Luck of the LutheransMLC uses a little luck, lot of skill in victory

By JIM BASTIAN

Journal Sports Writer

NEW ULM -- It was just supposed to be a simple out pattern, but instead it turned into the biggest play for the Martin Luther College Knights in their young season.

MLC quarterback Dan Lange's pass for Justin Krause bounced off of Krause's hands and into the hands of teammate Jake Schwartz.

Schwartz did the rest, racing 83 yards for the game-winning touchdown as the Knights topped Westminster of Fulton, Mo. 27-26.

The win was also aided by the inability of the Bluejays kicker to convert on extra point kicks as he missed three in the game.

"I think that the football gods were with us today," Knight head coach Chuck Hussman said. He saw his team turn the ball over twice, both of which resulted in eventual Westminster scores. "We still made too many mistakes in the game -- we cannot fumble the ball on the 2-yard line and we cannot fumble the ball on a draw play. But everything worked out okay for us."

Westminster, which beat MLC last year 28-21 in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference game, took a 6-0 lead on its second possession, driving 64-yards in 10 plays. Quarterback Val Leppert connected on pass completions of 13 and 21 yards before capping the drive with a 32-yard strike to Randy Crowley at the 7:05 mark.

"We had some breakdowns on pass coverages in that drive," Hussman said.

The Bluejays then used the first of two MLC turnovers to hit pay dirt two plays into the second quarter.

Following a fumble by Joel Russow on their own five yard line, the Jays needed three running plays to push the ball into the end zone when Robbie Coleman worked his way into the end zone from a yard out. Coleman ran in the extra point for a 14-0 lead just five seconds into the second quarter.

The Knights used a bit of trickery to get back into their first home game of the season. After an 18-yard completion from Lange to Nathan Hochmuth, coupled with a roughing the passer call on the Jays, halfback David Dodge found a wide open Noah Bater on a halfback option pass for a 39-yard score at the 13:11 mark.

"We have not used that halfback pass play all season," Hussman said. "It was a time that we thought it would work."

MLC then turned the tables on Westminster when Jake Schwartz recovered a fumbled punt by Colby Beal, setting up the Knights on the Westminster 19-yard line. Five plays later, Lange capped the drive, hitting Bater for a nine-yard touchdown and give MLC a 14-13 lead.

But the lead would be short lived as the Jays scored with 4:03 left in the half on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Leppert to Phillip Carlson for a 20-13 halftime lead.

Kris Lewis' recovery of a Lange fumble produced another Westminster score when Leppert executed a perfect play-action pass, hitting Randy Crowley for a touchdown from 33 yards out.

But Lange's second touchdown pass of the game, this one to Dodge from seven yards out, cut the lead to 26-20 seven seconds into the final quarter.

And it appeared that Westminster would make that 26-20 score hold up as they pinned the Knights back deep in their own territory before Lange, Krause and Schwartz teamed up for the game-winning score.

"The kids just kept coming back and coming back," Hussman said. "They could have easily given up. That coming back is the mark of a good football team."