Post by cavfan on Jun 9, 2008 21:37:51 GMT -5
Cavs edge out Saints in final seconds
By DAVID BUCK
Star-Tribune staff writer
When Wyoming needed points, the offense responded.
The Cavalry, trailing 41-34 to the Utah Saints on Friday, drove 30 yards and scored on a Matt Strand to Johnnie Young touchdown pass to close the gap to 41-40 with 10 seconds left. Strand then connected with B.J. Charlton on the conversion to give Wyoming a 42-41 lead.
The Saints (1-10) missed a 38-yard field goal wide left with 5 seconds to play to clinch Wyoming's victory.
"We just wanted to come out and keep everything calm and make sure we ran our offense the right way," Charlton said. "That is probably the best drive we've ran all year. Guys understood the down and distance, guys didn't get too greedy and hit the home run on the first play, and Matt did a good job of leading us down the field."
The Cavs (10-1) got the ball with 47 seconds left and efficiently used short passes to gain yardage, then hit the boards to stop the clock. The drive consisted of five plays, with no play longer than 9 yards.
"I knew we had plenty of time and at the end the fans were freaking out because the clock started and they wanted me to use a time out," Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak said. "But my goal was to score with three seconds left. Three or two, and we scored with 10 left."
Even though it may have been Wyoming's best drive of the season, the Cavs probably shouldn't have been in position to require it.
Coming off its first loss of the season -- last week to Arizona -- the Cavs played sluggish and sloppy until the winning drive.
Wide receiver A.J. Street fumbled the ball after getting a first down on the Cavs' second drive, and running back James Jones fumbled twice. All three of Wyoming's turnovers were on Utah's side of the field, with Jones' two miscues coming inside the Saints' 5-yard line.
"We take away three fumbles and we score 21 more points and my heart is not beating the way it did," Maciejczak said. "... We have to work on fumbles and work on securing the ball. We need to keep on working on mental preparation."
Strand said the loss to Arizona impacted the team's play against the Saints. According to Maciejczak, the whole team was putting pressure on itself to make big plays, which ended up resulting in mistakes.
"We have poise, it's there, we just have to get it out of these guys," he said. "They are a little down on themselves for losing to Arizona and it was kind of a confidence crusher for us. We just kind of lost our swagger on offense and defense, and hopefully this will help get it back for us."
SWITCHING SIDES: Wide receiver James Everage played linebacker for the Cavs on Friday. He stepped in and played defense because linebacker Jeff Main was injured and defensive back Fata Carter couldn't make it to the game.
Everage did a solid job as a replacement, finishing with seven tackles and a sack.
"I was afraid of messing up because this was my first time playing defense the whole way, but I'm going to clean it up, work with the linebackers and the coach and get it right," Everage said.
STREET TALK: A.J. Street started off slow, but came through when Wyoming needed him most.
Street, playing in his first game for Wyoming, killed a drive in the first half with a fumble after picking up a first down. Later, however, he had two catches in the Cavs' game-winning drive.
"He has been wanting to come in, and we've been trying to get him here, and when Dante (Dudley) went down, it was just time to pull the trigger," Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak said. "He's going to help us stretch the field. He's a veteran guy in my system, so he will do good things for us."
Street finished with six catches for 59 yards.
INJURY REPORT: Offensive lineman Chase Olsen (torn right meniscus), wide receiver Dante Dudley (back) and linebacker Jeff Main (right ankle) did not dress.
According to Main, Friday's game was the first one he has missed in five or six years.
"It breaks my heart not to be able to be out there," Main said.
Main estimated he had played 70-80 consecutive games. He sprained his ankle during practice on Wednesday when he twisted it after stepping on a receiver's foot during a drill.
Despite being sidelined, Main wore a headset while the defense was on the field, and coached multiple players when the defense was resting.
HOBART SIGHTING: Custer wasn't the only mascot at the Casper Events Center on Friday as Hobart, the Casper Ghosts mascot, was also at the game. Hobart helped Custer throw giveaways into the stands and the two had a tricycle race, which Custer won. With the Ghosts' season starting later this month it could be the first of many battles between the two mascots.
