October 11, 2008

Football Scores 34 in First Quarter

Kaiser Ties Record, Defensive Scores Rare Home TD; Carnahan Sets Another Record

     Kearney, Neb. –  Redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Spitzlberger accounted for five touchdowns in a little over a quarter, sophomore Kyle Kaiser tied a school-record with three TD catches and the defense turned in another dominating performance as the Nebraska-Kearney football team whipped New Mexico Highlands, 58-14, Saturday afternoon at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field.

    On Homecoming, UNK improves to 4-1 in RMAC play and to 4-3 overall. The Cowboys, mean while, fall to 1-6 (1-4 RMAC).

    In beating Highlands for the ninth straight time, UNK scored on the game’s first play, a 68-yard pass from Spitzlberger (Lakewood, Colo.) to Kaiser (Broomfield, Colo.).

    After junior safety Jake Mandelko (Lexington) forced a fumble on Highlands’ first possession, it took only two plays for UNK to score again. This time, Spitzlberger called his own number and scored from nine yards out.

   UNK, which scored six touchdowns in its first six possessions, made it 21-0 five minutes later when Spitzlberger threw a 14-yard fade to Kaiser.

   Highlands then managed to put together its only drive of the first half soon, a seven play, 73-yard march that was capped off by a 37-yard pass from Vince Seeno to receiver Jonathan Ligons.  He finished the day five catches for 138 yards; the Cowboys had only 218 yards overall.

   The Lopers would then rip off 21 points in a seven minute span to open up a 41-7 lead. Spitzlberger would run 46 yards for a score, sophomore running back Riley Newcomer (Morrison, Colo.) would complete a 45-yard drive with a one yard plunge and then Kaiser caught another 14-yard pass from Spitzlberger.

    Kaiser (five catches, 144 yards) becomes just the fifth Loper to catch three TD’s in a single game. The others on this list include Jim Irwin (1963), Ted Murray (twice), Trevor Weston (2000) and Richie Ross (three times).

    In about 17 minutes of work, Spitzlberger was 8 of 9 through the air for 181 yards and those three TD’s to Kaiser. He also ran three times for 64 yards.

    UNK wasn’t done scoring in the first half, getting a 29-yard field goal from senior Geoff Carnahan (Kearney Catholic) and a 22-yard run from backup QB Bobby Adamson (Byers, Colo.).

     The kick by Carnahan gives him 43 made field goals for his career, breaking the school mark of 42, set by Jessup Pfeiffer (2003-06).

    The Lopers then scored their first TD of the year in the third quarter when sophomore safety Pat Ackerman (Holdrege) returned a Seeno 11 yards for a score early in the second half.

    This the second straight week the UNK defense has scored a TD but the first home defensive touchdown since safety Beau Bump brought back a pick 49 yards for a score in a November 2001 win over Mesa State.

    UNK finished the day with 564 yards of offense, including 356 on the ground, with Newcomer (103 yards) being one of six Lopers to rush for at least 20 yards. Adamson (84) and Kearney freshman Rustin Dring (59) joined Newcomer and Spitlzberger to go for at least 50 yards.

    The 356 rushing yards is the sixth highest total in school history and the second highest game total over the last 38 years. Last year, UNK went for 360 yards in a 61-0 win over Fort Lewis.

   Mean while, Highlands was held to -33 yards rushing until a late scoring drive that went 80 yards in eight plays. A 37-yard scoring run from Erick Dyer finally got the Cowboys into positive rushing yards.

    In relief of an injured Narcisco Diaz (0 of 1), Seeno was 16 of 40 for 198 yards and one interception. The Cowboys, who were sacked four times for a loss of 39 yards, managed only 20 net rushing yards in 24 attempts.

    Defensively, junior OLB Eric Scheele (Utica) had six tackles, including three for a loss of 19 yards. Finally, defensive end Josh Rohde (Eddyville) and senior ILB Charlie Rudeen (Overton) each had two tackles for loss.

   UNK is at Western New Mexico next weekend. Pictured below are Spitzlberger-Ackerman-Newcomer-Kaiser.