ARCATA, Calif. – Humboldt State football captured its first home victory of the season when it defeated Simon Fraser 47-9 Saturday evening in Redwood Bowl.

The Lumberjacks improved to 5-4 overall and 3-4 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play. Simon Fraser remains winless (0-8, 0-6 GNAC), and the Clan has lost 21 consecutive games dating back to the 2014 season.
 
"Games like this tend to test the maturity of your football team," said head coach Rob Smith. "It is very easy to get caught up looking at records or, in our case, the fact that we already played them once and we were able to handle them. I was really pleased with our overall play tonight."
 
Following a Davaeon Johnson interception on the game's first play, the Green and Gold offense went to work. Robert Webber fired a 1-yard touchdown pass to John Todd for the game's first score, which capped an eight-play, 62-yard drive.
 
A Gardner fumble on the Jacks' next drive looked as if it might give the Clan a scoring opportunity, but the HSU defense forced a three-and-out. Chet Sterling blocked Simon Fraser's punt on 4^th-and-21 to put Webber and Co. back in business.
 
The quarterback from Corona, Calif., hit Marjani Ellison in stride with a 25-yard touchdown strike to increase the HSU advantage to 14-0 with 4:40 left in the first quarter.
 
Ja'Quan Gardner got his opportunity to show off why he is the conference rushing leader in the Jacks' first drive of the second quarter. He carried the ball four times for 32 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown run that featured broken arm tackles and dazed Clan defenders. Gardner's touchdown wrapped up a seven-play drive, but it was Richard Doctor's electrifying catch and run that helped the Jacks convert on third-and-long.
 
A bad punt set HSU up with great field position on its next drive. Webber launched a 55-yard touchdown pass to Todd on the first play of the drive to give the Green and Gold a 28-0 lead with less the seven minutes remaining in the half.
 
The Jacks' offense scored a touchdown on its third straight drive as halftime drew near. Isaiah Hall broke a 25-yard run for his second touchdown of the season to put HSU up 34-0 before the PAT. Cameron Southward's extra point was deflected at the line of scrimmage, picked up by Jaryn Bailey and returned for two points.
 
Southward split the uprights from 26 yards out with 15 seconds left before intermission.
 
A 75-yard kickoff return put the Clan in scoring position with 2 seconds left on the clock. Quarterback Miles Richardson was picked off by Julian Owens in the end zone to end the half.
 
HSU dominated the second quarter. The Jacks ran 21 plays for 231 yards, and they scored on all four of their offensive possessions. 
 
Gardner went back to work on HSU's first drive of the second half. The junior from Ceres, Calif., had a 50-yard touchdown run negated by a holding penalty, but broke a 19-yard touchdown run five plays later. He finished the game with 96 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.

The Jacks put the finishing touches on Saturday's win on their next drive. Southward booted a 31-yard field goal to put HSU up 47-2 with 5:26 left in the third quarter.
 
HSU's second and third units took over for the remainder of the game, and  allowed a rushing touchdown to Jalen Jana midway through the fourth quarter. Jana was limited to just 41 rushing yards after rushing for a career-best 262 yards in the Jacks' last meeting with the Clan.
 
Webber completed 20-of-27 passes (74 percent) for 301 yards and three touchdowns.
 
Cameron Buell headlined the HSU defense with five tackles, a sack and three tackles for loss. Curtis Williams made the most of his playing time with a team-high two sacks.
 
HSU hosts Western State Colorado on Saturday, Nov. 5 at 6 p.m. The Jacks senior class will be honored for its accomplishments prior to the final home game of the season.