(DYERSBURG, Tenn., Aug. 28)—Sophomore quarterback Austin Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) (Washington, Ill./Washington) threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to sophomore wide receiver Nick Jones (Murphysboro, IL/Murphysboro) (Murphysboro, Ill./Murphysboro) with just 17 seconds remaining to lift the McKendree University football team past the University of the Cumberlands Saturday evening at the Big River Bowl in Dyersburg, Tenn,, 34-27.

Fisher's TD strike capped a 17-point fourth-quarter outburst for the Bearcats, who are ranked No. 8 in the NAIA pre-season poll. The touchdown also marked the Bearcats' only lead of the contest as they rallied from a 27-17 deficit midway through the third quarter. McKendree scored twice in the final 2:07 to register the win.

Senior running back Jimmy Berezik (Fraser, Mich./De La Salle) (Fraser, Mich./De La Salle) earned the Big River Bowl's Most Valuable Player award by rushing for a game-high 152 yards on 14 carries. Berezik also scored two touchdowns in his McKendree debut, including a spectacular 68-yard dash in the second quarter. Senior kicker Jordan Fark (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) booted a school-record 51-yard field goal with just 2:07 remaining that tied the game at 27-27.

“That was just a gutty, gritty effort in the second half,” said McKendree football coach Carl Poelker. “We were a bit tentative in the first half and it showed. But we had a lot of different guys step up, especially in the fourth quarter. Those are the kinds of efforts we saw in the pre-season, and I'm glad that our leaders stepped up tonight.”

Cumberlands, the No. 11 team in the NAIA pre-season poll, scored first on a 16-yard touchdown run by Bob Evans. McKendree answered on its next drive as Berezik scored from two yards out in the final minute of the first quarter. A 79-yard punt return by Brendan Kelly pushed the Patriots back in front 14-7 when Berezik struck for his 68-yard scoring run just two plays later to even the contest at 14-14.

With just 2:24 remaining until halftime, Cumberlands took its third lead of the night thanks to a three-yard TD run by Justin Pritchett, giving the Patriots a 21-14 lead at the intermission. Fark booted his first field goal of the night, a 38-yarder to pull McKendree within 21-17 before Pritchett added an 11-yard scoring burst to give Cumberlands its largest lead of the night, 27-17, with 5:40 remaining in the third quarter.

Senior running back Joe Beimfohr (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) helped the Bearcats rally within 27-24 in the early stages of the fourth quarter on a two-yard touchdown run. Fark – who missed a 32-yard field goal on McKendree's previous drive – stepped up with 2:07 on the clock and drilled his record-setting field goal from 51 yards out. That surpassed the previous mark of 50 yards shared by Terrance Clark (1998 vs. Quincy) and Stephen Webb (2002 vs. Northwestern Oklahoma State).

After holding Cumberlands to a three-and-out on the next series, McKendree took possession at its own 48 yard line with 44 seconds on the clock. Fisher started the drive with an eight-yard completion to senior tight end Byron Gettis (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia). Fisher then hit junior wide receiver Myron Hicks (Sauk Village, IL/Bloom Trail) (Saul Village, Ill./Bloom Trail) on a four-yard pass on the right sideline, giving the Bearcats a first-and-10 from the Patriots' 40-yard line. Jones then found a seam over the middle on a post pattern, and Fisher hit Jones in stride for the game-winning score.

Beimfohr added 80 yards on 11 rushes for McKendree, while senior running back Marlone Chenault (Bellwood, Ill./Proviso East) (Bellwood, Ill./Proviso East) chipped in with 59 yards on the ground for the Bearcats. Fisher was 10-of-18 for 146 yards on the evening. Hicks caught five passes for 70 yards, while Gettis added three receptions for 18 yards.

Junior linebacker Jason Rejfek (Arlington Heights, IL/John Hersey) (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) led the Bearcats' defense with 13 tackles, including 4 ½ for loss.

McKendree will play host to Olivet Nazarene University next Saturday (Sept. 4) in the Bearcats' 2010 home opener. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. at Leemon Field.

-McK-