ESU drops overtime heartbreaker to Truman, 33-30
By Jesse Newell
Originally published 03:59 p.m., October 29, 2007
Updated 03:59 p.m., October 29, 2007
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. — While he stood outside the Emporia State locker room, quarterback Eric Runge tried to sort it all out in his head.
The 14-point lead at half. The 11-point advantage with the ball and 11 minutes left.
Just how exactly had it come to this — ESU losing its sixth straight, this time with a 33-30 overtime loss to Truman on Saturday?
Though he’d just completed his first start at QB for the Hornets, Runge wasn’t at a loss for answers.
“Complacency will get your complacent butt kicked,” Runge said. “We just did not come out as aggressive as we should have in the second half.”
In truth, there wasn’t one big play that was the back-breaker for the Hornets after they gained their 21-7 lead at halftime.
Instead, a bunch of little mistakes added up in the end, and the team that prided itself on toughness couldn’t finish off a winnable game late.
“We let it slip away, and we lost that aggressive mentality,” Runge said. “Coach (Garin Higgins) always preaches that we have a mentally tough attitude, and that’s what we want to be known for.
“There was no mental toughness and no discipline in that second half. That one was on us — the whole team.”
ESU (3-6, 1-6 MIAA) seemed to seize all the momentum on the final play of the first half.
Trailing 14-7, Truman drove to the ESU 25 with 11.2 seconds left, but Matt Ticich’s pass was tipped into the air then intercepted by Travis Lee.
The speedster, who also competes on ESU’s track team, made the decision to keep running on the sideline instead of cutting back.
“I was going to make them catch me,” Lee said.
Needing just a tackle with no time left to end the half, Truman never did catch Lee.
The cornerback stepped through a pair of arm tackles and raced 91 yards down the sideline for the touchdown.
Johnny Torres’ PAT made it 21-7 and looked to give ESU all the confidence it would need.
“Everybody got so hyped,” Lee said, “and I figured we could play off of it.”
It didn’t end up that way.
ESU received the ball in the second half and immediately gave the momentum back to Truman.
On the Hornets’ third play, the ball was snapped over Runge’s head, and the Bulldogs’ Richard Schroeder fell on it at the ESU 14.
Truman’s Mickey Masucci knocked through a 26-yard field goal on the same possession and nailed kicks of 26 and 38 later in the quarter to cut ESU’s lead to 21-16.
After a Justin Wieser 15-yard TD run, the Hornets had two more chances to put it away up 27-16 with the ball.
Runge, however, threw an interception on ESU’s first possession of the fourth quarter, and the Hornets went three-and-out on their second possession.
“It’s been a tell-tale sign of our season lately — getting our opportunities, but not being able to make plays,” Higgins said.
It was then that Truman’s offense started breaking off big passing plays against ESU’s beat-up secondary.
Steve D’Antonio caught a 19-yard TD pass from Ticich on a corner route with 7:57 to play, then, after a Torres field goal, Ticich hit the home run.
The quarterback found Kendrick Blue on a post route for a 48-yard TD that made it 30-28 with 2:47 left.
“We had a couple breakdowns in coverage,” Lee said. “Any time you break down like that, something’s going to be open.”
Tyler Fenton tied it with an acrobatic play, as he fell down while breaking on his route but still managed to catch Ticich’s pass for the two-point conversion.
ESU then almost lost it in regulation.
After a Wieser 8-yard run and a Runge 1-yard draw, ESU faced third-and-1 from its own 29.
“I really probably should have called a quarterback sneak,” Higgins said.
Instead, ESU appeared to run the same QB draw to the left side, and Runge was stuffed for a 3-yard loss.
“When you run the same plays over and over again, they’re bound to sniff something out,” Runge said. “I think that was the case.”
Torres went back to punt, taking a few steps forward like he was going to fake it before shanking his kick.
The 22-yard boot gave Truman the ball at the ESU 49 with 1:19 left.
The Bulldogs drove all the way to the ESU 15 before Blake Ringwall came through, forcing an intentional grounding that pushed the ball back.
