GAME #10
Western Oregon (6-3, 4-1 GNAC) vs. South Dakota Mines (5-3, 2-3 GNAC)
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. PT
Monmouth, Ore. - McArthur Field

LIVE COVERAGE LINKS
RADIO: KLOO 1340 AM (Mark Gilman and Jerry Gilman)
TV: KWVT - Valley 17 (Matt Palumbo and Steve Sutton)
LIVE VIDEO/STATS: WOU Portal
TICKETS: WOU Ticket Office
TWITTER UPDATES: @WOUWolves

Western Oregon hosts its final GNAC league game and a contest crucial toward the NCAA Division II regional rankings on Saturday, Nov. 7 when visiting South Dakota Mines comes to McArthur Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Pacfic with radio, television and live stat coverage available on WOUWolves.com.
 
Saturday's game is Armed Forces/First Responder Appreciation Day at McArthur Field. All active service members and members of first responder groups will receive free admission if they come to the game in uniform.

TAILGATE & PARKING LOT INFO – With game time at 3:30 p.m. this week, times for tailgating and stdium operations have been adjusted as well. The REDZONE parking lot will open for donors and tailgating at 11:15 a.m. with passes. Paid parking near the stadium opens at 12 noon for $20 per parking spot. All remaining stadium gates and the ticket booth will open at 1:30 p.m.
 
TICKETS - Tickets for remaining WOU home games for 2015 are on sale at WOUWolves.com/WOUtickets. The Wolves have two home games remaining at McArthur Field - Nov. 7 vs. South Dakota Mines (3:30 p.m.) and Nov. 14 vs. Humboldt State (1 p.m.).

REGIONALLY RANKED WOLVES - Thanks to a five-game win streak, Western Oregon finds themselves ranked No. 10 in the Super Region 3 rankings. The Wolves will likely need to win both of their remaining games to have a chance of making the NCAA Division II playoffs. Teams in the GNAC compete as part of Division II's West Region III. The regional alignment includes 47 schools and is comprised of schools from the Great American Conference (13), the MIAA (12) and Northern Sun (16). A total of 28 teams will make the Division II playoffs in 2015, seven teams from each of the four super regions. A total of 172 Division II schools sponsor football. The GNAC currently does not receive an earned access berth since only three of its seven football schools are full member of the conference. A total of six is required.
 
VS. SOUTH DAKOTA MINES – Western Oregon won the first meeting in the all-time series last year. On a snow-covered field and temperatures in the 20's, WOU took an 18-15 decision in Rapid City in the 2014 season finale.

LOOKING AT THE HARDROCKERS - South Dakota Mines dropped their second straight game as they were on the other end of Dixie State's record performance, taking a 48-25 loss. Quarterback Jake Sullivan led the Hardrockers' passing game, completing 17 of 25 passes for 229 yards and a touchdown. Daniel Ziegler was his top target, making eight catches for 94 yards. Freshman running back Devin Nixon returned to form, rushing 27 times for 135 yards and tewo touchdowns. Dixon enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC in rushing with 97.8 yards per game and sixth in all-purpose yards with 124.4 yards per game. Sophomore safety Witerson Brutus led the Hardrockers' defense with 16 tackles, including one tackle for loss and a half-sack. Brutus enters the week ranked sixth in the GNAC with 8.2 tackles per game

KUENZI IN THE TENS COLUMN - Senior Shane Kuenzi finished with 10 tackles for the second straight game, which included a tackle for loss. Kuenzi enters the week ranked third in the GNAC with 9.7 tackles per game and leads the league with three forced fumbles

AIR THREAT - Fourteen different players have caught a pass for Western Oregon this season. Eleven of the 14 have caught at least five passes, led by Paul Revis with 39 grabs for 621 yards. Seven different players have caught at least one touchdown pass; Revis leads the way with five and Andy Avgi has four.

NO BROOM FOR BRAXTON - Running back Malik Braxton turned in another strong game, finishing with 105 rushing yards on 20 carries. Braxton enters the week ranked seventh in the GNAC in rushing with 67.4 yards per game.

