ADA – For the second-straight game, the East Central University football team had not the best start to a game, but found a way to keep the crowd in the game and when time ran out come out on top. The Tigers (2-0, 2-0 GAC) claimed a 47-40 win over Southern Arkansas in Great American Conference action at Norris Field.
Photo GalleryECU trailed by 20, 10 minutes into the second quarter, before starting their come-back in the second quarter to head into the half trailing 19-26. The Tigers tied the game in the third quarter and the teams traded touchdowns to remain tied (40-all), with 2:21 remaining in the game. ECU then used just 1:37 and seven plays to go 58 yards for the winning touchdown and then secured the win with an interception with 20 seconds left to play.
The night truly belonged to junior
Spencer Bond, who was responsible for all six of ECU's TDs and added a 31.5 yard punting average. Bong rushed for four touchdowns and 134 total yards. He also added two passing TDs, while going 22-of-41 for 339 yards.
Senior
Chance Carey was the star defensively, with 8.5 (5-7) total tackles and two interceptions. Both of his interceptions came in the second half, including the snag with 20 seconds remaining.
The Muleriders (1-1, 1-1 GAC) scored on each of their first three possessions, with the first coming with 10:14 left in the first quarter. The opening push gave SAU a 0-20 advantage, with 12:39 left on the clock in the second quarter.
Less than three minutes later ECU got on the scoreboard when Bond connected with sophomore
David Moore for a 10-yard passing touchdown. Bond then added his first rushing score of the game four minutes later. He exploded out of the pocket and garnered an 80-yard TD run to close the score to 14-20.
The Muleriders added one more TD with 44 seconds left in the first half. However, the extra point was blocked by junior
Justin VanNatta and picked up by senior
Qumain Black who returned it for a defensive PAT and two points for a 16-26 score.
The Tigers then pushed quickly down the field in the final minute and redshirt sophomore
David Massuere hit a 45-yard field goal at the buzzer for a 19-26 score.
ECU came out of the locker room with renewed energy and tied the game at 26, with 11:06 left in the third quarter, on an eight-yard run by Bond.
SAU regained the advantage less than a minute into the fourth quarter for a 26-33 lead. The Tigers knotted things up with 12:58 remaining when Bond connected with junior
Juwan Dotson.
ECU garnered its first lead of the game two minutes later when Bond rushed into the end zone from 21-yards out to give the Tigers a 40-33 advantage.
The back-and-forth battle continued when the Muleriders scored 20 seconds later to tie the game at 40 and 10:36 remaining to play.
Both teams then picked up the defense for the next eight minutes. When the Tigers started their possession with 2:21 left to play they took advantage of a 15-yard penalty on the opening play to push them to a rushing TD from Bond, with 47 seconds remaining and a 47-40 lead.
SAU was then forced to throw long quick passes to try and get down the field in range to score. However, on the third play of the drive Carey picked off his second pass of the game at the SAU 38 to secure the victory.
The Tigers will now get ready for a tough road test at Ouachita Baptist, Saturday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m. in Arkadelphia, Ark. OBU opened the season today with a 28-7 win over Southern Nazarene at home.
