ALAMOSA, Colo. – The Adams State Grizzlies Football team bounced back from their two-game slide in a big way, taking down the South Dakota Mines Hardrockers in a gritty 37-32 win Saturday afternoon in Alamosa. It was the Grizzlies fourth win of the season, as well as their fourth conference victory.
 
The game featured all of the Grizzlies key playmakers putting the team on their backs to get the victory. Adams State won the coin toss, and deferred to the second half, giving the Rockers the ball to start the game. The Hardrockers wasted no time, working their way down the field on a couple of chunk plays that eventually led to an Ahmad Lewis 29 yard scamper for the first points of the ballgame. Following the extra point, the Hardrockers went up early 7-0.
 
Adams State would receive the ensuing kick and go to work less than a minute into the game, and down a touchdown. Just like the South Dakota Mines opening drive, the Grizzlies, with the help of a big play tied the score when John Buksa hit Tariq Bitson on a 70 yard strike that he took all the way to paydirt. Bitson would finish with a huge day, hauling in 10 receptions for 217 yard and the one score. There were already plenty of offensive fireworks less than two minutes into the game, and following the extra point the team were nodded at seven.
 
With the Rockers back on offense, the Grizzly defense knew that they would have to do their part in order to come out of Saturday with a win. Getting backed up into their own territory on the defensive end, they were able to force a timely turnover when Brandin Obrecht forced a Mines fumble that the Grizzlies were able to jump on. The offense would take full advantage of the mistake, and marched down the field on a 7 play, 64-yard drive that concluded with a Jamarcus Federick touchdown reception deep in the red zone. Federick had the breakout game he was looking for, finishing the game with 77 all-purpose yards on 19 touches, and would punch in three touchdowns for the Grizzlies on the day. His score put Adams State up 14-7.
 
The Hardrockers were back on offense, looking to avenge the turnover on their last possession. They did exactly that, going 75 yards on an 8-play drive that ended in a Zach Hoopman touchdown dive from three yards out. The score was tied again, 14-14 following the extra point.
 
The next drive for the Grizzlies would be an ugly one, and end in dooming fashion. They went three and out on the possession, and lined up to punt in their own territory. Mines sent the rush, and blocked the John Bowers punt, recovering it on the Grizzlies' 12-yard line. Fortunately, the defense held strong, and forced a short Mines field goal attempt. The score read 17-14, Mines with 3:08 to play in an eventful first quarter.
 
The Grizzlies, determined to come up with an answer on the following drive, marched down the field on a 10-play, 74 yard drive that ended with Federick running in for his second score of the day early in the second quarter. 21-17 Grizzlies, 10 seconds into the second period.
 
On the following possession for the Hardrockers, it appeared as though they would answer with a long touchdown drive of their own. The Adams State defense had other plans, however, bending but not breaking and forcing a field goal attempt to conclude the 10-play 74 yard drive. Adams State kept the lead, 21-20 following the kick.
 
On the ensuing possession, the Grizzlies found themselves in no man's land on fourth down right around midfield, and elected to go for it. The John Buksa pass attempt for Ziere Banner would fail, and the Grizzlies relinquished possession back to the Hardrockers at the Mines 47-yard line. The Hardrockers would take advantage of the short field, and Ahmad Lewis would conclude the possession with his second score of the afternoon, putting Mines back on top 26-21. The Rockers looked to extend their lead to seven following the touchdown and go for two, but their attempt failed and they remained up five, with 3:38 left in the half.
 
Two straight three and outs for either side gave the Grizzlies one final possession in the first half, and they took advantage of time on the clock, although it was not much. They were able to put together a nice drive that ended in an Erick Ruiz 41-yard field goal with five seconds in the half, cutting the Mines lead to two. The half ended on a kneel-down, and the Grizzlies headed into halftime down 26-24.
 
The second half would not provide even close to the offensive fireworks as the first half, as both defenses dug in deep in what was a mostly defensive slugfest the final two quarters. The early part of the third quarter saw both teams exchange three and outs for the first six possessions, before Adams State was able to force a turnover on downs with five minutes left in the period, ad Brandin Obrecht and Angelo Ramirez stuffed Hardrocker running back Casey Knutsen on fourth down right around midfield, The Grizzlies took over on offense and, Quarterback John Buksa and company went to work on a short field, looking to regain the lead.
 
The Grizzlies would get into the red zone on their first big possession of the half, but get backed up after a personal foul penalty. They would again rely on kicker Erick Ruiz to come through for them, as he nailed a 45-yard field goal to put his team back on top, 27-26. It was Ruiz's third of four huge kicks in the game.
 
The game entered the fourth quarter, with the Grizzlies in business and moving. They moved deep into Mines territory, and relied on their workhorse back, Jamarcus Federick to finish off the drive, as he plunged in from three yards out to extend the Adams State lead to 34-26, following the extra point.
Adams State would put together a final big possession that ended in a Ruiz field goal to put them up 37-26 with just under 10 minutes left. The Hardrockers were now desperate for some offense to stay alive in the game. Quarterback Thomas Creese put together a much needed touchdown drive that ended in an Anthony Ullrich 18-yard touchdown. To try and cut the lead to three, Mines went for two, and for the second time on the day, would fail. 37-32 Grizzlies, with 6:46 to play.
 
Adams State would try on two possessions to try and put the game on ice and run out the clock. They were unable to do so, but quarterback John Buksa successfully pooch punted on fourth down from around midfield and put the Rockers at their own one-yard line with only 1:23 to work with. The Grizzly defense knew that all they had to do was stop the Rockers one more time, as Mines had no timeouts and had to go the length of the field. A Hail Mary attempt on an untimed down from a roughing the passer penalty would be batted down in the crowd, to put the Hardrockers away for good. The Grizzlies came out victorious, winning 37-32.
 
Up next for Adams State is their rivals just up the road at CSU-Pueblo next Saturday. The Grizzlies are now 4-3 on the year.