Oct. 24, 2009
Box Score
The Upper Iowa Peacock football team dropped a heartbreaking contest Saturday afternoon as the Golden Bears of Concordia-St. Paul visited Eb Eischeid Stadium in Fayette. The Peacocks posted 22 points in the fourth quarter of action to send the game into overtime, but couldn't complete the comeback, losing 57-56 in double overtime on a perfect autumn day in Northeast Iowa.
Following a punt on the opening drive of the contest, Peacock defensive back Nate Curran picked off the first pass from Golden Bear quarterback, Mitch Brecke to give Upper Iowa great field position to start their second drive of the afternoon. Then just seven plays later, Mike Moser rushed into the end zone from 10 yards out to give the Peacocks an early 7-0 lead.
Concordia-St. Paul came right back on the very next play after the kickoff return as Brecke connected with Calvin Simon for a 56 yard touchdown. However, the Golden Bears would not convert the extra point and Upper Iowa would hold the lead, 7-6, with over 10 minutes to play in the first quarter.
The Golden Bears hit the scoreboard once again before the end of the first quarter when Steven King put a 29-yard field goal through the uprights to give the Golden Bears a 9-7 lead heading into the second quarter.
UIU wasted no time coming right back with some points of their own as just one minute into the second quarter Moser capped off an eight play, 63-yard drive when he broke a 19-yard touchdown run. Then, on the next possession, the Golden Bears took their first lead of the game while chewing 6:39 off of the clock in 12 plays which ended in a touchdown rush by Brecke from 16 yards out. Concordia-St. Paul led 16-14 with just over seven minutes to play in the second quarter.
Just before halftime, the Golden Bears took advantage of a UIU fumble and drove into the red zone looking to add seven to their halftime lead. But the Peacock defense held Concordia from scoring on five consecutive plays inside the five yard line and only allowed the Golden Bears to convert a 19-yard field goal as the halftime horn sounded. The Peacocks trailed CU, 19-14 heading into the halftime break.
The Golden Bears came out of the halftime break firing on all cylinders right from the second half kickoff. Concordia's Christian Even took the kickoff all the way back to the Peacock 21-yard line before the Golden Bears punched in a two-yard rush just three plays later to extend their lead to 26-14 early in the third quarter.
But Upper Iowa answered back on the very next possession as Moser rumbled in from one yard out for his third touchdown of the afternoon to pull the Peacocks back within five points, 26-21. Moser's rush capped off a 11 play, 67-yard drive which took 4:13 off of the clock.
After a few possessions of sloppy football which included a Golden Bear 9-yard punt and a missed 36-yard field goal attempt by the Peacocks, the visitors added seven points as the third quarter horn sounded when Brecke completed a 75-yard bomb to Simon to give CU a 33-21 lead heading into the fourth and final frame of action.
Concordia then took advantage of an Upper Iowa punt as they lit the scoreboard again when Brecke connected with Zach Hovey for a 22-yard touchdown completion to extend their lead to 40-21 with 12 minutes remaining in the contest.
The Peacocks came right back with a touchdown of their own when Ben Curran rushed in from four yards out following a failed Golden Bear fake punt attempt. The Peacocks then trailed just 40-28.
On the first play from scrimmage of Concordia's next drive, Casey Popenfoose picked off a Brecke pass to give UIU possession at their own 39 yard line. Then just five plays later, the Peacocks pulled back within five points of the Golden Bears when Curran hooked up with La'Mont Williams for an 18-yard touchdown. Following Jason Price's 71st consecutive successful extra point, Upper Iowa trailed just 40-35.
The Peacock defense allowed just a field goal on the next Golden Bear possession before attempting a two-minute drill to try to send the contest to overtime. After Curran completed a three yard pass to Moser to keep the drive alive on fourth and two on Concordia's 27 yard line, the duo hooked up from 10 yards out with just eight seconds remaining in regulation. With the home team forced to try for a two-point conversion, Curran connected with Jessie Hubbard to tie the contest at 43-43.
Concordia had one last chance for a hail mary into the end zone which was knocked down by Peacock defenders at the five-yard line to send the game into overtime.
In the first overtime session, Concordia made short work of thier offensive possession, scoring in just their second play from scrimmage to take the lead, 50-43. But the Peacocks stormed right back with a touchdown of their own in their overtime offensive possession to tie things at 50-50. The home squad used 10 plays which was capped off off by a Sam Epsteen rush from three yards out to send the contest into a second overtime.
The Peacocks didn't waste any time in the second overtime period as they gained 24 of the 25 yards on the first play from scrimmage when Curran connected with Hubbard. Epsteen completed the one yard touchdown rush, but Jason Price missed the extra point as UIU lead 56-50 going into Concordia-St Paul's offensive possession.
The Upper Iowa celebration was cut short as Golden Bear halfback Sam Campbell scooted 23 yards on the second play from scrimmage to tie the score at 56-56. Concordia converted the extra point to win the game in double overtime, 57-56.
Quarterback Ben Curran completed 25 of his 41 pass attempts for 301 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The Peacock receivers were led by Jessie Hubbard, who caught six passes for 100 yards. Sam Epsteen and Mike Reddick both caught five balls for 52 and 45 yards respectively.
Mike Moser rushed for 60 yards on 11 attempts while scoring three touchdowns and Epsteen tallied 51 yards on 18 attempts which included a pair of touchdowns.
The other Peacock Curran, Nate, recorded 10 tackles and a pair of interceptions for the Peacock defense while Vernard Wilkins made 9 stops. Craig Henry and Shane McComb each registered eight tackles each.
The Peacocks (2-7, 1-7 NSIC) will host the #6 ranked Mavericks of Minnesota State next Saturday, Oct. 31 for a 1 p.m. Halloween contest at Eb Eischeid Stadium in Fayette.
