New Mexico Highlands led 14-7 at the end of the first quarter, but Chadron State dominated the remainder of the game Saturday afternoon while taking a 56-14 triumph in a Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference football matchup.

The Eagles tallied eight touchdowns and rolled up 486 yards while improving their record to 5-1 and a 4-0 mark in the RMAC.

Four of Chadron State's touchdowns came on pass plays as the Eagles completed 25 of their 30 tosses for 324 yards. The Eagles also scored three times on rushing plays and got the other TD on an interception return by Aaron Bauer.

Eagles quarterback Joe McLain had another superb game. He completed 21-of-26 passes for 287 yards and three TDs. He also used a sneak to score a touchdown midway in the second period. Sophomore Garrett Treffer completed all four of his passes for the remaining 38 yards and one TD for CSC.

About the only dark note in the game for the Eagles was a serious injury to the right ankle of running back Aaron Cooksley, when he was tackled just shy of the goal line after ripping off about a 10-yard run late in the third quarter. The game was delayed about 30 minutes while he was attended to.

Turnovers and long pass plays were prevalent in the first half.

Chadron State scored first with 9:05 left in the opening quarter on an eight-yard pass from McLain to Brandon Harrington. It came three plays after Highlands quarterback Narciso Diaz fumbled when he was belted by CSC defensive end Jared Koester and the ball was recovered by fellow end Shaine Odell at the Cowboys' 13.

Highlands scored the next two TDs. The first with 7:07 left in the opening frame came on a 36-yard romp by Justin Johnson after the Eagles' Jed Herblan tried to field a long punt. Just as the ball arrived, so did a Highlands player who knocked the ball free.

The Cowboys used a pair of long pass plays to go ahead 14-7 with 1:34 left in the first period. Diaz initially connected with LaVaughn Macon on a 32-yard screen pass and then found Mychael Leupepe open down the left sideline on a 37-yard scoring play.

But the Eagles owned the second period while building their 28-14 halftime lead.

A beautiful over-the-shoulder pass from McLain to Isaac Stockton was good for 46 yards and got the Eagles' second quarter rally rolling. Four plays later, tailback John Ritzen scored from the five to knot the score at 14-14 with 13 minutes to play.