2008 Woodie Awards
Saving the best for last
Last minute drive scores Cougars first homecoming win
Zachary Groves
Issue date: 10/9/07 Section: Sports
With less than two minutes to go, the SIUE Club Football team was down 18-16 and just past midfield in enemy territory Sat. Oct. 6.
As of late, the Marquette club team kept the Cougar offense in check. The Cougars were also without starting quarterback senior Kevin Nesselhauf, who left the game in the third quarter with leg cramps and turned to backup freshman Matt Ringkamp to lead the offense.
Ringkamp was playing his first game ever as quarterback and trying to engineer a winning drive. He would accomplish that on a quick pass to wide receiver Ben Jacob, who scored the game-winning touchdown on a 20-yard run to win the game.
"I was nervous the whole time," Ringkamp said. "Kevin just told me, 'Relax,' and I just relaxed. I just threw the ball, hoping Ben would catch it and he did what he had to do to catch it and get in the end zone."
The Cougars beat the Eagles 22-18 in what was their first-ever homecoming win in front of more than 1,500 fans. It was their second homecoming contest since competition at the SIUE Rec Plex began in fall 2006, but the win Saturday afternoon may have started an official homecoming tradition.
SIUE dropped its first homecoming game, 26-18, to the semi-pro Effingham Panthers last October.
Jacob said the touchdown play was perfect as the defense was a little deeper than usual.
"It was just something me and (Matt) worked out," Jacob said. "It just worked out. We just ran in a little quick hitter and all I was looking for was the end zone."
Jacob's touchdown was one of many plays that brought the crowd to their feet. Wide receiver and defensive back senior Peter Choudry picked off two passes from Eagles quarterback Mike Grossoehme, and one of them was for a touchdown.
While the Cougar defense limited the Eagles to 18 points, they sometimes struggled in the second half against a giant Grossoehme, who used his 6'5" frame to score a touchdown, and contributed to two other scores. He also tried two-point conversions because Marquette apparently did not have a set-kicking unit, but was not successful in three attempts.
As of late, the Marquette club team kept the Cougar offense in check. The Cougars were also without starting quarterback senior Kevin Nesselhauf, who left the game in the third quarter with leg cramps and turned to backup freshman Matt Ringkamp to lead the offense.
Ringkamp was playing his first game ever as quarterback and trying to engineer a winning drive. He would accomplish that on a quick pass to wide receiver Ben Jacob, who scored the game-winning touchdown on a 20-yard run to win the game.
"I was nervous the whole time," Ringkamp said. "Kevin just told me, 'Relax,' and I just relaxed. I just threw the ball, hoping Ben would catch it and he did what he had to do to catch it and get in the end zone."
The Cougars beat the Eagles 22-18 in what was their first-ever homecoming win in front of more than 1,500 fans. It was their second homecoming contest since competition at the SIUE Rec Plex began in fall 2006, but the win Saturday afternoon may have started an official homecoming tradition.
SIUE dropped its first homecoming game, 26-18, to the semi-pro Effingham Panthers last October.
Jacob said the touchdown play was perfect as the defense was a little deeper than usual.
"It was just something me and (Matt) worked out," Jacob said. "It just worked out. We just ran in a little quick hitter and all I was looking for was the end zone."
Jacob's touchdown was one of many plays that brought the crowd to their feet. Wide receiver and defensive back senior Peter Choudry picked off two passes from Eagles quarterback Mike Grossoehme, and one of them was for a touchdown.
While the Cougar defense limited the Eagles to 18 points, they sometimes struggled in the second half against a giant Grossoehme, who used his 6'5" frame to score a touchdown, and contributed to two other scores. He also tried two-point conversions because Marquette apparently did not have a set-kicking unit, but was not successful in three attempts.
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