WAUKESHA – Michael Whitley (So.-Vidalia, La.) rushed 16 yards for a score in overtime and the Lakeland College defense got the critical stop needed to give the Muskies a 34-33 win over Carroll University in both teams' season opener Saturday night.
The Muskies defense stopped the Pioneers on a pair of point after touchdown attempts in overtime, the second a two-point conversion run attempt from the one-yard line. The result was Lakeland's first-ever win over Carroll in six meetings, as well as a win for Colin Bruton in his debut as the team's head coach.
The Muskies pulled out a win against the odds in a game that was an uphill battle from the start. The Pioneers' powerful offense rolled up 441 yards and 30 first downs, controlling the clock for more than 39 minutes.
Lakeland also played from behind for nearly the entire game, surrendering a touchdown on the first drive of the game and never tying the score until Whitley scored on a 10-yard run and then hit Michael Esiobu (Sr.-Chicago, Ill.) for a two-point conversion to make it 27-27 with 4:56 left in the fourth quarter.
The Muskies finally took the lead for the first time by taking advantage of having first possession in the overtime. After Airiss Hargrow (Jr.-Flint, Mich.) bulled ahead for nine yards on the team's first play from the Carroll 25, Whitley scampered in for his second rushing touchdown, and the extra point by Conrad Foss (Fr.-Muskegon, Mich.) gave Lakeland a 34-27 lead.
Carroll quickly answered with a touchdown, grinding away with running back Daniel Arden, who gained the final three of his 203 yards. The Muskies thought they had the game won when Mitch Halbach's extra point attempt was blocked, but a personal foul penalty gave the Pioneers another shot. With the ball moved half the distance to the goal line to the 1 1/2-yard line, the hosts decided to go for it and sent Arden up the middle, but Lakeland stuffed the play for its first win in a season opener since defeating Northwestern (Minn.) 27-15 on Sept. 3, 2005.
The final play capped a last stand by a Muskie defense that struggled to contain an experienced Carroll offensive attack but came up with huge plays when needed, as well as an offense that came alive when needed most.
Lakeland could've saw its chances for a comeback all but sunk by the fourth quarter. The Pioneers were driving late in the third quarter when Mason Ross (So.-Pulaski, Wis.) made his first collegiate interception to keep the score 27-19. Carroll then drove 62 yards in 13 plays down to the Muskies' 4-yard line, but on fourth-and-goal decided to forgo a short field goal that could've made for a 30-19 lead, and Christopher Dickson (Jr.-Griffin, Ga.) broke up Kyle Burlingame's pass to keep it a one-score game.
With 9:22 to play, the offense still had to start very deep in its own territory, but Whitley took over, directing a masterful drive and taking the Muskies the length of the field. A 14-play, 96-yard drive included three third-down conversions, and Whitley's run and the ensuing two-point conversion tied the score with 4:46 left.
The defense still had to come up big again, and it did, allowing two first downs before stiffening and halting the Pioneers' next drive near midfield. Lakeland took over on offense with 46 seconds left and ran the clock out to set up the dramatic overtime.
Though playing from behind throughout regulation, the Muskies kept the heat on all night. Carroll's first touchdown was answered early in the second quarter when Whitley hit Richard Micheaux (Sr.-Taylor, Mich.) down the sideline for a 32-yard score to make it 7-6. Hargrow later had a 2-yard plunge to answer another Pioneers score and make it 14-13.
Carroll led 20-13 at halftime, but Lakeland clawed back within a point again on its second drive of the third quarter, which took all of one play. Whitley fired a pass behind the defense to Kezlow Smith (Sr.-Pontiac, Mich.), who raced the rest of the way for a 91-yard touchdown on one of the longest pass plays in school history that made it 20-19.
Whitley finished completing 11 of 27 passes for 203 yards and also led the Muskies in the running game with 109 yards on 21 carries. Esiobu caught five of his passes for 51 yards, while Micheaux added three catches for 47 yards.
The defense was led by Kevyn Lewis (Jr.-Inkster, Mich.) with 11 tackles. Donte Rowell (So.-Chicago, Ill.) added 10 tackles as well as an interception in the first half.
Lakeland is idle next Saturday and will have a week to savor its victory before facing Albion (Mich.) College on the road Sept. 19 at noon Central time.
Lakeland stops conversion in overtime, finally masters Carroll in opener
/seasons/2015/boxscores/20150905_accs.xml
2015
Lakeland
34
Carroll
33
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeland (1-0) | 0 | 13 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 34 |
| Carroll (0-1) | 7 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 33 |
Sep 05, 2015