DE PERE, Wis. (WLCSports.com) - Wisconsin Lutheran College overcame an 11-point deficit by scoring a pair of touchdowns within a nine-second span in the final minute of the fourth quarter, but St. Norbert had the last answer on a 47-yard touchdown pass with 0:13 seconds left to hand the Warriors a heartbreaking 37-32 defeat in the NACC opener at Schneider Stadium.
The Warriors (0-3, 0-1 NACC) held a 7-6 lead over the Green Knights (2-1, 1-0 NACC) after the first quarter of play. SNC scored first on its third possession of the game via a seven-yard touchdown pass, but WLC answered with a five-play, 65-yard scoring drive in just 1:58 when sophomore
Bryce Barbian (Cudahy, Wis.) connected with freshman
Landon Neeley (Frisco, Texas) for a 45-yard touchdown.
St. Norbert accounted for the only points of the second quarter on a 14-yard touchdown run at the 12:28 mark for a 12-7 lead. Wisconsin Lutheran drove deep into Green Knights territory on its final first-half possession, but had its 20-yard field goal attempt blocked as the second quarter clock expired.
Both teams alternated third-quarter touchdown runs, first a nine-yard scamper from SNC followed by an eight-yard run from senior
Mike DuPree (Milwaukee, Wis.) that capped the Warriors' longest drive of the game of nine plays, 75 yards. WLC trailed 18-13 after three quarters.
A frantic fourth quarter featured a combined 38 points scored between both teams. St. Norbert struck for a 56-yard pass play just a minute, 10 seconds into the final period for a 25-13 lead. Freshman
Emmitt Hawkins (Cudahy, Wis.) hauled in a 12-yard touchdown pass from Barbian with 9:37 left to cut the deficit to seven.Â
The Green Knights built a 31-20 lead with 5:15 remaining following a one-yard touchdown run. After each team turned the ball over on downs, Wisconsin Lutheran went 50 yards on eight plays and Barbian found senior
Trevion Green (Miami, Fla.) for a seven-yard touchdown with just 0:52 seconds remaining.
Trailing 31-26, senior
Anthony Ziegler's (Houston, Texas) onside kick attempt was successfully recovered by senior
Brandon Antczak (Mukwonago, Wis.) and the Warriors took over at SNC's 38-yard line. On the next play, Barbian found Hawkins for a 38-yard touchdown strike to give WLC a 32-31 lead with just 0:43 seconds remaining.
St. Norbert took over at its 31-yard line, and after two pass plays, found itself at Wisconsin Lutheran's 47-yard line. After an incomplete pass that was nearly intercepted, Green Knights quarterback Peyton Lyon connected with Paul Bageanis for the game-winning 47-yard touchdown. A last-chance lateral play on the Warriors' next possession was foiled.
WLC totaled 453 offensive yards compared to 530 for SNC. Barbian completed 34 of 52 passing attempts for 380 yards and four touchdowns. Dupree rushed 20 times for 95 yards and a score. Green grabbed a school-record 14 receptions for 152 yards and a touchdown, while Hawkins hauled in nine passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Neeley finished with three catches for 71 yards and a score.
Sophomore
Layson Handwork (Merritt Island, Fla.) led all players with 13 tackles, while junior
Savon Goodwin (New Orleans, La.) chipped in with nine stops.
Wisconsin Lutheran remains on the road next week for the annual Lutheran Bowl game at Concordia Wisconsin (2-1, 1-0 NACC). Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Tomasini Stadium in Mequon. Live coverage links will be available at WLCSports.com.
Â