Masucci’s 44-yard field goal attempt with 18 seconds left sailed wide left.
ESU’s offense continued its struggles in overtime, going just two yards on three plays.
Torres — who was 1-of-3 on field goals and 1-of-2 on PATs up to that point — was lined up for a 41-yard attempt into the wind.
His kick came up well short.
“Our kicking game has definitely got to improve,” Higgins said. “It hurt us today.”
Truman (5-4, 3-4 MIAA) didn’t even need a first down to end it.
After moving nine yards, the Bulldogs sent out Masucci to win the game with a 32-yard attempt.
His kick was good, giving Truman the win and leaving Lee to stare to the ground in stunned silence.
“It was more hard to believe than anything, you know what I mean?” Lee said. “You play so hard, then it comes to an end.”
ESU lost despite having its most effective rushing day of the season.
The Hornets combined for 305 yards on the ground, as Wieser had 20 carries for 127 yards and Seville Ko added 19 carries for 106 yards.
It was the first time ESU had two backs run for 100 yards since Tyler Paul and Andrae Perry did it back in 2002 against Missouri Rolla.
Runge — who was 7-of-14 passing for 40 yards with two TDs and an interception — also had 20 carries for 69 yards.
“It was fun. It was fun until overtime,” Runge said. “But none of that really matters if you’re not winning.”
Truman 33, Emporia State 30 (OT)
Saturday at Kirksville, Mo.
1 2 3 4 OT
Emporia State 6 15 6 3 0 — 30
Truman 7 0 9 14 3 — 33
First Quarter
TSU — Steve D’Antonio 38 pass from Matt Ticich (Mickey Masucci kick), 13:17
ESU — Paul Nichols 15 pass from Eric Runge (Johnny Torres kick failed), 1:28
Second Quarter
ESU — Jarad Biggs 6 pass from Runge (Josh Koerkenmeier pass from Runge), 00:48
ESU — Travis Lee 92 interception return (Torres kick)
Third Quarter
TSU — Masucci 26 field goal, 12:19
TSU — Masucci 26 field goal, 7:50
TSU — Masucci 38 field goal, 2:16
ESU — Justin Wieser 15 run (Runge rush failed), 00:15
Fourth Quarter
TSU — D’Antonio 19 pass from Ticich (Ticich pass failed), 7:57
ESU — Torres 26 field goal, 4:11
TSU — Kendrick Blue 48 pass from Ticich (Tyler Fenton pass from Ticich), 2:47
Overtime
TSU — Masucci 32 field goal
GAME STATISTICS
ESU TSU
First downs 20 18
Rushes-yards 63-305 22-39
Comp-att-int 7-15-1 31-45-2
Passing yards 40 323
Total plays-yards 78-345 67-362
Fumbles-lost 2-1 0-0
Penalties-yards 9-64 6-60
Punts-average 5-33.4 6-34.8
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing — ESU: Justin Wieser 20-127, Seville Ko 19-106, Eric Runge 20-69, Andre Maupin 3-4, Team 1-(-1); TSU: Phil Kenney 3-43, Jake Cunningham 9-18, Kendrick Blue 1-3, Matt Ticich 9-(-25).
Passing — ESU: Eric Runge 7-14-1 40, Sean Partridge 0-1-0 0; TSU: Matt Ticich 31-44-2 323, TEAM 0-1-0 0.
Receiving — ESU: Sean Partridge 3-21, Paul Nichols 2-10, Jarad Biggs 2-9; TSU: Jake Cunningham 9-67, Albert Coker 6-21, Vanness Emokpae 5-38, Kendick Blue 3-82, D’Antonio 3-65, Tyler Fenton 2-17, Phil Kenney 2-7, Ryan King 1-26.
Punting — ESU: Johnny Torres 5-33.4; TSU: Mickey Masucci 6-34.8.
Att — 3,100. Time — 3:05.
Records — ESU: (3-6, 1-6 MIAA); TSU: (5-4, 3-4 MIAA).