Football Wins on Final Play

October 24, 2009

WEATHERFORD, Okla. - Southwestern Oklahoma State University got its first win of the season in dramatic fashion as Johnathan Haggerty caught 19-yard pass from quarterback Steve Day on the game's final play to lift the Bulldogs to a 14-13 victory over East Central University.

Haggerty, who finished with 124 yards on eight catches, started the Bulldog charge earlier in the fourth when he caught a 38-yard touchdown pass from Day to trim ECU's lead to 14-7 with 12:16 to play. The win improved SWOSU to 1-8 on the year and 1-3 in the Lone Star Conference North Division. It also gives the team momentum as it closes out the 2009 season with home games against Oklahoma Panhandle State and Texas A&M-Commerce.

Day's two touchdown passes to Haggerty were the highlight on a night in which he completed more passes (34) in game than in player in school history. He finished with 266 yards on 54 attempts and kept the Bulldogs alive with critical conversions on the final scoring drive.

SWOSU got the ball back on the ECU 38 with 2:27 to play after a short Tiger punt came as a result of a three-and-out defensive stand. Day had first-down passes to Joe Sawyer and Haggerty as the Bulldogs moved to the ECU five. SWOSU was whistled for offensive pass interference which moved the ball back to the 19 with just four seconds to play.

Day took the snap and fired a bullet to Haggerty who had gotten free in the Tiger endzone to tie the game at 13-13. Chad McIntosh's extra-point was good and the Bulldogs rushed the field in celebration.

East Central carried a 13-0 lead for most of the game and scored first when Marcus Johnson ran in from 17 yards for a touchdown to put the Tigers up 7-0 with 11:14 to play in the first quarter. ECU then went ahead 13-0 when Anthony Recinos caught a one-yard pass from Josh Phillips with 12:29 to play. The Tigers did little else after the fast start thanks to the Bulldog defense. ECU falls to 0-9 with the loss and 0-3 in Lone Star conference play.

Heroes were plenty for SWOSU on both sides of the ball. Sawyer added eight catches for 52 yards and Ryan Corbin had seven for 41 yards. Bruce Hatton had 106 all-purpose yards including a team-best 49 yards on the ground.

Defensively, SWOSU held ECU to just 268 yards, including only 85 in the second half. SWOSU as a team finished with 338 yards, the highest mark of the season.

Individually on defense, Larry Wilson led SWOSU with 10 tackles while Sam Nwafor added nine. Jeff Lemon picked a pass for his second interception of the season.

SWOSU will next play Saturday at home against Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.