UPSET! Mesa Takes Down #1 Snow College, 33-19

Ephraim, UT - The Mesa Thunderbirds upended the #1 Snow Badgers in Ephraim, UT, 33-19, in a Western States Football League matchup Saturday afternoon.

Mesa controlled the momentum for most of the game as Snow just couldn't get into any time of game play.  

The Badgers scored first with a field goal near the end of the first quarter but that was the only time Snow held a lead in this contest.

Mesa's first scored came from a Rathen Ricedorff strike to Aaron Molina which went for 87 yards.  Molina finished the game as the leading receiver with three catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns.

The T-Birds put constent pressure on the Snow quarterback all afternoon, causing six sacks and many hurried passes.  With 4:50 left in the second quarter, Jameer Outsey snuffed out a screen pass, intercepted it and lumbered 68 yards for the Mesa touchdown.  With the extra point, Mesa extended its lead to 13-3.

Luis Bustillos added a 34 yard field goal right before the end of the half to put the Mesa lead at 16-5.

In the second half, Mesa put the pedal to the metal and with Ricedorff at the wheel, he connected with Molina again for a two yard touchdown.  Mesa's lead was now 23-5.

The T-Birds with full momentum, attemted an onside kick.  Mesa's McKay Slade made the recovery at the Snow Badger 39 yard line.  From there, Ricedorff again lead his team on scoring drive, finished off with a Sonnie Richardson eight yard quick pass and run.  That score pushed Mesa's lead to 30-5.

Snow did answer with a scoring drive of their own right before the fourth quarter with cut the Mesa lead to 30-12.

Bustillos connected on a 32 yard field goal to make the score 33-12 heading into the fourth quarter.

Mesa's defense once again stepped up their game and continued to pressure the Snow offense into quick plays.  The T-Birds forced five fumbles on the afternoon, recovering three.  None bigger than a sack fumble that Santana Sterling scooped up for Mesa to put the nail in the Snow Badger coffin.

On the afternoon, Mesa had 354 total yards, with 18 total first downs.  Ricedorff was 18-35 for 292 yards and three touchdowns.  CJ Leggett lead the ground game with 12 rushes for 37 yards.  

Sonnie Richardson had four catches for 27 yards and a touchdown.

Mesa moves to 2-1 on the season, 2-0 in the WSFL.  The T-Birds will back home next week against Glendale with a 7 p.m. kickoff.