Griffons' Late TD Spills Mavericks
Nov 6, 2010 | General
Box Score
OMAHA, Neb. – Drew Newhart's 11-yard touchdown pass with 16 seconds left to Adam Clausen gave Missouri Western State a 16-14 MIAA victory over the University of Nebraska at Omaha Saturday at Caniglia Field and climaxed a wild swing of emotions over the final 99 seconds.
The Mavericks are now 4-6 on the season and 4-4 in the MIAA, while the Griffons improved to 7-3 and 5-3. UNO will finish its season next Saturday at Truman State at 2:20 p.m.
Missouri Western grabbed a 10-7 lead on Brad Beckwith's 49-yard field goal with 7:19 to play, but the Mavericks responded with an 89-yard, 11-play drive. Quarterback John Teigland punched in from one yard out to score with 1:39 left for a 14-10 UNO lead.
The Griffons then marched 64 yards in just 1:19. During the drive, the Mavericks appeared to have secured the win when Newhart's pass was tipped by receiver Andrew Mead into the hands of UNO senior safety Danny Pelster. But the play was nullified by a pass interference penalty against the Mavericks and Western got new life at the UNO 48. Newhart and Terrell Downing teamed up on pass plays of 17 and eight yards and Michael Hill ran for five yards before the decisive score.
The teams battled through a scoreless first quarter that ended when Brad Beckwith's 42-yard field goal attempt hit a lineman.
Teigland's 11-yard strike to Higgins in the middle of the end zone put UNO out front with 6:19 to go in the second quarter. The drive started after UNO's A.J. Williams recovered a fumble by Clausen at midfield when the Griffons tried a fourth-down fake punt.
The Griffons tied the game with 2:20 left in the half after the kickoff with Newhart passing five yards to Mead. After an interception by Shane Simpson at the Griffons' 38, Missouri Western had a chance to take the lead in the closing seconds, but Beckwith missed a 47-yard attempt after the Mavericks forced a fourth-and 14 at the UNO 30.
Each team had field goals blocked in the third quarter. UNO cornerback Bryan Shepherd blocked Beckwith's 33-yard attempt and the ball was picked up by cornerback Jerry Key, who returned it to the end zone. But a personal foul against the Mavs nullified the score, putting the Mavs at the Griffons' 28. The Mavs lost three yards in three plays before Ramsay had his 48-yard attempt blocked by Kwaan Parish.
Missouri Western broke the tie on Beckwith's 49-yard field goal with 7:19 to go in the fourth quarter. The Mavs took the kickoff on their own 11 and drove 89 yards with a 32-yard pass from Teigland to Jonathan Patent at the Griffons' 13 yard line the big play. Levi Terrell ran for gains of 10 and 2 yards and Teigland had two sneaks before getting into the end zone.
Terrell ran for 115 yards, his third 100-yard game of the season, to lead UNO. Teigland completed 10 of 19 passes for 164 yards and Justin Coleman led UNO with three catches for 53 yards. Pelster led both teams with 15 total tackles, including eight solo stops.
Missouri Western gained 412 yards in total offense to UNO's 276 yards. Newhart connected on 25 of 39 passes for 243 yards, Mead caught eight for 108 yards and Michael Hill carried 21 times for 146 yards to lead the Griffons.
