The Aurora University Spartan Football team squared up against the Lakeland College Muskies on wind chilled Vago field. The contest was a showdown of the Northern Athletics Conference champions from th
e past two seasons with the Muskies as the reigning champs.
The Spartans prevailed over the Muskies 23-7 in a contest dominated by turnovers and a opportunistic Spartan defense.
AU received the opening kickoff but were unable to move the ball into the strong winds that tormented both teams throughout the day. A short punt left the Muskies with good field position.
Lakeland would capitalize when senior quarter back Jake Dworak found senior wide receiver Roberto Flores for a 22 yard touchdown pass on fourth down and three yards. The score came with 10:28 left in the first quarter.
The Spartans would soon answer the Muskie score two possessions later with their own touchdown coming with 5:17 left in the first quarter.
The score came after the Spartans linebacker Jeff Krause (junior) ripped the ball loose from the Muskie ball carrier and fellow linebacker Cory Young quickly jumped on the loose ball. The fumble was recovered deep in Muskie territory (27 yard line).
From here, senior quarterback Spenser Adams would use his feet to move the Spartans toward the end zone and with one final scramble Adams beat the Muskie defense with a diving play at the pylon. The first quarter ended with a score or 7-7
The second quarter was much more about defense with neither team able to move the ball consistently. Spartan senior defensive back Mike Langhurst came up big for the Spartans in the second quarter with two interceptions to compliment stellar play from the rest of the Spartan defensemen.
However, the quarter would not end with out some offense. With just seconds remaining in the half, senior kicker
Ryan Subick would come through with a 39 yard field goal. Entering the half, the Spartans led 10-7.
The third quarter was much the same story as both teams defenses came up with big plays. Interceptions and fumbles plagued both squads with several turnovers being tallied for both teams.
Aurora would take control of the game toward the end of the third quarter. The surge began on a big fumble return by sophomore defensive back Bo Price.
Price scooped up the Logan Hughley, which was ripped from his arms by sophomore defensive end Jerome Christmas, and scampered 55 yards to the four-yard line, setting up the Spartan offense.
Two plays after the return sophomore running back Steve Rivera followed his offensive line into the end zone giving AU a 17-7 lead. The Spartans kept the 10-point lead into the fourth quarter.
The Spartans continued outstanding play on the defensive side of the ball into the fourth quarter denying the Muskies of any opportunities to score. Entering the fourth quarter, the Spartan defense had forced five turnovers (three interceptions and two fumbles) and allowed just 121 total yards of offense.
As they had the first three quarters of the contest, the Spartan defense was the main attraction in the fourth quarter. In Lakeland's four possessions in the final quarter, the AU defense forced two turnover on downs, forced a fumble (and recovered) and an interception that the capacity crowd will remember for some time.
In the closing seconds of the game, with a win everything but in the book, the Spartan defense had the final treat for the home crowd. As Muskie quarterback Jake Dworak was intercepted by junior defensive lineman Derek DiNino, who rumbled 85 yards for the final Spartan touchdown. The return was aided by several big blocks from fellow defensive players including a massive hit from junior linebacker Cory Young that sprung DiNino for the score.
Looking at the end statistics, you don't get a real sense of how the game developed. The Spartans allowed more first downs and were out gained both on the ground and in the air. But thanks to an opportunistic defense that pretty well controlled the Muskie offense, forcing seven turnovers and allowing the lone score early in the first quarter.
On the game, AU totaled four interceptions (three by Langhurst) and three forced fumbles. Also, the quarterback combination of Bevell and Adams threw for 175 yards (16 of 31). Jeff Krause had 11 tackles, one and a half quarterback sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble and Adam Siwicki had 10 tackles and a fumble recovery.
AU improves to 3-1 on the season, 1-0 in the NAC, while Lakeland is 1-3, 0-1 NAC.
