The kickoff at Chadron State College’s new $8.2 million football field, stadium and press box was delayed for nearly two and one-half hours Saturday night because of lightning and rain.

But the game with Black Hills State was played and the Eagles had their own fireworks once things got underway, winning 45-8.

Senior tailback Kevin Coy scored Chadron State’s first three touchdowns on runs of 26, 6 and 11 yards to give the Eagles a 21-0 lead just seven seconds into the second quarter.  Coy finished the best game of his career with 115 yards rushing on 15 carries.

The Eagles scored their next three touchdowns on pass plays.  Quarterback Dalton Holst, who completed 13 of 19 passes for 150 yards, initially hit another tailback, Stevann Brown, with a short pass in that flat that Brown turned into a 28-yard touchdown romp.

Senior quarterback TD Stein played sparingly, but completed two passes for touchdowns of 18 yards to Cole Thurness and nine yards to Karson Avila.  Freshman Carson Reed also booted a 42-yard field goal on Chadron State’s first possession of the second half and also made all six extra points.

Black Hills scored its only TD on a 31-yard run by tailback Payten Gilmore midway in the second period and tacked on a safety in the third quarter when the Eagles bobbled the ball in its own end zone, but Stein recovered it to prevent a touchdown.

Chadron State finished with 461 total net yards while the Yellow Jackets managed 349.

The Eagles will now take on Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference power Colorado State-Pueblo next Saturday night in Pueblo.  The ThunderWolves opened their season by thumping Dixie State in St. George, Utah, 56-14.

Black Hills will host Colorado Mines in its home opener this coming Saturday.  The Orediggers blasted Adams State 49-7 in those teams’ game in Golden on Saturday afternoon.