The win improved the Wildcats to 7-4 overall and 4-3 in the Big Sky Conference. The Hornets ended their season at 2-9 overall and 1-6 in league games.

Weber State opened the scoring with a 39-yard field goal from Joe Johnson on the Wildcats’ first drive. After WSU stopped Sacramento State on the next drive the Wildcats took advantage of a Hornet miscue and made the score 10-0. On the play, the Hornets snapped the ball over the head of punter Mitch Lively. The ball was downed by Sacramento State at the 5-yard line setting up a 5-yard run from Chournos.

The Hornets answered early in the second quarter on a 19-yard pass from Kenan Smith to Billy White. The grab was the first career touchdown for the freshman from Granite Bay, Calif. Smith earned his first career start at quarterback after Blake Mori was sidelined with back spasms.

Samuel extended Weber State’s lead to 10 points, 17-7, with a 5-yard run at the 8:28 mark of the second quarter. However, Smith, once again, led Sacramento State down the field and found Caleb Jones for a 7-yard touchdown in the final minutes of the first half.

The second half scoring was controlled by Weber State. Chournos scored on a 4-yard run midway through the third quarter and Johnson added a 23-yard field goal early in the fourth period.

The Hornets did have a couple of chances in the half but could not capitalize. Following Chournos’ touchdown, Smith fielded the kickoff at the goal line and then threw across the field to Chris Meyer who returned the ball to Weber State 40. The ball, however, was brought back after the officials ruled that Smith’s pass was a forward lateral.

One possession later, Sacramento State drove the ball to the WSU 31. Smith rolled out to the right and intended to hand the ball of to Pete Hingano. The ball ended up lying on the 37-yard line before Brady Fosmark picked it up and rambled to the Sacramento State 24.

Individually, Smith ended the day 13-for-25 for 176 yards and pair of touchdowns. The San Jose, Calif., native was making his first start at quarterback since his senior season of high school in 1998. Smith also tallied 26 rushing yards and returned four kickoffs for 94 yards to end the day with 296 yards of total offense.

Junior wide receiver Fred Amey caught five passes for 88 yards. Amey ended the year with 989 yards — the exact total he recorded in 2002. That mark also ranks as the most receiving yards by an individual since Sacramento State moved to Div. I-AA in 1993.

Junior defensive back Kevin Tennerson recorded his fourth interception of the season late in the first half. Terrnerson’s total is tied for fifth in Sacramento State single-season history.

Defensively, senior Camron Mbewa ended his career with 12 tackles and sophomore Matt Logue added 11.

Weber State churned out 254 rushing yards as a team. The Wildcats attempted just 14 passes and Tate Bennett completed 11 of them for 131 yards.

---30---