DURANGO – In another high scoring affair, Adams State University put down Fort Lewis College Saturday in Durango in the annual Musket Game. The 34-27 victory came down to a final drive from the Skyhawks, but a fourth down sack by Finau Kohitolu secured the Grizzly victory. In ceremonial tradition, head coach Timm Rosenbach and Grizzly seniors fired off victory shots from the honorary rifle at the end of the game.
 
It was a team effort all around, as key plays were made on all three phases of the game. Jimmy Holtrop secured two of his game-high seven catches for touchdowns, while Corey Brown pounded the ball for a pair of scores and his second 100-yard rushing game of the season.
 
Marquese Surrell led the Grizz once again in receiving yard with 134 yards on six catches. The junior picked up nearly half of those on a beautiful 65-yard touchdown pass from Nick Rooney to keep the momentum on Adams' side to close out the second-half.
 
Rooney tossed the ball around 50 times, completing 29 passes against a stout Skyhawk's defense for 397 yards and three touchdowns.
 
The sack from Kohitolu wasn't the only key stop for the Grizzlies. Twice the Skyhawk offense was stopped in the redzone and had to settle for fieldgoals, including an end-of-half goal line stand. Garrett Jackson led the team with 13 total tackles, a pair of which were tackles for loss on key third-down plays.
 
Nick Bundy stepped up for the Grizz, leading the team with 11 solo tackles. His dozen tackles were second on the field today, but more importantly he had a touchdown-saving pass breakup as well as a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
 
Though the rushing stats of the Skyhawk's may say otherwise, the Grizzlies wreaked havoc on the backfield with nine tackles for loss and two sacks. Kohitolu had a tackle for loss and sack, each moving the opposition back a dozen yards. Kasoga Casem joined in the backfield battle with a pair of tackles for loss and a sack, totaling in 20 negative yards.
 
Adams State heads out on the road once again next weekend to Nebraska to take on Chadron State College. The Grizzlies were victorious against the Eagles last year in Alamosa, but haven't won in Chadron since in more than 25 year.