I-Light Media
Wildcats Wear Bears Down Over Time
By: Jason McDonald
On paper Fort Valley States game against Miles read mis-match. What transpired on the field was everything but academic. The SIAC co-leading Wildcats scored a touchdown in overtime to defeat the Golden Bears 20-17.
Neither team looked especially sharp on their opening offensive series. Fort Valley State broke the monotony with a timely 28 yard punt return to the Miles 15 yard line. Four plays later and 12 yards closer, Brian Knighton started through a huge hole, lost his footing, and still managed to stumble across the goal line to give the Wildcats an early 7-0 lead.
Faithful Wildcat fans knew the Golden Bears wouldn't just rollover after giving up one touchdown. Miles entered the game with a two-game winning streak over Fort Valley. Miles gets up for Fort Valley Head Coach John Morgan acknowledged.
And Miles got up off the canvas midway through the second quarter. Grant Bennett gave the offense a helping hand blocking and recovering Ray Browns punt inside the Wildcats 30. A personal foul called against the home team on a Miles failed fourth and goal attempt gave the visitors new life at the 12 yard line. Bruising 255 pound back John Lowery didn't waste the gift bolting the remaining distance to tie the game.
Miles added a second touchdown six minutes later. Once again the bruising running of Lowery paved the way. This time the guard-sized back was corralled a yard shy of the goal line. Quarterback Ellis George squeezed it over from there sliding in the end-zone behind 295-pound Raymond McNeil and taking a 14-7 lead into the half.
Willie Copeland and company didn't waste much time putting Coach Morgan's halftime chat into motion. Using a good mix of the pass and run, the Wildcats marched 80 yards on 13 plays to produce the second tie of the game. Fort Valley executed the drive just how the coaching staff drew it up during the break. It was also the last time the offense ran so smoothly in regulation play.
The Wildcats threatened twice more coming up empty on both occasions. Kicker Jake Grubbs duplicated his first half efforts missing a second field goal from 40+ yards away. Miles had an opportunity to go up a touchdown on their last offensive possession of regulation play. The Golden Bears advanced to the Wildcats 37 yard line before penalties backed them up to midfield and 2nd and 28 conditions. An interception by Michael Brown ended the threat on the play immediately following the penalty. With the clock under two minutes Fort Valley managed to gain more penalty yards than offensive yards before yielding to overtime.
In overtime, Jeffrey Burns drilled a 22 yard field goal on the Golden Bears first possession of the extra period. It wouldn't be enough as Willie Copeland pushed his way over the goal line to give Fort Valley the win.
The loss stuck in the Golden Bears throat like wet sand in an hourglass. Their backs were against the wall. A field goal wouldn't have done anything but tie us. They needed a touchdown and we didn't do anything to stop them, gruffed Miles College Head Coach Wade Streeter.