Box Score (KIRKSVILLE, Mo., Oct. 19)—The McKendree University football team battled to the finish Saturday at Truman State University, but the Bearcats came up short in a 28-21 loss to the host Bulldogs at Stokes Stadium.
 
The Bearcats nearly overcame a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter, but could not avoid its second Great Lakes Valley Conference loss of the season. McKendree is now 2-4 overall and 1-2 in GLVC play. The Bearcats will be on the road next Saturday (Oct. 26) for another GLVC contest at Saint Joseph's College. Kickoff is set for noon in Rensselaer, Ind.
 
Junior wide receiver Dewayne Gatti (Pasadena, CA/Bonita) had a big day for McKendree, catching a team-high seven passes for 152 yards. In the process, Gatti became the Bearcats' new single-season leader in both receptions (40) and receiving yards (559). He broke the record of 39 catches established just last year by Pat Doty (Springfield, IL/Springfield), while Gatti surpassed the old mark of 554 receiving yards set in 2004 by Tony Vail.
 
Gatti set another McKendree record against Truman State by hauling in three touchdown passes from sophomore quarterback Isaac Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington). The old record of two TD catches in a game was tied several times, the last time by Gatti in the Bearcats' season opener against Tiffin University on Sept. 7.
 
"I told the guys (after the game) that I really felt like we battled all the way today," said McKendree head coach Mike Babcock. "You really got the feel that this was a one-possession game all the way down to the end. We fought back and tied the game twice in the first half, and even when we got down 14 (points), we didn't quit. It came down to some of the little things that didn't go our way. Truman was able to take advantage of those and they came away with the win."
 
Fisher completed 19-of-39 pass attempts for 228 yards versus Truman State. All three of Fisher's touchdown throws to Gatti went for at least 30 yards, including a 36-yarder late in the first quarter that helped the Bearcats pull even at 7-7. The strike capped a nine-play, 77-yard drive.
 
After Truman State (5-2, 3-0 GLVC) used an 11-yard scoring run from Aaron Hartfield to regain a 14-7 advantage early in the second quarter, McKendree was able to answer once again. Pinned at its own 15-yard line with less than four minutes left in the first half, Fisher orchestrated a five-play, 85-yard drive to knot the contest at 14-14. Fisher was 4-for-4 for 79 yards on the drive. He closed the drive with consecutive 33-yard completions to Gatti, the second one resulting in the TD that tied the game with 1:49 left until intermission.
 
The Bulldogs took the ensuing kickoff and needed just 42 seconds to take the lead back at 21-14 with 63 seconds on the clock before halftime. Following a scoreless third quarter, Truman State took its largest lead of the day when Jesse Jenkins scored from a yard out in the early stages of the fourth quarter to extend the Bearcats' deficit to 28-14.
 
Once again, McKendree fought back, taking the kickoff and marching 72 yards in just over three minutes. Fisher found Gatti down the middle for another 33-yard TD pass with 9:22 remaining, and freshman kicker Steven O'Block (Libertyville, IL/Carmel Catholic) added the point after to help the Bearcats pull within 28-21.
 
The McKendree defense was able to hold Truman State in check on its final two drives, and the Bearcats started their last possession at their own nine-yard line with 34 seconds on the clock. A pair of incomplete passes and a sack of Fisher brought the Bearcats down to their final play, and a pass down the left sideline to Gatti fell incomplete with 3.6 seconds to play.
 
Junior running back Ryan Herring (Fairview Heights, IL/Belleville East) rushed for a team-high 62 yards on 11 carries to lead the Bearcats' ground game. Sophomore linebacker George Hill (Chicago Heights, IL/Rich Central) and junior linebacker Harrison Skokos (Bradenton, FL/Lakewood Ranch) shared team-high tackles for McKendree with 12 apiece. Freshman linebacker Jeremiah Wilkins (St. Louis, MO/Pattonville) chipped in with seven tackles, while sophomore defensive lineman Brett Pearman (Granite City, IL/Granite City) collected the Bearcats' lone sack of the day.
 
Hartfield rushed for a game-high 101 yards to lead the way for Truman State. Bulldog quarterback Conrad Schottel was 31-of-48 through the air for 333 yards.