FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: OCTOBER 9, 2004
CONTACT: GREG MURPHY, SID (303) 273-3095

MINES FOOTBALL WINS SCHOOL-RECORD NINTH STRAIGHT, 34-10, OVER NEBRASKA-KEARNEY
Friehauf Throws for 320 Yards and Four Touchdowns

Chad Friehauf threw for four touchdowns and ran for another in Saturday's 34-10 win at Kearney

KEARNEY, Neb. - The 19th-ranked Colorado School of Mines football team won its school-record ninth straight game and knocked off Nebraska-Kearney for the first time in 65 years, 34-10, on Saturday afternoon at Foster Field in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.

Senior quarterback Chad Friehauf (Brush, Colo./Brush) was once again the offensive catalyst for Mines as he completed 28-of-38 passes for 320 yards and four touchdowns, including two to senior wide receiver Jonny Chan (Aurora, Colo./Rangeview), and also ran for 79 yards and another score as he had a hand in all five CSM touchdowns.

The Orediggers improved to 7-0 overall and 4-0 in conference play and have won 11 of their last 12 games overall.

CSM struck first at the 9:27 mark of the first quarter when Friehauf hit sophomore halfback Bryan Florendo (Crete, Neb./Crete) for a 6-yard touchdown.

UNK tied it at 7-7 four minutes later when wide receiver Richie Ross hit Darnell Wood for a 28-yard scoring strike. But Friehauf would find paydirt from 2-yards out less than three minutes into the second quarter to put Mines up for good, 14-7.

A Jessup Pfeifer field goal from 20-yards out cut the Mines lead to 14-10 with 1:32 to play in the first half, but the high powered Mines offense tacked another touchdown on the board with three seconds left in the half when Friehauf hit Chan for a 51-yard touchdown to give the Orediggers a 21-10 lead at the break.

Friehauf threw second half touchdowns to Chan (13-yards) and a 1-yarder early in the fourth quarter to sophomore wide receiver Brent Chacon (Gilcrest, Colo./Valley), who was seeing his first action of the season after returning from an injury.

Saturday marked the third time in his career that Friehauf threw for at least four touchdowns and the sixth time he topped the 300-yard mark. He completed a pass to eight different receivers. Chan caught four passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns to lead the way.

The Oredigger defense, which forced four turnovers, recorded three sacks and held the Loper offense to just 101 yards in the second half, was led by senior strong safety Daniel Leger who totaled 10 tackles, two interceptions and a sack on the afternoon.

Senior cornerback Brian Yureskes (Bailey, Colo./Platte Canyon) also notched an interception, while junior defensive end Mark Donnelly (Loveland, Colo./Loveland) and redshirt freshman defensive end Marin Richardson (Colorado Springs, Colo./Mitchell) each recovered fumbles. Donnelly also registered a sack.

UNK received 88 rushing yards on 20 carries from Mike Miller, while All-American and Preseason RMAC Player of the Year Ross caught six passes for 49 yards.

CSM returns to action next weekend when it travels to Fort Lewis for a 1:00 pm kickoff. A win would match the best start to a season in school-history (8-0) set in 1939.

-- OREDIGGERS --