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Field goal saves SCSU playoff hopes
By Ben Birnell
Published:
Monday, October 13, 2003
The Huskies' slim Division II playoff hopes ended up coming down to the last two seconds of regulation and the pressure of it all was placed on the 170-pound frame of sophomore kicker Shawn Braunagel.
Unlike last week, the Huskies found themselves on the winning side of a game-deciding field goal as Braunagel's 28-yard shot split the uprights and gave the Huskies a 20-17 win over the visiting Augustana College Vikings.
The Huskies (2-1 NCC, 5-2 overall) are ranked No. 8 in the latest NCAA Division II Midwest Region poll. The top four teams in the region at the end of the season will make the playoffs. A loss to the Vikings (0-3 NCC, 2-4 overall) would have effectively made the rest of this season a time to play spoiler for a team that was picked to win the NCC before the season.
On a rainy and muddy afternoon, Braunagel, long snapper Nick Peterson and holder Ryan Koch cleaned up a few problems on their two PATs after last weekend's problems against North Dakota which included two botched PATs and missed a field goal. Braunagel missed a 32-yard field goal wide right in the second quarter against Augustana, but made a 25-yarder and the game-winner in the fourth quarter.
None of that seemed to bother a rather nonchalant Braunagel who was glad to help his team to a win over the Vikings.
"It felt really good to be on the other side of the fence," Braunagel said. "The North Dakota loss shouldn't have happened in the first place and we have full confidence in the whole PAT team."
Huskies' senior quarterback Keith Heckendorf was happy with the way Braunagel dealt with the pressure.
"He had all the pressure in the world on him right there," Heckendorf said. "Our season was riding on that kick and he came through and delivered for us."
The Vikings tried to get Braunagel to think about his winning field goal. With five seconds left, Augustana called three straight time outs, which left Braunagel laughing.
"I was kind-of thinking, 'what are they doing?'" he said. "I was laughing. I knew they would do the first time out. Then the second one, 'OK, we're going to kick this.' Then they called the third one and I turned around and started laughing at them."
That, however, was not the reaction Augustana head coach Jim Heinitz was looking for.
"We were hoping he might miss-hit and you can't bring those time outs home with you," Heinitz said. "We were trying to ice him, but it didn't work."
Braunagel quit laughing long enough to kick the field goal after a good snap by Nick Peterson and a good hold by Jason Koch. The ball hit the tower where the Huskies videotape their games. That tower is located about 10 yards behind the uprights and square in the middle.
"We intentionally did not have him come over to the sidelines and have guys talking to him," SCSU head coach Randy Hedberg said of the kick and the time outs. "It was a very nice kick. He drilled it."
Augustana was not able to score on the ensuing kickoff and the Huskies closed the lid on the game. The winning field goal ended a wild fourth quarter, which featured four turnovers in the last six and a half minutes.
A fumble by senior Josh Williams was recovered by Vikings' strong safety Ben Nauman at the Vikings' 29 with 6:14 to play.
Augustana quarterback Ryan DeGraff fumbled on the ensuing possession and Huskies defensive end Charlie Cosgrove returned it 18 yards to the Augustana 11 with 4:24 left.
On second-and-four from the Augustana five-yard line after Cosgrove's run, Heckendorf had a pass go off sophomore wide receiver Ed DeShazer's hands. The ball bounced around in the air and was intercepted in the end zone by free safety Mike Stotz with 54 seconds left.
The next turnover finally made the difference in the turnover fest. DeGraff completed a 14-yard pass to Eric Haugland, but SCSU strong safety Matt Nicholson forced Haugland to fumble and sophomore Mark Henderson recovered and rumbled down the field on the teammate Peterson's heels to Augustana's 21 yard line.
"I don't remember a lot about it because I collided and I got my bell rung a little bit on that one," said Nicholson, a senior captain from Rochester. "Me and Eric (Mickelson) hit the guy at the same time and the next thing I knew, Mark (Henderson) was running down the sidelines."
Henderson, with touches few and far between as a middle linebacker, was just happy to get the ball.
"I found (defensive end) Nick Peterson and it was clear sailing after that," Henderson said. "I don't get the ball very often, so I better make the most of it when I do."
After Henderson's return, Williams rushed for four straight plays to get the ball to the Augustana three-yard line on third-and-goal, but the Huskies were called for holding. If the Huskies had opted to bring Braunagel out for the field goal right after that, the footing in that area would have made things difficult. Williams, however, rushed for three yards on the play after the penalty to set up a better position.
"I was worried because it would have backed us up into the mud," said Braunagel. "There was a trench (of water and mud) at about the 20-yard line."
Husky Notebook
-The Huskies starting right guard Jim McCarville left the game with a right leg injury in the first quarter and did not return. McCarville had an x-ray, but he just has a bruised calf. Hedberg hopes to have him back in the lineup next week.
-Redshirt first-year tight end Anders Johnson started and caught a 33-yard pass before leaving after aggravating an ankle injury. Birkel (left ankle sprain) did not play, but is also expected to play next week.
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