Spitzlberger leads Lopers over Western New Mexico

Monday, October 19, 2009
Grant Strunk/McCook Daily Gazette UNK quarterback Jake Spitzlberger brushes off a Western New Mexico defender on his way to touchdown Saturday. Spitzlberger was 14 of 14 passing for 290 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed eight times for 67 yards and three touchdowns.

UNK ATHLETICS

KEARNEY -- Sophomore quarterback Jake Spitzlberger had a hand in eight touchdowns and was perfect through the air to lead the 16th-ranked Nebraska-Kearney football team to a 65-30 win over Western New Mexico Saturday afternoon.

The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference contest was played at Ron & Carol Cope Stadium at Foster Field in Kearney.

Grant Strunk/McCook Daily Gazette UNK running back Rustin Dring drags WNMU defender. Dring rushed for 145 yards on 14 carries and one touchdown. Dring is the RMAC rushing leader with 118.7 yards per game.

UNK (7-1, 6-0 RMAC) won its seventh straight game, the longest win streak since the 2005 Lopers also won seven in a row. Western, on the other hand, losses a sixth straight game and remains winless in the RMAC (1-6, 0-6).

A big second quarter spurred UNK to a 49-10 halftime led on Homecoming Day 2009. The Lopers scored 35 points in the second period as Spitzlberger (Lakewood, Colo.) had TD runs of 2, 2 and 12 yards. Junior Brendan Liess, former McCook High School standout, caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from Spitzlberger in the second quarter, and the UNK quarterback also connected with junior Kyle Kaiser on a 49-yard scoring pass.

Liess had a team-high six receptions for 74 yards. Brendan scored the Lopers first touchdown of the game early in the first quarter on a 39-yard pass from Spitzberger.

Spitzlberger played several series in the third quarter before retiring for the day. He ended with a perfect 14-of-14 effort for 290 passing yards, a career-high five touchdowns and no interceptions. He also rushed eight times for 67 yards and the three TDs.

The school record for TD passes in a game is six, achieved by Justin Coleman, from McCook twice and by Marcus Goldenstein in 2005. Spitzlberger is the fourth different Loper signal caller to have five TD tosses.

To be considered for the NCAA Division II record for completion percentage in a game, a quarterback has to have a minimum of 20 attempts. Spitzlberger did set a new school record for completion percentage, with Coleman setting the old record at 91.7 percent (18 of 20).

UNK racked up 606 yards total offense, a season-high and the tenth largest total in UNK football history. Spitzlberger and two other throwers completed 16 of 19 passes for 320 yards. The Lopers had a big day on the ground, with 286 yards on 43 carries.

Sophomore back Rusting Dring (Kearney) gained 145 yards and scored once on 14 attempts. He came into the game as the RMAC's rushing leader and is now averaging 118.7 yards per game.

Kaiser (Broomfield, Colo.), among the national receiving leaders, had four receptions for 124 yards and three TD's. He is now just 10 yards shy of 2,000 career receiving yards with his 23 career scoring catches fourth most in Loper lore.

Led by former Loper QB Dennis Havrilla, a high-powered Western offense ended the game with 374 total yards. Havrilla, who rotated with Chris Voller thoughout the game, finished 15 of 33 for 201 yards, one TD and two interceptions. Voller went 7 of 12 for 89 yards, one TD and one interception.

Nebraska Kearney returns to action next Saturday against Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo.

Western New Mexico 3 7 7 13 - 30

Nebraska-Kearney 14 35 7 9 - 65

UNK -- Liess 39 pass from Spitzlberger (Alegria kick).

WNMU - Colin Lund FG 21.

UNK - Rustin Dring 43 run (Jordan Alegria kick).

UNK - Spitzlberger 2 run (Jordan Alegria kick).

WNMU - Kevin Breaker 6 run (Colin Lund kick).

UNK - Liess 9 pass from Spitzlberger (Alegria kick).

UNK - Kaiser 49 pass from Spitzlberger (Alegria kick).

UNK - Spitzlberger 12 run (Alegria kick).

UNK - Spitzlberger 2 run (Alegria kick).

WNMU - Tuinei 5 pass from Havrilla (Colin Lund kick).

UNK - Kyle Kaiser 34 pass from Spitzlberger (Alegria kick).

WNMU - Ramos 49 pass from Voller (Colin Lund kick).

UNK - Jordan Alegria FG 32.

WNMU - Markis Sumpter 94 kickoff return (pass failed).

UNK - Kaiser 44 pass from Spitzlberger (kick blocked).

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