SAN DIEGO – San Diego State completed a spirited spring football game on Thursday night, with Team Aztec posting a 19-0 victory over Team Warrior at Snapdragon Stadium.
SDSU defenders combined for five interceptions, 11 tackles for loss—including six sacks—to go with 12 pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Eric Butler led both defenses with 10 tackles, including four solo stops to go with a pass breakup and a 21-yard interception return in the third quarter. In addition, Josh Hunter (3 solos), Trey White and New Zealand Williams each finished with six tackles, while Brady Anderson, Noah Avinger, JD Bryant, Vai Kaho and JD Coffey III contributed five stops apiece.
The lone scoring of the first quarter occurred on the initial possession of the game as Gabriel Plascencia drilled a 55-yard field goal to salvage points following a stalled seven-play 25-yard drive.
Plascencia split the uprights once again from 42-yards out early in the second quarter to put Team Aztec in front, 6-0, capping an eight-play, 34-yard march.
Later in the period, Team Aztec extended its lead to 13-0 when Kyle Crum hit tight end Mark Redman on a six-yard touchdown pass after Noah Tumblin's 42-yard interception return on the previous possession down to the 10. Tumblin also picked off a pass on the second play of the third quarter.
Team Warrior had its best chance to score just before intermission on a 3rd-and-15 situation from its own 35 as Jalen Mayden connected with Brionne Penny for an electrifying 54-yard gain down to the Team Aztec 11. Two plays later, however, Avinger intercepted Mayden in the left side of the end zone near the front pylon to extinguish the threat.
With time running out in the fourth quarter, Team Aztec closed out the scoring as quarterback Liu Aumavae directed a 14-play, 96-yard drive, culminating in a two-yard touchdown run by running back Martin Blake.
Blake led all rushers with 68 yards in 15 carries for Team Aztec, while Team Warrior was paced by Lucky Sutton's 25 yards on five attempts.
Aumavae completed 8-of-15 passes for 102 yards and one interception, while Krum went 8-for-18 for 73 yards and the aforementioned touchdown.
Conversely, Mayden finished with 219 yards on 12-of-22 passing but was picked off three times.
Darius Hyde led all receivers with four catches for 61 yards on the Team Aztec side, while Team Warrior was paced by Brionne Penny's 68 yards on three receptions, while Mikey Welch (30 yards) finished with three grabs of his own.
San Diego State finished the 2022 season with a 7-6 record and its streak of 13 consecutive years without a losing season is tied for the fifth-longest active streak in the country. The Aztecs open their 2023 season Aug. 26 at Snapdragon Stadium against the Ohio Bobcats.