ST. GEORGE, Utah-Saturday, Dixie State football (6-1, 5-1 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play) hosts fellow RMAC foe Chadron State (3-4, 2-4 in RMAC) for Homecoming at Trailblazers Stadium.
This is Dixie State’s 14th all-time Homecoming game at the NCAA Division II level and their last one before they move to Division I next season. While as a Division II school, the Trailblazers are 6-7 all-time on Homecoming.
The Trailblazers are tied for 29th nationally in scoring offense (35.4 points per game) with Central Washington.
After a slow start to the season, Trailblazers redshirt sophomore signal-caller Kody Wilstead has come on.
He currently completes 55.3 percent of his passes (83-150) for 1,290 yards, 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. Wilstead also averages 6.4 yards per carry and has a rushing score on the season.
Dixie State’s all-time leading rusher, senior tailback Sei-J Lauago (63 car, 280 yards, 3 TD’s) while Andrew Kannely-Robles (51 car, 218 yards, 4 TD’s) is the leader in rushing scores for the Trailblazers.
Various receivers have bolstered Dixie State’s passing game this season. They include redshirt senior receiver Dejuan Dantzler (20 rec, 374 yards 4 TD’s), redshirt senior wide-out Kasey Allison (18 rec, 331 yards, 4 TD’s), junior receiver Jalen Powell (23 rec, 257 yards, 2 TD’s) and senior wide-out Xavier Smith (11 rec, 213 yards, 2 TD’s, a team-best 19.4 yards per grab).
Junior kicker James Baird has made 8 of his 9 field goal attempts on the season and 30 of his 31 PAT’s on the season for Dixie State.
Defensively, the Trailblazers’ scoring defense ranks 33rd nationally (18.4 points per game).
Dixie State ranks first nationally with 32 sacks, led by redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Dylan Hendrickson, who ranks second in the country with 9.5 sacks.
2020 NFL draft propsect, senior defensive back Aaron Simpson, ranks fourth nationally with five interceptions for the Trailblazers on the season.
Senior defensive back Alex Lilliard also has excelled for Dixie State, posting 3.5 sacks and a team-best two forced fumbles for the Trailblazers.
The Eagles, who in their rich past have sent tailback Danny Woodhead and receiver/kick returner Don Beebe into the NFL, have won consecutive games against Adams State (42-23) and Texas-Permian Basin (43-21) in a non-conference tilt last Saturday.
Chadron State is tied for 32nd nationally in scoring offense (35.1 points per game) with Angelo State.
Redshirt junior signal-caller Dalton Holst completes 54.5 percent of his passes on the season (156-286) for 2,074 yards (sixth nationally), 20 touchdowns (tied for fifth nationally with Kutztown’s Collin DiGalbo, Indiana (Pa.)’s Quinton Maxwell, Wyatt Steigerwald of Missouri Western and Tiffin’s Nick Watson) and six interceptions.
Sophomore tailback Elijah Myles (86 car, 477 yards, 6 TD’s, 5.5 yards per carry) and redshirt senior tailback Stevann Brown (79 car, 409 yards, 2 TD’s, 5.2 yards per carry) lead the Eagles’ ground attack.
Holst’s best receivers are redshirt junior wide-out Cole Thurness (45 rec, 583 yards, 2 TD’s) and senior receiver Tevon Wright (39 rec, 558 yards, sixth-best in the nation 9 TD’s). Wright’s 54 points on the season are a team-best for Chadron State.
Redshirt receiver Brandon Fullerton (22 rec, 384 yards, 3 TD’s, 17.5 yards per catch) is also solid in the passing game for the Eagles.
Freshman kicker Colton Dolder has made 5 of his 7 field goal attempts on the season for the Eagles and 12 of his 16 PAT attempts.
Chadron State struggles defensively as they rank 118th in the nation in points given up per game (32.7 points per contest).
Redshirt sophomore linebacker Noah Kerchal leads the Eagles with 4.5 sacks. Senior safety Tyree Fryar has two interceptions to lead Chadron State in that category.
Redshirt senior linebacker Tyler Lewis (interception, three forced fumbles) and redshirt senior cornerback DeAndre Barthwell (2 forced fumbles, interception) have also been solid contributors for Chadron State.
The Trailblazers lead the Eagles 2-1 all-time, including a 1-0 mark all-time against them at Trailblazers Stadium.