Contact sports reporter David Buck at (307) 266-0596 or david.buck@trib.com.
Cavalry Tracker
FRIDAY: Wyoming Cavalry 42, Utah Saints 41
RECORDS: Cavalry (10-1); Saints (1-10)
DRIVE TO STAY ALIVE: The Cavalry drove 30 yards with less than a minute left to take the lead against the Saints.
HE SAID IT: "That is probably the best drive we've ran all year. Guys understood the down and distance, guys didn't get too greedy and hit the home run on the first play, and (quarterback) Matt (Strand) did a good job of leading us down the field." -- Cavs receiver B.J. Charlton.
UP NEXT: Wyoming at Utah, Saturday, 7 p.m.
Wyoming 42, Utah 41
Utah 6 14 0 21 -- 41
Wyo. 6 8 8 20 -- 42
FIRST QUARTER
Utah -- Jeff Wissler 1 rush (kick failed) 10:38
Wyo. -- B.J. Charlton 10 pass from Matt Strand (conversion failed) 7:04
SECOND QUARTER
SECOND QUARTER
Utah -- Wissler 1 rush (Scott Thompson kick) 8:33
Wyo. -- Johnnie Young 10 pass from Strand (James Jones rush) 5:15
Utah -- Wissler 2 rush (Thompson kick) 0:57
THIRD QUARTER
Wyo. -- Young 7 pass from Strand (Strand rush) 12:28
FOURTH QUARTER
Utah -- Ty Wissler 3 rush (conversion failed) 12:13
Utah -- Thompson rouge 11:27
Wyo. -- Jones 8 pass from Strand (conversion failed) 8:57
Utah -- James Ownes 37 pass Jeff Wissler (Thompson kick) 7:26
Wyo. -- Jones 14 pass from Strand (conversion failed) 4:31
Utah -- Ty Wissler 1 rush (Thompson kick) 0:47
Wyo. -- Young 5 pass from Strand (Charlton pass from Strand) 0:10
By DAVID BUCK
Star-Tribune staff writer
When Wyoming needed points, the offense responded.
The Cavalry, trailing 41-34 to the Utah Saints on Friday, drove 30 yards and scored on a Matt Strand to Johnnie Young touchdown pass to close the gap to 41-40 with 10 seconds left. Strand then connected with B.J. Charlton on the conversion to give Wyoming a 42-41 lead.
The Saints (1-10) missed a 38-yard field goal wide left with 5 seconds to play to clinch Wyoming's victory.
"We just wanted to come out and keep everything calm and make sure we ran our offense the right way," Charlton said. "That is probably the best drive we've ran all year. Guys understood the down and distance, guys didn't get too greedy and hit the home run on the first play, and Matt did a good job of leading us down the field."
The Cavs (10-1) got the ball with 47 seconds left and efficiently used short passes to gain yardage, then hit the boards to stop the clock. The drive consisted of five plays, with no play longer than 9 yards.
"I knew we had plenty of time and at the end the fans were freaking out because the clock started and they wanted me to use a time out," Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak said. "But my goal was to score with three seconds left. Three or two, and we scored with 10 left."
Even though it may have been Wyoming's best drive of the season, the Cavs probably shouldn't have been in position to require it.
Coming off its first loss of the season -- last week to Arizona -- the Cavs played sluggish and sloppy until the winning drive.
Wide receiver A.J. Street fumbled the ball after getting a first down on the Cavs' second drive, and running back James Jones fumbled twice. All three of Wyoming's turnovers were on Utah's side of the field, with Jones' two miscues coming inside the Saints' 5-yard line.
"We take away three fumbles and we score 21 more points and my heart is not beating the way it did," Maciejczak said. "... We have to work on fumbles and work on securing the ball. We need to keep on working on mental preparation."
Strand said the loss to Arizona impacted the team's play against the Saints. According to Maciejczak, the whole team was putting pressure on itself to make big plays, which ended up resulting in mistakes.
