Rebecca Straughmatt Mesa Legend

T-birds finish strong

Collins breaks season record for rushing

Nicole Ellis
Mesa Legend

Despite losing their last regular season game 28-23 to #7 nationally ranked Scottsdale Community College on Nov. 11, the Mesa Community College football program has reason to celebrate.
By completing the season with a conference record of 5-4 and an overall record of 6-4, the Thunderbirds compiled their first winning season since 2001.
Averaging nearly 140 yards a game, sophomore running back Austin Collins finished the season with 1,395 rushing yards, breaking the MCC single season rushing record by 22 yards.
The school record had been in place since 2001, set by Rashad Armstrong. Collins was also named first team 2004-NJCAA All-Region I along with four other MCC players.
Mesa traveled to Scottsdale riding a three game win streak, with their last victory over #10 ranked Pima CC after which Mesa free safety Todd Runyan was named WSFL defensive player of the week.
Mesa struck first in the opening quarter with a 23-yard, Scott Wilcox field goal. Responding to a second quarter SCC score, Mesa drove 68 yards to the goal line with the help of two 20 plus-yard runs by Jeremiah White, who also ended his season with an impressive rushing total of 832 yards. A 2-yard TD rush by Austin Collins, who had his first sub 100-yard game of the season with 77, put the T-Birds up 10-7.
An efficient two-minute offense gave Scottsdale the 14-10 lead going into halftime, as SCC quarterback and WSFL offensive player of the year Dexter Hill ran 16 yards to the house with 35 seconds left in the half.
Scottsdale scored early in the third to extend their lead to 21-10. After a fumble recovery gave Mesa excellent field position on the SCC 35 yard line, the T-Birds retaliated with a touchdown on a quarterback draw by Jordan Coffin. Coffin would go on to finish the game with 20 rushing yards and a throwing touchdown in addition to his rushing score.
After a failed two-point conversion attempt, the Scottsdale lead was 21-16 with 10 minutes remaining.
In the following possession, SCC chewed up 4 minutes of clock driving 66 yards for the touchdown, putting the game just out of reach 28-16.
Despite a quick touchdown drive lead by QB Jordan Coffin, time became an insurmountable factor after Mesa failed to convert the onside kick. Nothing could be done as time ran out on the heartbreaking loss, 28-23.
Coming off the field, Head Coach Dan Dunn felt the team had a lot to be proud of. “At Mesa Community College we wanted to show pride and integrity and I think we were able to do that tonight,” said Dunn.
“I’m very proud of these kids and I’m very proud of what we’ve done this year in our football program. I think we’ve turned a corner. We’re young, we have a lot of good kids and they did a real nice job.”
With over eighty percent of the roster made up of freshman, the Thunderbirds look to solidify their winning ways next year with a large crop of returning players.
Offensive Coordinator Roger Schenks is looking ahead to a productive off-season with so many returning. “We’ll have some people that are in leadership roles [next] year that will hopefully step up to the challenge and build on what we’ve created here in the past two years,” said Schenks.
“Our sophomores this year were positive leaders and helped us turn around the program. I think it’s just going to go up from here.”

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