Central Washington continued its dominance in the Lone Star Conference on Saturday, delivering a decisive 61-22 victory over Sul Ross State at Tomlinson Stadium. Coach Scott Power praised his team’s execution, noting that the Wildcats capitalized on early mistakes by the Lobos and never looked back.
Offensive explosion
The Wildcats opened the game with a bang, scoring on each of their first eight drives. Freshman running back Ryder Bumgarner set the tone with a 21‑yard touchdown on his first carry, breaking through a wall of defenders. Bumgarner finished with an astonishing 196 yards and three touchdowns on just 14 carries, averaging nearly 14 yards per rush.
He was joined by fellow backs Antoine Lee (12 carries, 114 yards, one touchdown) and Ki’Marree Washington (14 carries, 85 yards, one touchdown). Together, the trio produced 443 rushing yards for the team, an average of 8.7 yards per carry, overwhelming Sul Ross’ defense.
Quarterback play and key moments
While the ground game carried the Wildcats, quarterback Justin Brennan kept his passing simple and efficient, completing 9 of 15 attempts for 115 yards and a six‑yard touchdown to Samaje Featherstone. Brennan’s short‑range throws gave his receivers space to work, contributing to a balanced offensive attack.
Sul Ross State’s freshman quarterback Will Howell showed flashes of mobility, scrambling for a 20‑yard touchdown run in the first half to tie the game at six points. However, a missed extra point after his score left the Lobos trailing, and they were unable to recover the deficit.
Defensive stand
Central Washington’s defense tightened after halftime, allowing only 32 total yards in the final two quarters. The unit forced a fumble out of the end zone for a touchback and limited Sul Ross to two long drives, each aided by penalties.
Defensive back Conner Goff added a highlight with a 36‑yard interception return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter, extending the lead and sealing the victory.
Special teams and misc.
Placekicker David Weber was perfect on three field goals (38, 39, and another early attempt) but missed a 47‑yard try that could have pushed the score even higher. Despite the miss, the Wildcats’ margin remained comfortable.
Wide receiver Mason Juergens recorded a team‑high four catches for 48 yards, marking the first game in four where he did not reach 100 receiving yards.
Implications
The win pushes Central Washington’s Lone Star Conference winning streak to 13 games and hands Sul Ross State its 13th consecutive conference loss. Sul Ross (2‑0 LSC, 2‑2 overall) will travel to Angelo State for its next road game.
Looking back, Central Washington posted a 73‑7 blowout last season and a 66‑0 win the year before, underscoring the program’s sustained excellence in the conference.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
