Miracle in Richmond Little-used cornerback keys win

By Scott Rohrer Assistant sports editor

Northeast Louisiana was one play away from giving Eastern its first loss in a home opener in 30 years.

Facing a fourth-and-21 at their own 39 and the clock stopped with just six seconds left, NE Louisiana Coach Dave Roberts made a decision to send the punting unit onto the field.

When Indian center Chandler Tatum snapped the ball over punter Chad McCarty’s head, 11 Colonels made a mad dash for the ball and victory. McCarty reached the ball first and dove on it just short of the goal line. But as Brad Ladd pounced on him, it popped out and Sean Little picked up the ball in the end zone.

Touchdown. Game over.

Eastern 26, Northeast Louisiana 21.

“My first thought was pure joy,” Little said. “I was excited because I knew we had won. I knew it was celebration time.”

After Mike Penman’s second fourth-quarter fumble gave the ball back to the Indians at

Colonels, with only one timeout left, appeared doomed. But three short running plays and three five- yard penalties later, they had one final chance.

“I was hoping they would line up and kick it,” Eastern Coach Roy Kidd said. “I was hoping to get a block. When I saw the ball go over his head, I said ‘We’ve got a chance.’ I thought we could recover it before time ran out and kick a field goal.”

The first play of the game was as exciting as the last. Leon Brown returned the opening kickoff 98

After the 17,200 fans calmed down, Ches Liles marched his team into the end zone on their next two possessions. Ladd blocked the first extra point and knocked down a pass on the second, as the Indians took a 12-7 lead.

The Colonels went back on top with 12:53 left in the first half when Markus Thomas broke loose for a 71-yard touchdown run, giving Eastern a 14-12 lead. Thomas had 148 of his 166 yards in the first half when he became Eastern’s all-time leading rusher in regular season games.

RobTallent nailed a 35-yard field goal late in the first half to give the Indians a 15-14 lead.

Eastern scored first in the third quarter on a fake field goal, as holder Jason Thomas streaked into the end zone, untouched from three yards out. The Indains regained the lead on a one-yard run by Greg Robinson with just over eight minutes left in the game.

“It’s hard to believe we pulled it out,” Kidd said. “Our kids played great, especially on defense. I was thinking what a shame it was to lose a game like this.”