"We have poise, it's there, we just have to get it out of these guys," he said. "They are a little down on themselves for losing to Arizona and it was kind of a confidence crusher for us. We just kind of lost our swagger on offense and defense, and hopefully this will help get it back for us."
SWITCHING SIDES: Wide receiver James Everage played linebacker for the Cavs on Friday. He stepped in and played defense because linebacker Jeff Main was injured and defensive back Fata Carter couldn't make it to the game.
Everage did a solid job as a replacement, finishing with seven tackles and a sack.
"I was afraid of messing up because this was my first time playing defense the whole way, but I'm going to clean it up, work with the linebackers and the coach and get it right," Everage said.
STREET TALK: A.J. Street started off slow, but came through when Wyoming needed him most.
Street, playing in his first game for Wyoming, killed a drive in the first half with a fumble after picking up a first down. Later, however, he had two catches in the Cavs' game-winning drive.
"He has been wanting to come in, and we've been trying to get him here, and when Dante (Dudley) went down, it was just time to pull the trigger," Wyoming coach Dan Maciejczak said. "He's going to help us stretch the field. He's a veteran guy in my system, so he will do good things for us."
Street finished with six catches for 59 yards.
INJURY REPORT: Offensive lineman Chase Olsen (torn right meniscus), wide receiver Dante Dudley (back) and linebacker Jeff Main (right ankle) did not dress.
According to Main, Friday's game was the first one he has missed in five or six years.
"It breaks my heart not to be able to be out there," Main said.
Main estimated he had played 70-80 consecutive games. He sprained his ankle during practice on Wednesday when he twisted it after stepping on a receiver's foot during a drill.
Despite being sidelined, Main wore a headset while the defense was on the field, and coached multiple players when the defense was resting.
HOBART SIGHTING: Custer wasn't the only mascot at the Casper Events Center on Friday as Hobart, the Casper Ghosts mascot, was also at the game. Hobart helped Custer throw giveaways into the stands and the two had a tricycle race, which Custer won. With the Ghosts' season starting later this month it could be the first of many battles between the two mascots.
Contact sports reporter David Buck at (307) 266-0596 or david.buck@trib.com.
Cavalry Tracker
FRIDAY: Wyoming Cavalry 42, Utah Saints 41
RECORDS: Cavalry (10-1); Saints (1-10)
DRIVE TO STAY ALIVE: The Cavalry drove 30 yards with less than a minute left to take the lead against the Saints.
HE SAID IT: "That is probably the best drive we've ran all year. Guys understood the down and distance, guys didn't get too greedy and hit the home run on the first play, and (quarterback) Matt (Strand) did a good job of leading us down the field." -- Cavs receiver B.J. Charlton.
UP NEXT: Wyoming at Utah, Saturday, 7 p.m.
Wyoming 42, Utah 41
Utah 6 14 0 21 -- 41
Wyo. 6 8 8 20 -- 42
FIRST QUARTER
Utah -- Jeff Wissler 1 rush (kick failed) 10:38
Wyo. -- B.J. Charlton 10 pass from Matt Strand (conversion failed) 7:04
SECOND QUARTER
SECOND QUARTER
Utah -- Wissler 1 rush (Scott Thompson kick) 8:33
Wyo. -- Johnnie Young 10 pass from Strand (James Jones rush) 5:15
Utah -- Wissler 2 rush (Thompson kick) 0:57
THIRD QUARTER
Wyo. -- Young 7 pass from Strand (Strand rush) 12:28
FOURTH QUARTER
Utah -- Ty Wissler 3 rush (conversion failed) 12:13
Utah -- Thompson rouge 11:27
Wyo. -- Jones 8 pass from Strand (conversion failed) 8:57
Utah -- James Ownes 37 pass Jeff Wissler (Thompson kick) 7:26
Wyo. -- Jones 14 pass from Strand (conversion failed) 4:31
Utah -- Ty Wissler 1 rush (Thompson kick) 0:47
Wyo. -- Young 5 pass from Strand (Charlton pass from Strand) 0:10