Goal-line Stand Gives Lions a win

A goal line stand saved the Lions from three straight win less Saturdays on the road.

The first one resulted in a loss to Missouri S&T. Match number two was a rout by South Dakota. For game three, Lions Head Coach Patrick Ross and his boys needed a win to salvage this trip. And they got it thanks to two senior defenders.

“To be honest it was blur,” said linebacker Chris Howard, one of the men that made the game-winning tackle. “It all happened so fast.”

LU led 41-35 against Texas A&M-Kingsville – an NCAA Division 2 power with seven national titles – with two minutes and 18 seconds left in the game. Kingsville had the ball on its own 20-yard line thanks to a missed field goal by the Lions. The Javelinas’ first three plays were incomplete passes. On  fourth down, the Kingsville quarterback threw an 11 yard strike to set up first-and-goal from the seven-yard line. A missed pass, a five-yard run and a third down rush put the Javelinas on the one-yard line with fourth down looming.

“The d-line stood up their o-line,” said defensive back Christian Golder – who helped Howard stop Kingsville --“The play went fast, but it was one the best plays I ever played in my life.”

Howard said with a laugh, “I just remember handling my responsibility and praying to God they don’t get in.”

The Javelinas’ running back got stuffed for a two-yard loss as time ran out, sealing the victory for LU.

“It was a great football game,” Ross said. “That was probably the fastest team from top-to-bottom we ever played.”

Attendance was more than 9,000 fans, making it the largest crowd the team has played in front of. 

The goal line stand helped avoid a three game losing streak, but the Lions also came home feeling confident.

Their record is 4-2 and the next four games are home, starting this Saturday for Homecoming against Kansas Wesleyan University. 

Game time is 1:30 p.m.

The Coyotes, from Salina, Kansas, are an NAIA program. KWU is 2-4 and has yet to win a road game.

The Lions have one loss in Homecoming games since Ross became coach in 2004.  

“If we don’t come in ready to play, it’s going to be a long day for us,” Ross said.

The Lions will have starting running back Denodus O’Bryant for Saturday’s contest. The junior missed the last three games and most of a fourth with a high ankle sprain.