PUEBLO, Colorado – No. 23 Angelo State had its best season since 1994 come to an end in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs in a 52-14 loss to No. 8 Colorado State-Pueblo at the Neta & Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl on Saturday.
 
The Rams (9-3) were limited to 327 yards of total offense and were held to its lowest points output of the season. CSU-Pueblo (11-1) gained 425 yards of total offense and forced four turnovers. The Thunderwolves returned a fumble for a touchdown and scored on a 90-yard punt return.  
                                                                                        
Kyle Washington completed a career high 30-of-51 for 225 yards and two touchdowns. The junior quarterback was intercepted twice and sacked four times. Dakarai Pecikonis became Angelo State's all-time career leader in receiving yards and receptions. He caught nine balls for 84 yards and finishes his career with 189 receptions and 2,831 yards. Anthony Yancy, Brett Rasberry, Donovan Thompson and Ryan Byrd each caught four balls. Byrd led the team in rushing with 49 yards on six attempts.

Rush Seaver and Blair Smith each finished the game with seven total tackles. Jarred Ross made six stops and had one interception. Clayton Callicutt and Raymond Coen each were credited with a sack.
 
Trailing 14-0 after two quick-strike scoring drives by the ThunderWolves, the Rams scored for the first time on a 16-play drive which spanned 72 yards and finished with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Rasberry from Washington to cut the deficit in half. The drive was highlighted by two 14-yard pass completions to Pecikonis and Yancy and also featured a 10-yard run by Byrd. Washington's touchdown pass was his 33rd of the season and came with 4:50 remaining in the first half.
 
While the Rams had some momentum going, the ThunderWolves survived the storm and would score 24 unanswered points to take the 31-7 lead. The run of points included a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown by Stephan Dickens and was followed by CSU-Pueblo taking advantage of Washington's second interception of the game by going on a five-play, 22-yard drive to end the half with a 7-yard touchdown pass to Paul Browning from Bonner with 17 seconds remaining in the half.
 
Washington finished the first half with 145 yards passing and 19 yards rushing, while Byrd led the team with 49 yard rushing on six carries. Byrd had a 31-yard gain to get the Rams in the red zone, but the drive stalled with ASU unable to convert a fourth-down try and lost possession despite the solid field possession. Smith carries the ball eight times and ran for 16 yards, while Pecikonis led the team with four receptions for 54 yards. Thompson, Yancy and Byrd each had three catches in the first half, while Rasberry had two receptions including his third touchdown of the season.
 
Chris Bonner finished the first half with 176 yards passing on 10 completions and had two touchdowns and one interception to ASU's Jarred Ross. Cameron McDondle led the ThunderWolves with 87 yards rushing on 13 carries, including a 58-yard run and a 1-yard touchdown which gave CSU-Pueblo a 14-0 lead.
 
The second half momentum swung the way of CSU-Pueblo as Seth Brown picked up a fumble on the first play and returned it 13-yards to extend the lead to 38-7. The Thunderwolves forced another Ram punt and took over at their own 49. The Thunderwolves added to their lead seven plays later with a 22-yard touchdown pass to J.B. Matthews from Bonner.
 
CSU-Pueblo would add their final touchdown on a 72-yards rush by McDondle. Washington and the Rams put together a scoring drive at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The junior hit Rasberry on a 22-yard corner route and then found James Hurd on a 16-yard touchdown pass to make it 52-14.
 
Bonner went 15-of-27 for 242 yards and three touchdowns. McDondle led all rushers with 167 yards on 16 carries and added two touchdowns. Paul Browning caught eight balls for 152 yards and two touchdowns.
 
The nine wins are the most since ASU won 10 in 1994 and it is only the third time since joining NCAA Division II that the Rams advanced to the second round of the playoffs.