SAN DIEGO – In a thrilling encounter last Saturday night, Washington State edged out San Diego State with a late rally to secure a 29-26 victory. John Mateer led the charge for Washington State, throwing two touchdown passes and running for two more scores. However, it was the contributions from local players that added an intriguing dimension to the game.
San Diego State (3-4) had built a substantial lead, scoring 20 unanswered points to sit comfortably at 26-14 with just over 13 minutes left in the game. Yet, Mateer, demonstrating precision and poise, quickly connected with Carlos Hernandez for a 34-yard touchdown, closing the gap to 26-21 with over 12 minutes remaining.
Despite the final scoreline, the San Diego State community had reasons to celebrate their local talents. Temecula’s own Josh Hunter, a proud alumnus of Mater Dei, delivered a solid performance on defense, registering two tackles and assisting on a crucial quarterback sack. Jelani McLaughlin from San Jacinto, also contributed with a tackle, while Jake Sinz from Temecula, although not recording any stats, was active on SDSU’s roster.
The game began with Washington State (7-1) taking an early lead thanks to Mateer’s 26-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Mathers. San Diego State responded with precision kicking from Gabriel Plascencia, who nailed field goals from 46 and 28 yards, leaving the Aztecs trailing by a single point after the first quarter.
Mateer extended the lead for Washington State with a 1-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter. Just before halftime, Marquez Cooper powered in a 7-yard touchdown for San Diego State, though the failed two-point conversion meant the Cougars held a slender 14-12 lead at the break.
San Diego State made a decisive move in the third quarter. Freshman wide receiver Jordan Napier delivered a 27-yard touchdown pass to Nate Bennett after Tony Freeman’s muffed punt gave them favorable field position. This put the Aztecs ahead 19-14.
Marquez Cooper again found the end zone with a 1-yard run early in the fourth quarter, extending SDSU’s advantage to 12 points. But Mateer and Washington State were undeterred. Mateer’s 2-yard touchdown run followed by a successful two-point conversion flipped the game in favor of the Cougars with just over five minutes left.
Taariq Al-Uqdah’s interception of Danny O’Neil’s pass, returned 20 yards, was a vital moment, halting a promising SDSU drive at the Cougars’ 14-yard line. Washington State capitalized on this with a decisive seven-play drive, culminating in Mateer’s victorious touchdown run.
Mateer finished the game with 257 passing yards, completing 19 of 27 attempts, and led the Cougars in rushing with 42 yards on 21 carries. O’Neil threw for 195 yards, completing 22 of 34 passes. Marquez Cooper contributed significantly with 78 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
While the Cougars celebrated their third consecutive win, local fans applauded the exceptional efforts of Hunter, McLaughlin, and Sinz. Their contributions, though not enough to change the outcome, highlighted the rich talent hailing from the San Diego region.
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