Miscues cost Clan; Simon Fraser falls to SOU 31-18 (video)

Burnaby, B.C. – A pair of costly mistakes by the Simon Fraser University Clan football team, bookending the first and second half, resulted in a 14-point swing, and handed the Clan their second loss of the season as the Southern Oregon University Raiders defeated SFU 31-18 on Saturday afternoon at Terry Fox Field. SFU (0-2) is back in action next Saturday when they travel to Monmouth to face Western Oregon in a rematch from week one.

Saturday turned into a battle on the ground, as Southern Oregon running back Brandon Baldwin scampered for 181 yards on 35 carries, including two touchdowns, while Simon Fraser back Gabe Ephard (North Vancouver, B.C.) carried the ball 15 times for 152 yards. Both Southern Oregon (237) and Simon Fraser (211) rushed for over 200 yards.

“We missed some tackles, we did a very poor job on kickoff returns, and we gave away the game,” said SFU head coach Dave Johnson in his post game press conference. “We basically fell out of the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down. I thought our intensity was good, but when we make that many mistakes we aren’t going to win games.”

In the first half, Southern Oregon’s opening two drives each came to crashing halts on interceptions, first when Nigel Palma picked off Mike McDonald in the end zone, then when Kyle Miller picked McDonald at the SFU 31-yard line.

It took 88 minutes, but the Clan scored their first NCAA points when Ronald Young crossed the plane of the goal line on a one-yard plunge to put SFU up 6-0 after Jeff Biles’ extra point attempt was blocked.

With 48.2 seconds to go before halftime, Biles, under pressure, was forced to pooch punt, giving SOU the ball at the Clan 44-yard line. McDonald proceeded to drive the Raiders down to the SFU doorstep, and connected with Vance Beach with three seconds left in the half on a one-yard fade to put SOU up 7-6 at the halftime.

Subsequently on the opening kickoff of the second half, Ephard bobbled his return, and the Raiders recovered at the Clan 25. Five plays later, Baldwin bounced off three SFU tacklers from one-yard out to give Southern a 14-6 advantage.

Later in the third, SOU drove 74 yards to pay dirt, with McDonald hooking up with Beach for the second time of the day on a 35-yard strike to lead 21-6.

Simon Fraser’s offence came alive on the ensuing series, with quarterback Quinton Agosta finding Taylor Wilkinson on a 27-yard touchdown pass to trail 24-12. The Clan’s attempt at a two-point conversion failed and on the ensuing kickoff SFU recovered an onside kick, however Biles’ 28-yard field goal attempt at the end of the drive was pushed wide left.

In the fourth quarter, Tyler Crowley nailed a 20-yard field goal to put SOU up 24-12, while Southern Oregon stopped the Clan on fourth down on the one-yard line with nine minutes left in the game. On their next possession, Southern Oregon controlled the clock, chewing up six minutes while driving 97 yards, capping their drive with a five-yard touchdown run by Baldwin to put the Raiders up 31-12. The Clan added a touchdown with 52.1 seconds left in the fourth when Agosta hit BJ Bryant on a three-yard strike, missing on the two-point convert to fall 31-18.
McDonald completed 14-for-30 passes for 167 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, while Agosta finished 19-of-33 for 167 yards and two touchdowns. Beach made six receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns, while Andrew Marshall led the Clan with seven tackles, including one for a loss.