(Crookston, Minn.)-  The University of Minnesota, Crookston opened the 2011 season this evening with a non-conference game against Mayville State University. The Comets led by as much as 21-7 with 14 of those points coming off Golden Eagle turnovers for touchdowns. After a 42 point first half, the teams combined for 18 total points in the final 30 minutes of play. The Comets went on to scored with 2:28 remaining in the game and quarterback Jake McLain gave Mayville a one point lead at 29-28 with a successful two-point conversion. Mayville State held the Golden Eagles and got the ball back with 1:17 remaining. Poor time management and early kneel-downs gave the ball back to UMC with 13 seconds remaining. Quarterback A.J. Barge (QB, 6-3, 190, Fr., Carrollton, Ga.) hooked up with Eric Fiege (WR, 5-9, 175, Jr., San Diego, Calif.) for a 17-yard completion and with two seconds remaining in the game, kicker Chris Secrest (K, 5-11, 170, Jr., Hollywood, Fla.) nailed a 38-yarder to seal the 31-29 victory for the Golden Eagles.
 
“After Mayville iced Chris with a timeout I went over and asked him how he felt,” said Head Coach Chuck Moller. “He looked at me and said coach I got this and I guess that's what you want in your kicker with the game on the line,” Moller added.
 
In the first half, the Comets jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a Rashad Flanders 28-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown. UMC tied the game up less than two minutes later when Barge connected with Trent Nyhus (FB, 6-1, 220, Sr., Almena, Wis.) for an 11-yard touchdown capping off a four play, 65-yard drive. Jerril Jenkins put the Comets back up on top with a three-yard run finishing an eight play, 64-yard drive. Mayville extended the lead just 30 seconds later when Dominique Bradley grabbed a Golden Eagle pass and scampered 25-yards to put Mayville up 21-7. UMC would go on to score the final two touchdowns to tie the game at the half. With 1:23 remaining in the first half, Barge found tight end Ben Viaene (TE, 6-1, 180, So., Hortonville, Wis.) for a 31-yard touchdown strike to close out a 56-yard drive. The final score of the half found Barge doing it with his legs as he hit pay-dirt on an eight yard run to go into the half knotted up 21-21.
 
The second half saw no scoring in the third quarter as neither defense wanted to give up a game-changing play. In the fourth quarter, Barge found the end zone again rushing for a three-yard score to close out an outstanding nine play, 91-yard drive that took 4:40. Minnesota, Crookston it seemed had finished off the Comets but Mayville retaliated with a seven play, 47-yard drive that found McLain rushing for a three-yard score to put the Comets within one. Instead of settling for a tie game, Mayville went to McLain again who rushed in for the two-point conversion and the 29-28 lead. The Golden Eagles got the ball back and after turning it over to Mayville in four downs, the game was all but over. The Comets knelt and the Golden Eagles called a timeout. Mayville then had a false start that pushed them back five more yards. The team knelt again and then took a delay of game penalty pushing them back to fourth and 34. A 32-yard punt by Tony Evanstad was just about negated by a 23-yard return by Fiege and the fans could sense the game was far from over. Fiege then caught the 16-yard pass from Barge and Secrest came onto the field and the rest is history as the Golden Eagles took the 31-29 victory.
 
Leading the way for the Golden Eagle offense was Richard Haley (RB, 6-0, 205, Jr., Detroit, Mich.) who rushed the ball 30 times for an impressive 225 yards. He had a long of 54-yards and average 7.5 yards/rush in the game. Barge was 11-16 for 183-yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 66-yards and added two more touchdowns on the ground. Fiege caught three passes for 61-yards while Viaene caught three passes for 53-yards and a touchdown. UMC's offense rushed for 303-yards, passed for 183-yards and finished with game with 71 plays for 486 total yards. Defensively, the Golden Eagles were led by Freedom McCullough (DB, 6-2, 190, So., Valley Village, Calif.) who had a monster night with a game-high 10 tackles (4 solo, 6 assisted). Brody Davidson (LB, 6-1, 210, Fr., Crookston, Minn.) finished with nine total tackles along with Tevin Kellum (DB, 6-1, 195, Jr., Detroit, Mich.) who added nine tackles, one tackle for a loss of four yards and two pass breakups.
 
For more information, visit the Golden Eagle Athletics website at www.goldeneaglesports.com.
 
Follow the Golden Eagles on Facebook at Golden Eagle Sports and on Twitter at @UMCAthletics.
 
The University of Minnesota, Crookston is an NCAA Division II Institution and a member of the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The Golden Eagle Equestrian team is a member of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA).
 
 
-30-