SCORING IN THE SECOND – All 17 points scored against Azusa Pacific came in the second quarter. Kicker Jesse Correa opened with a 21-yard field goal less than a minute into the period before Philip Fenumiai scored on a 1-yard touchdown run and Paul Revis scored on a 16-yard pass from Trey Shimabukuro. Prior to the week nine explosion, WOU had only scored 47 points in the previous eight games in the second quarter.

REVIS STILL AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS - Paul Revis led a limited air game for Western Oregon with 39 yards and a touchdown on six catches. Revis enters the week ranked fourth in the GNAC in receiving with 69 yards per game and leads the league with 13.6 yards per punt return. Revis is also ranked 28th in Division II with his total of 556 combined kick return yards.

WOU AMONG GNAC LEADERS - As a team, Western Oregon is second in the GNAC with a turnover margin of +1. The Wolves are also third in passing offense (221.9 yards per game) and scoring defense (25 points allowed per game).

CLASH OF REGIONAL PROPORTIONS - Western Oregon closes out the 2015 regular season on Nov. 14 with a non-GNAC counter against Humboldt State. The Wolves will seek to even the season series after losing in week one, 29-20, at HSU. Heading into this week, Humboldt State is ranked No. 2 in the Super Region 3 rankings and can win the GNAC title outright with a victory at Dixie State.

2015 IN REVIEW

COMEBACK CUT DOWN BY JACKS: Humboldt State scored the first 19 points of the game and held off a Western Oregon comeback to post 29-20 victory in a rare week one GNAC contest. Western Oregon got on the board late in the first quarter when quarterback Trey Shimabukuro found Andy Agvi on a 16-yard touchdown pass with 4:02 left in the first half. The Wolves cut the lead to five when Shimabukuro found Paul Revis for a 33-yard touchdown strike before the Lumberjacks scored the next 10 points to close out the game. Shimabukuro completed 26 of 38 for 368 yards and three touchdowns to lead Western Oregon. Revis caught six balls for 116 yards and a score.

WOLVES CAPITILIZE ON SECOND HALF CHANCES AGAINST SFU: Western Oregon trailed Simon Fraser in nearly every statistical category except touchdowns and the final score as the Wolves beat the Clan, 31-14, at McArthur Field. Simon Fraser outgained Western Oregon in total offense 442 to 294, including 333 passing yards by quarterback Ryan Stanford, but the Wolves scored the final four touchdowns of the score to come back from a 14-6 deficit midway through the third quarter. The Wolves came within 14-12 on their next possession with Trey Shimabukuro finding Daniel Thomas for a 23-yard touchdown reception. Western Oregon took the lead for good when Shimabukuro found Wesley Gray for a 32-yard touchdown strike with 14:02 left and made it a 25-18 game when he found Kamakana Apelu for the 35-yard scoring pass. Danny Hankins punctuated the win when he intercepted Stanford with just over a minute left, returning the ball 99 yards for a touchdown. Shimabukuro completed 18 of 28 for 233 yards and three touchdowns for Western Oregon. Gray caught six balls for 69 yards and a touchdown. Shane Kuenzi had 10 tackles.

CWU'S SCORE BARRAGE SINKS WOLVES ON ROAD: Central Washington came home after two weeks on the road and scored 40 points in the first half to get past Western Oregon 40-19 at Tomlinson Stadium. After Phillip Fenumiai opened scoring with a five-yard run four minutes into the game, the Wildcats scored 40 unanswered points. Western Oregon scored two second half touchdowns, one on a Joe Harris three-yard run and a Daniel Thomas six-yard reception. Western Oregon outgained Central Washington on offense 331-300. Trey Shimabukuro led WOU by completing 23 of 46 for 293 yards and a touchdown. Paul Revis led six WOU receivers with 76 yards on seven catches.

WOLVES STYMIED AT PSU: The near upset that Western Oregon put together last year wouldn't be repeated as Portland State's vaunted defense held the Wolves in a 31-0 loss at Providence Park. The Wolves put together 224 yards of total offense, but the Vikings forced 12 punts and picked off WOU quarterbacks three times. Western Oregon held their own early, with the No. 17 (Division I-FCS) Vikings not scoring until Alex Kuresa scored on a two-yard run with 9:51 left in the first half. Western Oregon quarterback Trey Shimabukuro completed 18 of 35 passes for 182 yards with two interceptions. Maurice McSwain caught two passes for 52 yards and Daniel Thomas caught four balls for 44 yards.

