two coming via interception return and one an 89-yard kick return.
FLC will rely on a heavy dose of the run game again this week in sophomore quarterback Trevor Bonifasi’s second start in place of Jordan Doyle, who suffered a broken leg two games ago against Colorado Mesa and is out for the season.
Bonifasi was 13-of-27 for 86 yards and one touchdown last week. He also ran for 65 yards on 10 carries. This season, he is 17-of-42 for 170 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.
“It’s been a pretty good week. We’re trying to stress to the (offensive line) the importance of us being able to run the ball,” Smith said. “We also really tried to explore and expand what we can do with Bono as far as throwing the ball, as well. That will play key. We’re not good enough to line up and run the ball down anyone’s throat all day. We have to throw for some.”
Especially since FLC likely will be without leading rusher PJ Hall, a freshman who stood out when given an opportunity to start. Hall exited last week’s game with a left-ankle sprain, and he is considered doubtful Saturday. Hall has 704 yards and two touchdowns in seven starts.
Cameron Padilla, a senior transfer from the University of New Mexico, picked up the slack last week after Hall made his exit. Padilla rushed for 133 yards and a touchdown on 27 totes, making him the third-leading rusher on the team this season with 129 yards.
Smith said his team didn’t hang their heads after a gut-wrenching loss last week in which the Skyhawks led 16-0 in the first half at home. He said they’re ready for the turnaround this week with a rivalry game to look forward to.
“The great thing about athletics is you don’t have time to mope and cry. You pick it up and get going,” Smith said. “We’ll see if we get it done this week.”
jlivingston@durangoherald.com
