UW-Eau Claire football played their first home game of the season on Saturday against the Coe College Kohawks.
The Blugolds got off to a slow start, as two interceptions were thrown in the first quarter. The Kohawks were able to capitalize on the picks and convert them into touchdowns, taking a 14-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Things did not go too much better for the Blugolds to start the second quarter. Coe College went on a long touchdown drive midway through the quarter in order to go up 21-0. Although the Blugolds were down, they were still determined.
“We just kept ourselves in it, kept fighting, and it’s going to turn out the way we want it to in the future,” Senior tight end Nolan Stans said.
Stans had a career-high three-touchdown performance on the day to go along with 106 receiving yards.
The Blugolds were able to piece together a drive of their own, utilizing a 26-yard pass and a defensive pass interference to set up first and goal with 48 seconds left in the half. They punched in a touchdown with a one-yard pass to senior tight end Trey Fitzgerald to go into halftime trailing 21-7.
Eau Claire kept the momentum going to start the second half as they drove down the field. After a couple of 20-yard gains, the Blugolds faced a fourth and long, and they converted it and set up a first and goal. Another passing touchdown put Eau Claire within striking distance, with the score being 21-14 with 11:14 left in the third.
Coe and Eau Claire then went back and forth, each scoring again before the third quarter ended, setting up a 28-21 score heading into the fourth. Head coach Rob Erickson was pleased with the effort his team gave in the comeback effort.
“Conditioning wise, effort-wise, we gave it everything we could give,” Erickson said.
The fourth quarter is where the action ramped up. The Blugolds were the first to strike, junior wide receiver Yaach Chuol hauled in a touchdown reception to even out the score at 28.
The Blugolds and Kohawks then traded turnovers, which ultimately ended up with Coe College recovering a fumble deep in Eau Claire territory. Coe went for it on fourth and short, and Eau Claire came up with a fourth down sack to gain possession again, but the chaos did not stop there.
On the very next play, Eau Claire fumbled again, giving the ball right back to Coe. With time winding down in the fourth, Coe faced another fourth-down situation, and the Blugolds were able to hold them yet again, which gave Eau Claire a chance to put together a game-winning drive.
The Blugolds went down field as time was winding down, but ultimately they came up just short as a 43-yard-game-winning field goal attempt was missed, sending the game to overtime.
Both teams traded touchdowns in the first overtime session that tied the game up at 35. In their second overtime possession, Coe fumbled the ball at the goal line, but it was picked up in the endzone for a Kohawk touchdown. The two-point conversion was a success, ultimately giving Coe College the 43-35 lead.
In Eau Claire’s second overtime possession, they would score another touchdown but the two-point attempt fell into a defender’s hands, resulting in a 43-41 double overtime loss to conclude a thrilling game.
With this loss, the Blugolds fall to 1-1, but they remain optimistic looking onto the rest of the season.
“[This game gave the team] All the confidence in the world, this was a big game for us for sure,” Stans said.
UW-Eau Claire football will be back in action at 1 p.m. on Sept. 21 against Bethel University at Royal Stadium in St. Paul Minnesota.
Davies can be found at [email protected].
