ARCATA, Calif. -- The Humboldt State football program gave its senior class a historic send off Saturday at the Redwood Bowl. The Lumberjacks scored a season-high 71 points in their 71-13 win over the Red Storm of Dixie State to wrap their turnaround season.
 
Saturday's win completed the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's biggest single-season turnaround for a member football program. The Jacks (8-2, 4-2 GNAC) increased their win total by eight from last season's 0-11 mark.
 
HSU's 71 points tied for second in single-game scoring with 1969's 71-27 drubbing of Oregon Tech. The record for most points in a single game remains safe for another year. The mark, set by the Phil Sarboe-led Jacks of 1952, is 72 points.
 
Over 3,700 Green and Gold faithful packed the Redwood Bowl Saturday to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of the team's 20-man senior class. With all the fanfare, excitement and energy surrounding the Senior Day celebration, HSU's GNAC opponent Dixie State never stood a chance.
 
"(This was) another great performance by our players. They love playing in the Redwood Bowl," said Head Coach Rob Smith. "(Our players) have responded all five games at the Redwood Bowl. The players were focused on playing their best game at the end and sending our seniors out with a great memory."
 
The Jacks orchestrated a 10-play, 65-yard series and scored the game's first points on their opening drive. Senior running back Nick Ricciardulli drove the football into the end zone from five yards out to give HSU its first lead. The Poway, Calif., native had a special afternoon. Ricciardulli carried the ball 24 times for 95 yards and his first quarter touchdown in the win. His 95 yards pushed him over the 1,000-yard mark for the second time in his HSU career, and his performance moved him into second place on the program's career rushing yards list. His 2,773 career rushing yards rank him second all-time behind Jacks' legendary running back Percy McGee.
 
HSU led 8-0 after a two-point conversion by Chase Krivashei, but Dixie State showed some early life. Return man Aubrey Reed took senior Matt Bruder's kickoff 99 yards to pay dirt following the Jacks' score.
 
After the touchdown return, HSU freshman quarterback Robert Webber went to work dissecting the Dixie State defense. The Corona, Calif., native threw two of his season-high five passing touchdowns to end the opening quarter. Webber fired an 18-yard pass to senior Cass White and tossed a 17-yard swing pass to Ricciardulli to put the Jacks up 22-7 after 15 minutes of action.
 
Webber had one of his most efficient outings Saturday. The first-year starter completed 17-of-27 passes for 244 yards, five touchdowns and an interception. His five touchdowns put him in exclusive company. Webber becomes one of only four quarterbacks in program history to pass for five touchdowns in a single game.
 
Freshman running back Ja'Quan Gardner had been held without a rushing touchdown in the last three games – that streak ended Saturday afternoon. The electrifying runner opened the second quarter with a nine-yard touchdown carry, which gave the Jacks a 29-7 advantage. In Gardner's first season wearing the Green and Gold he showed of his ability to be both a feature back and a compliment to the shifty senior Ricciardulli. He compiled 78 all-purpose yards in the season-ending victory, including 10 carries for 58 yards.
 
Dixie State scored a touchdown on Webber's only miscue of the afternoon with 11:18 left in the half. Red Storm linebacker Trevor Oakley snatched an off-target pass and returned it 65 yards for a touchdown. The Jacks blocked the extra point attempt following the Dixie State score.
 
Webber connected on a pair of touchdowns to Krivashei and senior receiver Kelechi Nwadibia to end the half with the Jacks on top 43-13.
 
"Offensively, we really executed well and we had some big third and fourth down conversions in the first half," said Smith. "We established ourselves early today on both sides of the ball."
 
Krivashei opened the 2014 season slow, but caught fire when it counted most. The Corona, Calif., native caught 27 passes in the season's final three games and ended the year with 63 catches for 633 yards. Krivashei caught five passes for 58 yards and two touchdowns Saturday, including a nine-yard shovel pass from Webber following a Jeremiah Maluia interception to open the second half.
 
Maluia's interception, one of the three HSU picks in the season finale, helped the Jacks extend their lead to 44 points, 50-13.
 
The Jacks' defense had another strong performance against the Red Storm (1-10, 0-6 GNAC). HSU finished with five sacks, nine tackles for loss, a forced fumble and three interceptions. Seniors Alex Markarian and Silas Sarvinski anchored the Green and Gold defensive line and combined for six tackles. Markarian led the Jacks' with 2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and three quarterback hurries. The Chino Hills, Calif., native product ended his outstanding senior season with a team and conference-high 14 sacks.
 
"Our defense had a shutout today, because Dixie State's scoring came on the kickoff return for a touchdown and the interception return," said Smith.
 
HSU's running game ended the afternoon with three touchdown carries to score the final 21 points of the game and outgained Dixie State 319 to 34 on the ground in the win. Freshman running back Mark Parson scored two rushing touchdowns and accumulated 21 yards on six carries. Fellow freshman Richard Doctor added a two-yard touchdown dash between Parson's scoring runs. Doctor averaged 6.8 yards per attempt on 13 carries and finished with 89 rushing yards.
 
At the conclusion of the game the Jacks' offense racked up 607 yards of total offense, its best performance of 2014. The Green and Gold converted 12-of-17 third down attempts and were 3-for-3 on fourth down opportunities.
 
"We played very well today and I am not surprised we played like this," said Smith. "This was a great performance and a great way to end our season."
 
As excited as Smith was about Saturday's historic result, he knows bigger and better things are in store for the HSU football program.
 
"We have to find ways to take that next step. We have to set very high goals because there is nothing we can't accomplish here," said Smith. "We have established a culture of athletic and academic excellence in this program, and we have a lot of people behind us. It is time to seize the opportunity to move this program to the next level. Eight wins is a great accomplishment for these players. It speaks to the character of our players and their commitment to Humboldt State."