Sept. 5, 2015 - On a sweltering late-summer day in River Forest, nothing was hotter than the offenses of the Concordia-Chicago Cougars and the Beloit Buccaneers in the season football opener. The two teams combined for nearly 1100 yards of offense and 101 total points, including 39 in the fourth quarter alone. But it was the home team that had the final say as the Cougars scored a touchdown and two-point conversion with 13.8 seconds remaining to pull out a 51-50 victory.

"What an unbelievable game! We were tested so many times today, but our guys never gave up, and I am extremely proud of them," said CUC head coach Randy Awrey.

The Bucs received the opening kickoff and marched to a quick score. Three runs by Mason Dixon (38 carries, 158 yards) put the Bucs in CUC territory, and quarterback Danny May then completed three straight passes, the third covering 26 yards to Kam Sallee for the game's first touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

The Cougars then had their first opportunity with the ball and quickly got down to business. Starting quarterback Shane Virnala (Hacienda Heights, CA/Los Altos) completed his first two passes to begin the march downfield. However, it was running back Jakari Cammon (Oak Park, IL/Oak Park-River Forest) that made the biggest play of the drive, breaking loose on a 39-yard run that moved the ball to the 10. A defensive penalty added five more yards. and Cammon then rushed in from the five. The extra point by Zach Slusher (Park City, UT/H.S.) made the score 7-7 only four minutes into the game.

Beloit was on the move again moments later, but the first momentum-changing play of the day went to Concordia-Chicago. On a first down from the CUC 30, Nick Hostetler (Bozeman, MT/H.S.) stepped in front of a Danny May pass for the first takeaway of the day. The Cougars then marched 81 yards with Virnala finding Ryan Allison (Parkland, FL/Stoneman Douglas) for three completions including a 25-yarder. Then, from the 10-yard line, it was Kenneth Catron (Chicago, IL/St. Francis de Sales) getting free in the middle of the end zone to haul in Virnala's bullet for a 14-7 lead. 

Unfazed by the turnover, the Bucs were on the move again and were poised to score when they reached the four. But, on a third-down play, Rodney Castor (Fort Myers, FL/H.S.) raced in on a corner blitz and leveled May for an 11-yard loss. The Bucs settled for the field goal as Sallee connected from 31 yards out to cut CUC's lead to 14-10.

Midway through the quarter, special teams got into the act for the Cougars as Rashad Lofton (Detroit, MI/Romulus) broke loose on a 58-yard punt return to the Beloit 10-yard line. Three plays later, it was Cammon scoring from a yard out to give the home team their first two-score lead at 21-10. 

The final 2:04 of the half continued to produce fireworks. The Bucs scored on a 15-yard touchdown pass play, but Allison returned the ensuing kickoff 58 yards. Virnala then executed a beautiful pump-fake before firing down the left sideline to a streaking Lofton for a 40-yard touchdown. Beloit tallied the final points of the half however, as Antonio Jones' 63-yard kickoff return set up May's one-yard quarterback sneak to make the halftime score CUC 28, Beloit 24.

Concordia-Chicago took the second-half kickoff and cashed in on a 33-yard strike from Virnala to Catron. Cliff Hamilton (Miami, FL/Hialeah) then intercepted May on the next drive, and the Cougars had the chance to put some distance between themselves and the visitors. But the Cougars' next two possessions ended on an interception and a fumble, and the Bucs were able to capitalize on the latter. Sallee's second field goal of the day, a chip shot from 20 yards away, made the score 35-27. On the ensuing kickoff, a line drive boot caromed off one of the Cougars' up men, and the Bucs recovered. Beloit then drove 62 yards, scoring when Dixon broke off a 25-yard run on a fourth-and-one. The Bucs scored on the two-point conversion, and the game was knotted 35-35 early in the fourth quarter.

Beloit made it a run of 18 unanswered points after the Cougars were stopped on downs at midfield, Sallee continued to be a versatile weapon for the visitors, first hauling in a 26-yard pass from May and then turning a short-yardage run into a 26-yard scoring play. The extra point gave Beloit a 42-35 lead with 6:24 remaining.

The Cougars answered back behind freshman Rob Granquist (Powers, MI/North Central) who had entered the game late in the third quarter. Granquist completed passes of seven and 18 yards to Errol Romney (Los Angeles, CA/Nogales) and 11 yards to Lofton, the latter in the end zone for six points. The Cougars could have tied the score with the kick, but they opted for two and the gamble paid off when Granquist hit Romney for the deuce and the 43-42 lead. 

The visitors came back on the next drive and threatened to break the hearts of the CUC faithful. From the Beloit 47, Sallee caught a short pass over the middle, slipped a tackle and raced 53 yards to the north end zone. The Bucs answered with their own two-point conversion and led 50-43 with 1:59 to play.

Concordia-Chicago took over at their own 42 following the kickoff, and a pass interference call against the Bucs started the Cougars moving. However, it was a 28-yard competion to Lofton over the middle that put CUC deep in enemy territory. The Cougars moved to the 10-yard line where, on second down, Granquist hooked up with Allison for the six points. Again, the Cougars opted for two points, and again it paid off as Granquist hit Lofton on the right side of the end zone. The Cougars led 51-50 with just 13.8 seconds remaining.

Incredibly, the Bucs came very close to stealing victory in the final seconds. Two passes along the sideline brought the Bucs to the CUC 42 with time for one final play. Beloit opted for a 59-yard field goal attempt from Sallee. The kick actually had the distance but sailed slightly to the right.

Cougar quarterbacks combined for 326 yards and five touchdowns on 28 of 37 with just one interception. Allison made seven catches for 58 yards  while Lofton tallied 116 yards on six grabs. Cammon led CUC rushers with 21 carries for 146 yards. Defensively, A.J. Seidler (West Chicago, IL/H.S.) made 15 tackles, five solo while Hostetler had eight tackles and the interception. Hamilton finished with two interceptions to go with six tackles.

Beloit was led by May's 367 passing yards on 26 of 40. Sallee finished with 194 yards receiving on nine catches and 44 yards rushing on four carries.

The Cougars will enjoy a bye week before returning to action on Sept. 19 when they travel to Kalamazoo College.
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