Oct. 22, 2011 - Not often will a team be able to overcome four first-half turnovers and win on the road, but the Concordia Cougars did just that this afternoon. The Cougars scored late in each half and defeated Lakeland College by a 21-7 score in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Concordia took the opening kickoff and moved down the field effectively, operating with a no-huddle offense. However, a fumble at the Lakeland 13 ended the scoring opportunity.

Later in the quarter, the Cougars survived a fumble while fielding a punt deep in their own zone. They were not so lucky with the third turnover, an interception that gave the Muskies possession at the Cougars' 31. Lakeland found the end zone seven plays later on the first play of the second quarter as Dylan Van Straten hit Logan Hughley from 14 yards out.

The Cougars tied the score midway through the quarter, once again resorting to their arsenal of big plays. Facing third-and-nine from their own 43, a Jake Koehler (Belvidere, IL/Rockford Lutheran) pass to Jamal Thomas (Weirsdale, FL/Lake Weir) pass fell incomplete. However, offsetting penalties allowed the Cougars to replay the down. This time, Koehler hit Thomas for what turned out to be a 57-yard touchdown pass. The extra point by Danny Colapietro (Chicago, IL/Maine South) made the score 7-7 at the 9:42 mark.

The key drive of the game came when the Cougars took possession following a punt with 2:10 remaining. Koehler marched the team 74 yards, highlighted by completions of 11 yards to Sherman Jones (Pensacola, FL/J.M. Tate) and 14 yards to Thomas. Concordia reached the nine where, on a fourth-and-two, they passed up a field goal opportunity and went for the first down. The gamble paid off as Koehler hit Jones for a six-yard gain to move the chains. On the next play, Koehler hit Thomas for a three-yard score with just five seconds on the clock. The late score put Concordia up 14-7 at the half.

Concordia's defense held firmly to the lead in the third quarter, allowing Lakeland just one first down through their first three drives of the half. However, the Muskies began to roll late in the quarter. Van Straten hit Justin Groeneveld for 42 yards to the Cougars' 13. The Cougars' defense held, and the Muskies opted for a fake field goal try on frouth down. The pass was off-target, enabling Concordia to escape with their seven-point lead intact.

The offense put the game on ice with 2:37 remaining. The Cougars' rushing game proved very effective in both eating the clock and moving the ball. Concordia kept the ball on the ground for six of the seven plays on the 60-yard drive. A 24-yard scramble by Koehler gave the Cougars a key first down at the 14. A false start penalty backed up Concordia briefly but, on the next snap, Andrew Maddox (Gainesville, FL/P.K. Yonge) took a handoff and raced to the end zone for the clinching score.

Koehler threw for 214 yards on 19 of 31 with Thomas catching four balls for 78 yards. Maddox led the rushing attack with 97 yards on 16 carries. The Cougars finished with an even 400 yards for the game to the Muskies' 302.

Defensively, Marty Beckman (Parma, OH/Lutheran West), Jason Mielzynski (Chicago, IL/St. Laurence) and Chris Decker (Ocala, FL/St. John Lutheran) all recorded eight tackles. Chris Thompson (St. Louis, MO/Lutheran North) and Michael Dingman (Glendale, AZ/Barry Goldwater) each made three tackles for minus-yardage. Corner David Sodetz (Chicago, IL/Kennedy) had the Cougar defense's lone takeaway, a fourth-quarter interception.

Concordia is 4-2, 3-1 NAC with the victory. They will host Maranatha Baptist Bible College next Saturday, Oct. 29 at 1 p.m.