HARRIS CARRIES WOU PAST DIXIE: A career day by running back Joe Harris led Western Oregon as they rolled to the 42-24 win over Dixie State at Hansen Stadium. Harris rushed for 90 yards on 18 carries and scored a career best three rushing touchdowns, all of which came after WOU interceptions. Dixie State took the early one, taking a 10-0 lead after one quarter. It was the Wolves' game from there, though, as they scored 42 straight points. Harris gave WOU the lead with his four-yard touchdown run with 2:54 left in the second quarter. Paul Revis made it a 21-10 game when he caught a 32-yard touchdown pass from David Sowards with four minutes gone in the third quarter. Western Oregon poured it on with three touchdowns in the fourth quarter, two by Harris and an 81-yard punt return for a touchdown by Revis with 10:56 to go.

WOLVES GET PAST NO. 6 UNA -Two timely interceptions by Jonathan Breland proved to be momentum changers as Western Oregon upset No. 6 ranked North Alabama 24-22 at McArthur Field. Breland finished with two of the Wolves' three interceptions as they forced the Lions to turn the ball over five times in the driving rain. After the Wolves converted a fumble into a 39-yard Jesse Correa field goal, Breland picked Luke Wingo to start a seven-play, 37-yard drive that ended on Paul Revis' 15-yard touchdown pass to Devin Williams on a fake field goal with 4:08 left in the first quarter. Quarterback Phillip Fenumia'i used a 13-yard keeper to take the 17-16 lead and then found Andy Avgi for an eight-yard touchdown pass with 4:35 to go. The Lions marched to the Western Oregon 23-yard line before Breland stepped up to intercept Wingo with 1:04 left to close out the game. David Sowards completed 11 of 22 for 155 yards to lead Western Oregon while Fenumia'i completed 5 of 8 for 57 yards and rushed for 60 more yards on seven carries. Revis caught three passes for 90 yards.

CARDIAC WOLVES WIN AGAIN -For the second straight week, Western Oregon held off a late drive by their opponent to secure the win, this time a 31-25 GNAC victory over Central Washington at McArthur Field. Malik Braxton led the WOU offense as he carried for 131 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Fenumia'i completed 13 of 19 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns. Western Oregon's Shane Kuenzi led all defensive players with 11 tackles, including an assisted tackle on the fourth quarter stop.

WOLVES TAKE ROAD CLASH WITH CLAN - Once again, Western Oregon used heroics at the end to secure their fourth straight game in a 37-26 victory over Simon Fraser at Swangard Stadium. The Wolves led 31-26 in a close contest before Malik Braxton broke off a GNAC record 99-yard run for a touchdown with 8:05 to go close scoring. Braxton ran for 176 yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns. Shimabukuro, competing for the first time in four games, completed 5 of 10 for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Revis caught five passes for 104 yards. The teams were close to even in total offense with Western Oregon outgaining Simon Fraser 449 to 429.
 
WOLVES TAME COUGAR COMEBACK- Western Oregon held off a second half rally by Azusa Pacific to win their fifth straight game Saturday, beating the Cougars 17-14 at McArthur Field. The Wolves scored the first 17 points of the game, all in the first half. Jesse Correa opened scoring with a 21-yard field goal a minute into the second quarter. Quarterback Philip Fenumiai added a one-yard touchdown run with 4:03 left in the half and Paul Revis caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Trey Shimabukuro with 33 seconds left to give WOU a 17-0 halftime lead. Western Oregon outgained Azusa Pacific 285 to 227. Malik Braxton led the Wolves with 105 yards on 20 carries. Fenumiai completed 9 of 19 passes for 54 yards and also rushed for 65 yards on 16 carries. Western Oregon's Shane Kuenzi led all defenders with 10 tackles, including one for loss.