Oct. 19, 2008
Final Stats
Pocatello, ID --- Northern Arizona true freshman Deonte Williams rushed for 194 yards and three touchdowns as the #17 Lumberjacks ruined Idaho State's Homecoming 52-30, despite another big day from Russel Hill, and another milestone from Eddie Thompson, who became just the eighth player in Big Sky history to record 200 career catches.
The Lumberjacks, who won their sixth straight game, improved to 4-0 in the Big Sky Conference, while ISU dropped to 0-7, and 0-4, and suffered their 11th consecutive loss. Northern Arizona bolted to a quick lead, scoring three touchdowns in the opening quarter to go up 21-9. NAU led 14-0 just 7:08 into the game on a short 1-yard Austin Shanks run and a 36-yard pass from Lance Kriesien to Conrad Meadows. The Bengals finally got on the board when Trevor Messersmith blocked a Robbie Dehaze punt, and Keith Goins scooped and scored from 25 yards out, but the extra point was blocked, making it 14-6. ISU tried a surprise onside kick, and despite two players having a good crack at it, NAU recovered. On the next play, Kriesien hit Meadows again, this from 45 yards out to make it 21-6.
Mike Ramos answered with his first career field goal to make it 21-9, and Robbie Dehaze boomed a 52-yarder right back. The teams traded touchdowns to end the half at 31-16 for the Lumberjacks. NAU put the thoughts of a comeback away with their first drive of the second half as Deonte Williams scored the second of his three touchdowns, this on a 58-yard run. Williams then made it 45-16 in the fourth with another touchdown.
The Bengals cut the lead to 45-23 on a weird play, as Russel Hill's pass was deflected by Cyrus Igono, but the ball ricocheted behind Jaron Taylor, who slid and caught the ball behind his head for a wild touchdown. NAU scored right away after a failed onside kick on a 2-yard Derrick Jackson run, and ISU ended the scoring when Hill hit Edsel Logan for a 28-yard touchdown pass.
The Bengals struggled at times to contain Northern Arizona's offense, as it rolled up 535 yards all told, 310 in the air, and 225 on the ground. The Bengals did manage to rush for 33 yards against a team that had allowed 43 all season through the first six games, but most of that came late after the outcome was decided.
Russel Hill had his fifth 300-yard game of the season, throwing for 361 on 32-of-49 passing, moving into second place on the sophomore charts for passing yards in a season, as he now has 2,046 yards. Eddie Thompson caught eight passes for 151 yards, his sixth career 100-yard game, putting him third all-time at ISU. It also gave him 200 catches, becoming just the eighth player Big Sky history to accomplish the feat.
Jaron Taylor also had eight catches, but for 70 yards and a touchdown. Kenyon Blue led the Bengals with 49 yards rushing on five carries. A.J. Storms led ISU in tackles with eight.
NOTES: With both Kyle and Kevin Whimpey electing to go on missions and getting their call last week, both have elected to play this season, and both saw action. Kevin Whimpey teamed with Ryan Phipps for the only sack of the game for the Bengals, while Kyle played offensive line in the fourth quarter ... ISU has blocked a punt in each of the last two games ... D.J. Clark recorded ISU's second interception of the season, and first by a defensive back this year, and it tied him for fifth on the all-time ISU list with 11 ... ISU attempted four onside kicks, two surprise and two conventional, getting one.
