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Printer-Friendly ModeCards drop heartbreaker
Last second touchdown gives Wildcats comefrom- behind win
October 5, 2009 —
It wasn’t a very happy ending for the Cardinals on homecoming weekend.
Playing in front of a home crowd for only the second time this season, Northern Michigan mounted comebacks on three occasions, including the game-winning touchdown with only four seconds remaining to beat the Cardinals, 23-20.
The Wildcats entered the game with the highest scoring offense in the GLIAC, averaging 37 points a game and 271 rushing yards. The Cardinals defense did all they could to hold them in the game, limiting the Wildcats to 161 rushing yards. The 23 points Northern scored was the second fewest they have scored in a game all season.
Sophomore kicker Austin Borchard put the Cardinals on the scoreboard, kicking a 23-yard field goal for an the early lead. After a Northern field goal tied the score, junior wide receiver Andrew Beaver hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Charles Dowdell to give the Cardinals a 10-3 lead heading into halftime.
SVSU came out of the locker-room with a sputtering offense that was unable to score in the third quarter. While Northern is known as a team that likes to run more than pass, perhaps they surprised the Cardinals in the third quarter, throwing two touchdown passes to regain the lead 17-10. Dowdell started off the third quarter by throwing an interception that the Wildcats were able to convert into a touchdown.
Borchard tried to get the Cardinals back into the game by kicking a 20-yard field goal cutting the Cardinals deficit to four. With 7:19 to go in the game, Dowdell threw a four yard touchdown pass to senior tight end Galen Stone, giving the Cardinals the lead for the third time, 20-17. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, their defense that had been giving Northern’s high-powered offense fits all day was unable to stop them when it mattered most.
The Wildcats saved their best offensive drive of the game for the most important time. After Stone’s touchdown, Northern went 71 yards in 17 plays, taking 7:06 off the clock, scoring the game-winning touchdown with only four seconds left.
Dowdell heaved a desperation pass for the last play of the game. It was intercepted by the Wildcats to end the game.
The Cardinals defense was able to hold the Wildcat offense that came in averaging 401 total yards to just 255 for the game, although the final drive is what will be remembered most.
Leading the Cardinals defense was senior linebackers John Jacobs and Mike LeVand, who each had 17 tackles. Jacobs and LeVand rank second and third in the GLIAC in total tackles after their big games against the Wildcats.
The loss drops the Cardinals record to 4-2 overall, 3-2 in the GLIAC.
This week they head for the road to take on Tiffin for a game that is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.
Tiffin enters the game not having won a single game yet, having a record of 0-6.