A team safety caused by the Stephen F. Austin (5-3, 3-1) defense was enough to push the Lumberjacks past the Colonels (2-6, 1-4) for a 23-21 win Saturday evening. With the game tied 14-14 in the third quarter, the Lumberjacks moved the ball 71 yards down field on 13 plays to put six points on the board.
Wes Pate completed a 20-yard pass, from the Lumberjack 19 yard line, to Eric Chapman on third-and-20, which kept the drive in tact for Stephen F. Austin.
Stephen F. Austin moved the ball in Colonel territory when Chapman ran for two yards, on second-and-one, to the Colonel 50 yard line. Four plays later the Lumberjacks committed a holding penalty, which pushed the offense back 10 yards, but Pate would find wide receiver Vince Walker on second-and-20 for a 19-yard gain, putting Stephen F. Austin on the Nicholls 12 yard line.
Two plays later, Pate connected with Anthony Dingle in the end zone for the tie-breaking score. Ryan Rossner added the extra point, which allowed Stephen F. Austin to take a 21-14 lead with 6:25 left in the third quarter.
Stephen F. Austin’s special teams put two points on the board when it blocked James Wilcox’s punt in the top of the fourth quarter. Nicholls special teams player Jamar Walters recovered the football in the end zone, while being swarmed by a host of Lumberjacks, which resulted in a safety. The Lumberjacks now held a nine-point 23-14 lead.
Although the Colonels had been outscored 16-0 thus far in the second half, their offense did not give up. Starting the drive from their own nine yard line, the Colonels were able to move the ball 91 yards in seven plays for a touchdown.
On second-and-seven, from its own 12 yard line, Nicholls running back Phillip Brock rushed for a 17 yard gain, which put the Colonels on their own 29 yard line. Son and the Colonels moved the ball into Stephen F. Austin territory when Son connected with wide receiver John Price for a 25-yard pass to the Lumberjack 46 yard line.
Two plays after being sacked for a six yard loss, Son connected with Price again, but this time, for a 38-yard touchdown with 3:03 left in the fourth quarter. Manly added the extra point, and the Colonels were looking at two-point, 23-21, deficit.
After a failed on-side kick, the Colonels gave Stephen F. Austin the ball back with 2:15 left in the fourth quarter, and its offense ran the clock out for the 21-23 win.
Although the Colonels scored seven points in the second half, the first half seemed like a totally different ball game.
After going three-and-out on its first offensive drive, Stephen F. Austin put its defense on the field to contest with the Colonel offense. Rudy August took the Colonels first offensive play, a hand-off, 10 yards for a first down to the Lumberjack 37 yard line.
Three plays later, Son rushed from the Stephen F. Austin 24 yard line for the first touchdown of the game, and Manly converted the extra point to put the Colonels up 7-0 11:17 remaining in the first quarter.
After catching a six yard pass, Brock fumbled the ball on the Colonel 23 yard line. Stephen F. Austin recovered the fumble, and the Lumberjack offense started a new drive on the Colonel 19 yard line.
The Lumberjacks tied the ball game at 7-7 when Pate completed a 17-yard pass to Courtney Garcia on second-and-eight for the touchdown with 5:41 left in the first quarter.
The Colonels then orchestrated a 10-play, 71-yard drive in 4:17, allowing them to take a 14-7 lead.
Son hooked up with Brock on second-and-12 for 29 yards, which put the Colonels on the Stephen F. Austin 32 yard line. Nicholls then ran the ball down field for six consecutive plays and 32 yards. Son capped off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run, which put the Colonels up 14-7 going into half time.
The Lumberjacks recovered a Roger Williams fumble in the third quarter, which gave them the football on the Colonel 12 yard line. Three plays later, Chapman rushed for a one-yard touchdown with 8:42 left in the third quarter. Rossner completed the extra point, which tied the game at 14-14.
Colonel freshman safety Gareth DiBetta finished the game with seven tackles, while fellow freshman safety David Willis finished with six-and-a-half. Linebacker Michael Griffith recorded the Colonels only interception.
Offensively, Son was the Colonels leading rusher with 56 yards, and Price led the squad in receptions with 2 catches for 63 yards.
Next week, the Colonels will face the seventh ranked Grambling Tigers in Guidry Stadium at 11 a.m.
“We expecting a big crowd (for the Grambling game). I think there will be a nice turnout,” said Colonels head coach, Daryl Daye.
