CHADRON – In a game that featured fans calling plays from the stands,
key turnovers, and a 100-yard race between two offensive linemen, it
was fitting the Chadron State College football team’s spring game was
decided on the next-to-last play Saturday at Elliott Field.
The Red’s Jeff Alcorn, a redshirt freshman inside receiver from
Chadron, caught a 4-yard pass from quarterback Jon Kuzava in the back
of the end zone with one second remaining to give the Red team a 21-16
win.
The scoring drive, which came one play after the Red’s kicker missed
two field goals, began inside the 20-yard line with 28 seconds
remaining after the White’s halfback fumbled the ball while waiting for
a halfback pass play to develop.
“There might’ve been a little controversy near the end of the game, but
it was fun for the guys to play in,” CSC head coach Bill O’Boyle said.
“A lot of people got involved, including the fans, and all in all it
was a successful game for both squads because no one got hurt and both
teams played well.”
The game featured little offensive output until the end of the
first half. After the White’s Travis Atter booted two field goals from
17 and 42 yards on back-to-back drives, the Red’s Kevin Berg
intercepted a pass and scored from 25 yards out in the second quarter,
giving the Red team a 7-6 lead. However, the White team responded with
eight seconds left in the half when quarterback Garrett Treffer found
Isaac Stockton in the corner of the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown.
Late in the third quarter, the Red team got the lead back when Kuzava
hit wide receiver Josh Collett down the sideline for a 27-yard
touchdown. But on the White’s next possession Atter booted a 32-yard
field goal – his third of the day – to give them a 16-14 lead with just
over 12 minutes remaining.
But the Red team didn’t go away and they had two chances to
take the lead with a minute left but both field goal attempts – the
second attempt came because the White team had too many men on the
field – sailed wide to the right. The Red’s received new life, though,
when safety Steven Garcia recovered a White fumble on the next
offensive play to set up Alcorn’s game-winning TD.
“I thought both defenses played really well,” O’Boyle said. “A lot of
guys got some really good experience during our spring practices and
today was a product of that.”
In addition to Berg’s interception and Garcia’s fumble
recovery, the Red’s Talmaus Ewell also intercepted a pass. Although the
White team didn’t create any turnovers they limited the Red team to
just 184 yards of total offense and sacked the Red quarterbacks four
times.
Junior Aaron Cooksley led the Red team in rushing with 49 yards and
Kuzava threw for 91 yards and two TDs. Alcorn was the leading receiver
with three catches for 24 yards and Kent Russell added two catches for
39 yards.
The White team, which gained 232 yards, was led by Mark Haag’s
73 yards. Haag also had the longest play of the game when he broke up
the middle for a 50-yard gain. Treffer threw for 105 yards and Stockton
caught five passes for 52 yards.
White 3 10 3 0 – 16
Red 0 7 7 7 – 21
First Quarter
W – Travis Atter 17 field goal
Second Quarter
W – Atter 42 field goal
R – Kevin Berg 25 interception return
W – Isaac Stockton 8 pass from Garrett Treffer
Third Quarter
R – Josh Collett 27 touchdown pass from Jon Kuzava
Fourth Quarter
R – Atter 32 field goal
W – Jeff Alcorn 4 touchdown pass from Kuzava
