Oct. 13, 2007

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ANGOLA, Ind. - The Adrian College football team nearly escaped Tri-State University with a win on Saturday despite a season-high six turnovers including five interceptions in a 23-20 overtime loss to the Thunder.

The Bulldogs came off the bus and made an early statement building a 13-0 lead in the first quarter. Tri-State quarterback Eric Watt has intercepted on the second play by Brandon Mohney who returned the gift 35 yards for a score to put Adrian ahead 7-0 in the first 50 seconds. After a pair of Thunder punts, Adrian drove 96 yards in just four plays and Mike McGee found Patrick Reagan behind two defenders in the back of the end zone for a 33-yard TD strike. The extra point by Justin Warner was blocked and at the 7:39 mark of the first quarter it was 13-0 in favor of the visitors.

Tri-State would cut into the lead late in the first quarter as punter Andrew Tetreau mishandled the snap at the Adrian 25-yard line setting up good field position. The Thunder scored on a 21-yard field goal by Justin Hoover making it 13-3 with 3:06 left in the opening quarter. Tri-State had great field position to start their next scoring drive after a 16-yard punt return by Paul Curtis put the ball at the Adrian 29-yard line with 11:30 to go in the second quarter. Four plays later it was Curtis who hauled in a 16-yard TD from Watt to make the score 13-10. Hoover's second field goal of the day from 41 yards with 4:00 to go until halftime squared things up at intermission.

On the second possession of the second half, McGee misfired on the visitor sideline and Corrie Latta returned the pick 35 yards to give Tri-State their first lead of the afternoon, 20-13, with 7:42 to go in the third quarter. Adrian responded on the next drive going 72 yards in eight plays as Troy Niblock completed an eight-yard slant pass to Desmond Upshaw for the tying score with 3:09 left in the third quarter.

Neither team scored in the fourth quarter but Tri-State had two golden opportunities to regain a lead. Hoover missed from 42 yards with 3:40 to play and again from 26 yards with 1:13 to go sending the game into overtime.

Adrian managed to move the ball backwards one yards and Warner's 40-yard field goal try came up short giving the ball to the Thunder. TSU could not gain a first down but did gain nine yards in three plays setting up the game-winning 34-yard field goal by Hoover. Adrian falls to 4-2, 1-2 in the MIAA while Tri-State improves to 4-2, 2-1 in the MIAA. Adrian will host MIAA leader Hope College next Saturday at 1:00 p.m.