(DAVENPORT, Iowa, Oct. 14)—A four-yard touchdown run by Vernon Reed with 40.6 seconds to play lifted St. Ambrose University past McKendree College, 28-21, in a Mid-States Football Association Midwest League game Saturday in Davenport, Iowa.

 

The loss ends a two-game win streak for McKendree, the No. 17 team in the NAIA. The Bearcats are now 3-3 overall and 3-2 in MSFA Midwest League play. St. Ambrose, ranked No. 6 in the latest NAIA poll, remains undefeated at 6-0 overall and 5-0 in the conference.

 

The winning score was preceded by turnovers on consecutive plays by each team in the final two minutes. McKendree had gained possession at their own 47-yard line following an interception by senior defensive back Mike Harrison (Bloomington, Ill./Bloomington). But on the next play, the Fighting Bees’ Andy Wulf recovered a fumble at the Bearcats’ 42-yard line with 1:55 to play.

 

“This is a game where turnovers truly were the key to the ballgame,” said McKendree football coach Carl Poelker. “They never happen at a good time, and that last one certainly could not have come at a worse time for us. But (St. Ambrose) capitalized on it. Good teams do, and St. Ambrose is certainly a good football team.”

 

The Bearcats lost two fumbles to St. Ambrose, and the Fighting Bees converted the turnovers into 14 points. St. Ambrose won despite committing four turnovers of their own – two fumbles and a pair of interceptions.

 

McKendree had battled back twice to tie the game. Reed had given St. Ambrose a 14-0 lead on a pair of one-yard touchdown runs in the first half before the Bearcats mounted their first comeback. Freshman kicker Kevin Kinsall (O'Fallon, Ill./O'Fallon) (O’Fallon, Ill./O’Fallon) kicked field goals of 30 and 25 yards in the final 6:39 of the second quarter to bring McKendree within 14-6 at the intermission. The Bearcats then took the second-half kickoff and marched 52 yards in 11 plays. Junior running back Uhlon Rich (Swansea, Ill./Belleville West) (Swansea, Ill./Belleville West) capped the drive with a three-yard scoring run, and a two-point conversion pass from freshman quarterback Dan Loudenslager (Summerfield, Fla./Belleview) (Summerfield, Fla./Belleview) to senior running back Dominique Jones (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) (St. Louis, Mo./Hazelwood Central) tie the game at 14-14.

 

After the Fighting Bees regained a 21-14 lead midway through the fourth quarter, McKendree answered again on its next possession. Jones broke free for a 30-yard touchdown run on a third-and-four play with 3:36 to go, and Kinsall’s extra point knotted the score at 21-21.

 

“You talk about heart and character and fighting ability, our guys showed it all afternoon,” said Poelker. “They showed the fight is there, and they never got down on themselves. They were determined to get back in that game, and that speaks a lot for the type of players we have here.”

 

Jones finished with a team-leading 121 yards on 15 carries. Sophomore running back Jacob Rohman (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) (Metamora, Ill./Metamora) added 99 yards on 11 carries. Loudenslager completed 7-of-17 passes for 51 yards.

 

Harrison paced the Bearcats’ defense with 12 tackles, including nine solos. Sophomore linebacker Steve Moravec (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) (Dupo, Ill./Dupo) and senior defensive lineman Tony Wheatley (Springfield, Ill./Southeast) (Springfield, Ill./Southeast) each chipped in with eight stops.

 

McKendree will play host to William Penn University next Saturday at Leemon Field. Kickoff for the Bearcats’ Homecoming contest is set for 1:30 p.m.