SFU marched the ball to the seven yard line with seconds to go and the game on the line, but couldn’t score, losing 24-21 to Western Oregon.
MONMOUTH, Ore. – Simon Fraser University marched the ball to the seven yard line with seconds to go and the game on the line, but couldn’t make the big play for the win, losing a gut-wrenching 24-21 Great Northwest Athletic Conference football contest to Western Oregon on Saturday afternoon.
Simon Fraser’s two-minute offence marched the ball from its own 26-yard line to the WOU seven-yard line, over the game’s final two minutes and 29 seconds. But on first and goal from the seven, quarterback Miles Richardson was chased out of the pocket and he fumbled the ball out of bounds to escape a sack. At the same time, SFU freshman Brayden Gatland was whistled for a personal foul penalty, a 15-yard infraction. That combination of miscues ended a second chance for the regulation time win. Instead, SFU was pushed back to the 30 with five seconds left.
Freshman wide receiver-turned-place kicker Ethan Beselt attempted a 47-yard field goal to tie the game. The kick was true, but fell short, ending a winless season for Simon Fraser.
Beselt took over place kicking duties earlier in the game after SFU’s regular place kicker and punter Patrick Hegarty was injured on a roughing the kicker penalty. Beselt had connected on all three converts scored in the game.
Quarterback Richardson moved the Clan surgically up the field over the game’s final two minutes in 12 plays. During the drive, Richardson hit senior receiver Justin Buren for 19 yards, sophomore receiver Nathanael Durkan for 20 yards, and sophomore Rysen John for 16 and 13 yard catches. The Clan was also aided by a third down pass interference call on John that sustained the drive and a face mask penalty against Richardson that brought the ball from the 14-yard line to the seven, with 13 seconds left in regulation.
Simon Fraser took control of the game midway through the third quarter, while trailing 17-7.
Simon Fraser went 10 plays and 80-yards, capped off by a Richardson-to-Gavin Cobb 12-yard touchdown pass with just over six minutes left in the third quarter. On WOU’s next possession Jaryn Bailey intercepted his second pass of the game at SFU’s own 40-yard line, setting up a Clan score.
Richardson and the Clan offence went back to work, using nine plays to move the ball 60 yards. On second and goal from the one, Richardson called his own number and went untouched into the end zone behind some great blocks by the offensive line.
That touchdown gave Simon Fraser its first lead of the season, 21-17, and put the Clan one quarter away from a win.
Western Oregon scored the go-ahead touchdown with just under seven minutes to go, moving the ball 82-yards in 10 plays, regaining the lead on a 16-yard pass from quarterback Nick Duckworth to Keoni Piceno, one of only two catches Piceno made all game.
That set the stage for two final SFU drives. The first one, with 7:23 left, ended with three straight incompletions.
WOU got the ball back and moved from its own 37 to the SFU 18 where the Clan defence held the Wolves running game to 5, 2 and 0 yards on three straight plays. Senior Jordan Leech, in his final play at SFU, got his hand on WOU’s field goal attempt to give SFU one final chance at victory.
Richardson finished 23-of-35 for 238 yards, one TD pass and one interception. He also rushed the ball 18 times for 38 yards.
Buren led all players with six catches for 57 yards in his final collegiate game while John had five receptions for 88-yards, and Durkan four catches for 45 yards.
Dionte Simon carried the load for the Clan running game, finishing with 30 yards on 12 carries and a second quarter touchdown run.
SFU and WOU both had 21 first downs but the Wolves had an advantage in the run game, 170-yards to 70.
SFU’s defence held the Wolves to 199-yards passing and picked off three passes, two by Bailey and one by Gabe Lopes, who led the team with 12 tackles. Senior Deondre Townsend had 10 tackles while Trevor Kemp was third on the team with nine.
Source: Steve Frost, Sports Information Director ([email protected])
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