October 15
October 15, 2007
Ruberta LaCoste
October 17, 2007NSU Sports Information Desk
For the first time in almost 21 years, the Colonels beat Stephen F. Austin 17-16 in Homer Bryce Stadium on Saturday night.
The last time that Nicholls beat the Lumberjacks in Nacogdoches, Texas was October 14, 1986 by the score of 14-10.
“I’m just so proud of our guys for never giving up and battling through adversity,” said head coach Jay Thomas. “Stephen F. Austin kept us off balance the whole game, but our guys made some big plays to help us get the win.”
Despite being shutout in the second half, Nicholls out-gained Stephen F. Austin on offense by piling up 382 yards to their 347.
Both teams were one dimensional, with the Colonels recording 252 yards rushing and the Lumberjacks airing it out for 319. It is the first time the Colonels have been 5-1 since 2002 and only the third time since joining the Southland Conference that Nicholls is 2-0 in league play.
The only other two 2-0 starts were in 2005 and 1990.
The Lumberjacks (0-6, 0-2) drew first blood at the 3:13 mark of the second quarter as Cory Long connected on a 26-yard field goal that gave Stephen F. Austin the 3-0 advantage. The scoring drive for Lumberjacks totaled 15-plays for 75 yards and used 7:52 of the game clock.
The Colonels (5-1, 2-0) fired back with a field goal of their own at the 9:15 mark of the second quarter when senior Alex Romero connected from 23-yards out.
The drive, which totaled 7-plays for 74 yards, used 2:50 of the clock and was powered by a 61-yard run by senior Cal Jones.
Jones finished the game with 104 yards of total offense (73 rushing 31 receiving).
Stephen F. Austin responded with a four-play drive that covered 55-yards and was capped off when true freshman Jeremy Moses found Dominique Edison from five yards out for the go ahead score.
The touchdown came at the 5:18 mark of the second quarter, and the point after attempt by Long failed to make the score 9-3.
On the ensuing series, the Colonels marched right down the field with a seven-play scoring drive that went 58 yards and used 3:10 of game clock as senior Broderick Cole did the honors from one-yard out.
Romero was successful on his point after attempt to give Nicholls their first lead of the game, 10-9, at the 1:52 mark of the second quarter.
The Colonels had great field position to start the drive due to a 35-yard kickoff return by junior Ladarius Webb to the Nicholls 37-yard line.
Before the first half ended, Nicholls offense managed to squeeze in another touchdown as junior quarterback Vincent Montgomery found senior running back Grant Thorne in the corner of the end zone for the score.
The drive went a total of 53-yards on 5-plays and only used 44 seconds.
Romero’s extra point attempt was good and the Colonels went into the locker room with a 17-9 lead at the half.
After a squandered offensive series by the Colonels to open up the second half, Stephen F. Austin took over at the 50-yard line via a senior Sean Comeaux punt.
The Lumberjacks took advantage of the opportunity and scored on the ninth play of the drive on a 12-yard pass from Moses to Marcus Taylor at the 8:42 mark of the third quarter.
The point after attempt was good by Long, brining the score to 17-16.
That was the last time both teams would score in the game as Nicholls went on to
win.
The Colonels will host No. 6 McNeese State for homecoming Saturday at John L. Guidry Stadium at 6 p.m.
The Cowboys defeated Sam Houston State, 31-21, on Saturday.
CC TEAMS PLACE THIRD AT MISSISSIPPI INVITE
Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams took home third place honors this past Saturday at the Mississippi College Invite in Clinton, Mississippi.
“We ran well, and took advantage of our opportunities,” said head coach Scott Williamson. “I am very proud of the way that they competed and look forward to the Southland Conference Championship.”
The women’s cross country team was led by sophomore Michaela Guidry who finished seventh with a time of 23:44.05, and senior Eunice Jepkogei in ninth with a time of 24:10.52 in the 6K run. Following Jepkogei was sophomore Marion Chebet in 16th with a posting of 25:04.84 and junior Charlotte Everhardt in 18th with a time of 25:06.35.
Rounding out the women’s runners was freshman Kadi Whisnant in 23rd with a time of 25:55.47 to help the Colonels finish third. The Lady Colonels third place finish was two spots higher then fellow conference member Southeastern La. who finished fifth.
The men’s squad walked away with a third place finish as well with true freshman Brandon Kotzur leading all Colonel runners in the 8K race with a time of 27:37.57 that was good enough for ninth.
True freshmen Brandon Loupe, Joseph Fryou and Phillip Culotta rounded out the race’s Top-25 finishers with Loupe placing 17th, Fryou finishing 23rd, and Culotta clocking in 25th. Their times were 28:17.86, 29:37.95, and 29:48.50, respectively.
Other Colonel runners that placed were true freshmen Logan Milano and Ivan Vazquez. Milano finished 30th with a time of 29:58.45 and Vazquez finished 41st checking out with a 31:52.
