Golden Lions Lose Tough One to Alabama State

 

Golden Lions Lose Despite Comeback Effort

Golden Lions lose home opener

PINE BLUFF – After coming from three touchdowns behind, Arkansas-Pine Bluff came up on the short end of a wild 40-39 game in the home opener for the Golden Lions. It was also the first Southwestern Athletic Conference game for the Golden Lions, who fell to 0-3 and 0-1 in the SWAC. Alabama State improved to 1-2 and 1-1 with their first win of the season.

The two teams combined for nearly 1,000 yards of total offense. UAPB quarterback Ben Anderson passed for 291 yards and three touchdowns, completing 23-of-38 passes. He was picked off once. His counterpart, ASU quarterback Daniel Duhart was 19-of-22 for 200 yards and two touchdowns.

On the ground, ASU tailback Isaiah Crowell rushed for 161 yards and two touchdowns. UAPB freshman back Jeremiah Young also scored twice and finished with 70 yards. He also threw a TD pass on a trick play during the game.

Early on, it looked like the Hornets were going to blow the game open, scoring 21 unanswered points in the first quarter. The first touchdown came on a 19-yard TD strike from Duhart to Earl Lucas. The play capped a 13-play, 84-yard drive for ASU and game the Hornets a 7-0 lead with 5:17 left in the quarter. Then after a short punt gave ASU a short field, it only took one play for the Hornets to strike again as Malcolm Cyrus raced 33 yards for touchdown. An interception had ASU in business once again deep in UAPB territory. Again, the Hornets needed only one play as Crowell scooted through the Golden Lion defense for a 25-yard touchdown run, giving ASU a 21–0 lead with 2:41 left.

The Golden Lions got on the board in the second quarter taking advantage of an ASU fumble. Anderson hit Brandon Kensey on a 3-yard touchdown pass to crack the scoreboard. However, Tyler Strickland‘s point after was wide, leaving the score at 21-6 with 5:59 left in the half.

Later in the quarter, Young capped a seven play, 68-yard drive with a 3-yard plunge. This time, Strickland’s PAT was true, trimming the deficit to 21-13 with 2:45 left. ASU temporarily stopped the UAPB rally with a 41-yard fieldgoal by Bobby Wenzig as time expired, giving ASU a 24-13 halftime lead.

The third quarter belonged to UAPB as the Golden Lions scored 19 straight points to roll into the lead. The Golden Lions scored on all three of their possessions of the third quarter to take the lead. Anderson provided one of the scores on a 10-yard pass to C.J. Branch. Then, Young scored on a 1-yard run. The go-ahead score came on a 31-yard strike from Anderson to Dexter Bryant with 2:54 left in the third quarter. Two of the extra-points failed, leaving UAPB with a 32-24 lead.

ASU cut into the UAPB lead early in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard run by Crowell. But, UAPB answered with a little razzle-dazzle as Young hit Anderson on a halfback throw-back pass from 18 yards out. The result of the play put UAPB back up 39-30 with 9:42 remaining.

Another fieldgoal by Wenzig cut the UAPB lead to 39-33. Then, disaster struck for UAPB as a bobbled snap on an attempted punt gave ASU the ball at the UAPB 25-yard line. Three plays later, Duhart threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jamel Johnson with 4:10 remaining. Wenzig’s extra point gave ASU the 40-39 lead.

The Golden Lions had another shot, but their final drive went in reverse as Anderson was sacked three consecutive plays. Once ASU got the ball back, they ran out the clock.

Quotes from UAPB Head Coach Monte Coleman:

On Crowell:

“Crowell is a talent. He can run the football, he can catch the football, and we knew it coming in that he was a talent. He played extremely well.”

On some of the costly miscues:

“We had a lot of missed tackles on defense, blunders on special teams, so we did enough to loose the football game. Alabama State.

“I don’t take anything from them, they have a very good football team, they fought very hard, but I felt like we had the momentum, we allowed them to get it back that last series. That was the biggist series of the game. The punt that was a bad snap, the last bad snap, that hurt us, because it gave them great field position. A strong offense like they are you got to make them march the field.”

Courtesy UAPB Department of Athletics

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