HOMECOMING HEARTBREAK
With a homecoming crowd of over 5,000 fans, the University of Indianapolis Greyhounds (3-3, 2-3) fell to the Northwood University Timberwolves(3-3, 3-2) with a 31-24 loss on Oct. 9.
The Greyhounds scored first after freshman running back Klay Fiechter broke loose and ran 80 yards for a touchdown towards the end of the first quarter. It was the longest run by a running back in the conference since Joique Bell of Wayne State ran for a 90-yard score in Key Stadium back in 2007. It also accounted for 80 of the 89 rushing yards by the Greyhounds throughout the game.
Northwood answered back in the second quarter after sophomore quarterback Aaron Shavers ran 11 yards into the end zone to tie the game 7-7.
Northwood put 10 more points on the scoreboard in the second quarter to lead UIndy at halftime 17-7. One of those scores included a fumble recovery in the Greyhound end zone for a touchdown. It was UIndy’s first lost fumble of the season.
The Greyhounds converted a Nate Jackson interception in the third quarter into three points to pull within ten of the Timberwolves 17-10.
The interception was the ninth for UIndy this year, which ranks third in the conference in that category. Two of those were made by junior defensive back Colin Coffer last week.
“Everybody’s more confident and taking opportunities and chances,” Coffer said, “because we have more confidence in ourselves and our scheme.”
Freshman quarterback Chris Mills came in to replace junior Rob Doyle in the second half and jump-started a stagnanted UIndy offense. Doyle had missed the previous two games with a shoulder injury. After another score by Shavers to put Northwood up by 14, Mills connected with sophomore wide receiver Mar’Quone Edmonds from 38 yards to pull within seven. It was Edmonds’, the team leader in receptions, fourth touchdown of the season after scoring three all of last year.
“Last year, I was a freshman and I didn’t really speak up a lot,” Edmonds said before the Northwood game. “I don’t really speak up this year either. It’s just making yourself known in practice.”
Northwood scored on their next drive as Shavers found Donny Knoll on the corner of the goal line for a 22-yard touchdown pass.
Then Mills took the Greyhounds 75 yards in 43 seconds on their next possession before he connected with junior wide out Ryan Forney for a 16-yard score. The Greyhounds found themselves down by seven once again with 1:34 left on the clock.
After a Northwood three-and-out, the Greyhounds had a little over a minute to drive 85 yards for the tying touchdown. Mills found his freshman teammate Fiechter twice and senior wide receiver and punter Tyran Fakes to get down to the 20-yard line with five seconds left.
On the final play of the game, Mills looked for Fiechter on the sideline but the pass fell short and the Greyhounds fell to a 3-3 on the season.
The Northwood University Timberwolves attempted to make a field goal in the fourth quarter during the University of Indianapolis’ homecoming game on Oct. 9 at Key Stadium. The Greyhounds were defeated by the Timberwolves with a final score of 31-24. Photo by Chris Hartley.
Northwood rushed the ball 58 times for 278 yards while Mills completed 17 of 28 passes in the second half for 309 yards and two touchdowns.
It was the second time in three weeks that opposing teams have rushed the ball over 50 times for over 250 yards. Seven different players ran the ball for the Timberwolves.
“Not a lot of sleep this week,” head coach Bob Bartolomeo said. “You really have two days to prepare for an option football team that’s very, very unique in terms of their offense.”
On Oct. 2, the Greyhounds running game revived itself while the defense created four turnovers as UIndy beat the University of Findlay Oilers 20-3 on a cold, rainy day in Ohio.
The Greyhounds scored what eventually became the game winner on the first drive of the ball game. With Doyle still recovering from a shoulder injury, Mills made his second consecutive start and drove the offense 80 yards on its first possession to put UIndy up 7-0. Mills completed four of his first five passes on the drive before junior Paul Corsaro stepped in behind center and scored on a one-yard touchdown run.
On the next drive, the Oilers took the ball into Greyhound territory and scored for the first and only time with a 41-yard field goal. The final score was 20-3.
The Greyhounds have a two game road trip in Michigan, beginning with Saginaw Valley, at 12 p.m. on Oct.16, and Northern Michigan on Oct. 23 at 1 p.m.
