CINCINNATI – In a game that was closer than the final score would indicate, C.J. Hester rushed for 204 yards as Wyoming knocked off Graham, 30-6, in the Division IV, Region 16 football playoffs Friday night.
Aided by a personal foul penalty on Wyoming on the opening kickoff, Graham took possession at its own 45.
The Falcons drove all the way to the Wyoming 5, but an errant pitch by quarterback Eli Hollingsworth was recovered by Wyoming’s Hester.
Led by Hester’s 44 rushing yards, the Cowboys marched 73 yards in 10 plays, the drive culminating on Hester’s 18-yard touchdown run.
D.J. Gray’s two-point conversion run gave Wyoming an 8-0 lead late in the first quarter.
The Falcons took their ensuing possession 67 yards for a touchdown which came on Zack Vanscoy’s five-yard run.
Hollingsworth’s two-point conversion pass was batted backward, and the Falcons trailed, 8-6.
Wyoming (12-0) put together another long drive on its next possession, but the Cowboys turned it over on downs at the Graham 4.
The Falcons (7-4) marched to the Wyoming 24 in the final moments of the first half, but time ran out at that point with the Cowboys ahead, 8-6.
Graham had 192 total yards in the first half compared to 162 for the Cowboys.
Wyoming took the second half kickoff and quickly drove deep into Graham territory.
Facing fourth and 13 at the Graham 15, Cowboys’ quarterback Quaid Hauer completed a pass to the 1, and he scored on a run a play later to make it 14-6.
The Falcons came right back and moved into Wyoming territory, but the drive stalled out on fourth and two at the Cowboys’ 45.
The third quarter ended with Wyoming ahead, 14-6.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Falcons drove to the Wyoming 10, but a trick pass play to a lineman on fourth and five netted only two yards.
Moments later, Hester scored on an 88-yard run to make it 22-6.
Wyoming added a TD pass in the final moments of the game to round out the scoring.
The Cowboys had 362 total yards compared to 284 for the Falcons.
Hauer completed 15 of 16 pass attempts while Hollingsworth completed 20 of 34.
