The Rocket

Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Nate Daymut If the Rock is going to have a shot against undefeated Cal, Coach George Mihalik is going to need the defense to come up with turnovers. Defensive linemen Marty Kern and Tyler Boudreau, shown forcing a fumble during the Clarion game, will be key components to a Rock defensive line that has recorded 24 sacks this year. [Click to enlarge]

Last week, Slippery Rock Head Coach George Mihalik said his team's game against Shippensburg would be a 60-minute affair.

He was right. Well, almost.

The Rock won a thriller against the Red Raiders last Saturday, 38-34, scoring the game-winning touchdown with two seconds remaining on a 17-yard fade pass from senior quarterback Nate Crookshank to senior wide receiver Paul Favers.

The touchdown capped a wild final two minutes, which saw the Rock fall behind 27-24 with just under 1:30 remaining, only to regain the lead, 31-27, seconds later when Favers returned the ensuing kickoff 68 yards for a touchdown.

But the up-and-down ride for the Green and White continued when Shippensburg's Kevin Marshall took the Rock's kickoff 84 yards to put the Red Raiders back on top, 34-31, with 1:04 remaining on the clock.

"It was a rollercoaster of emotions for us," Mihalik said. "We fell behind, and took the lead, and then fell behind again. It was up and down, up and down."

After the Shippensburg touchdown, it looked as if the Rock was just about out of hope, until Nate Crookshank led his offense onto the field.

"We had two timeouts left, and with a veteran leader in Nate behind center, we knew there was still a chance," Mihalik said.

Crookshank, who threw a season-high 35 times (completing 23, also a season-high), engineered a masterful drive in the final minute to set up the scoring chance for the Rock.

Continued...

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