FAYETTE, Iowa – The Bearcats (1-5, 1-2 GLVC) entered unfamiliar territory on Saturday, October 14th as they took on GLVC-newcomer Upper Iowa University for the first time in program history. Caleb Fisher carried the team to a come from behind 41-34 victory in overtime.
On 4th and 21 from the UIU 21 yard line, Fisher found Quincy Hall Jr for the score to tie the game and force overtime. McKendree got the ball first in overtime and the offense kept their momentum. Fisher found Brylan Apholone on the 8 yard touchdown pass to make it 41-34. The defense than did their job and stopped the Peacocks to secure the victory.
UIU struck first in the opening quarter as they would go up 13-0 with two touchdown drives. On 4th down, Upper Iowa attempted a fake punt, but Timothy Middleton II forced the ball free from the punter, which set up McKendree deep in UIU territory. Eddie Clark capped off the 3 play, 14 yard drive to get the Bearcats on the board.
The Peacocks extended the lead back out to two possessions with four and a half minutes to play in the 2nd quarter. The end of the half was a scramble for the Bearcats. Fisher would get sacked on 3rd down with under 10 seconds left. The field goal unit scrambled onto the field and Ryan Kastl split the uprights from 36 yards out to make it a 20-10 game at half.
McKendree forced an Upper Iowa punt to begin the 2nd half. The Bearcats' opening drive resulted in a touchdown as Ronnie Hunsaker punched it in from one yard out to make it a 20-17 ballgame. With two minutes left in the 3rd quarter, UIU extended the lead to 27-17.
Entering the final quarter, McKendree trailed by 10, but they did not stop fighting. Hunsaker found the end zone once more to make it a 27-24 game just 90 seconds into the quarter. Kastl converted another field goal, this time from 33 yards out to tie it at 27. The Peacocks answered back on a 40 yard TD pass with five minutes left to take the 34-27 lead.
Drama ensued as the game was winding down. The Bearcats got the ball with 4:47 left in the ball game and they needed every second of that. With the game on the line, Hall Jr ran beat his defender and elevated in the end zone to tie the game at 34. In overtime, Fisher found Apholone near the corner of the end zone for the score to give the Bearcats the lead and ultimately the win.
The Bearcats will return home next week when they host the Miners of Missouri S&T (2-5, 2-1 GLVC) for the annual homecoming game with kickoff scheduled for 1:00 p.m.
Bearcat Notes
The touchdowns by Eddie Clark and Quincy Hall Jr were both their first career TDs in a Bearcat uniform.
Caleb Fisher threw for a career high in yards with 247 on 25 of 32 passing. The three touchdowns is a new career high as well.
Ronnie Hunsaker tallied new career highs in carries (15) and rushing yards (94).
Brylan Apholone collected a new career high in receiving yards with 78.
