Prescott Had To Watch Ewu’s Big Moment
The 13-play, 76-yard fourth-quarter scoring drive that Eastern Washington used to secure its 40-35 upset of No. 2-ranked Montana in Missoula last Saturday was something every Eagle player probably will remember for the rest of their lives.
Every player, except the one who should have been the focal point of the remarkable drive, which consisted of just running plays.
Starting running back Rex Prescott carried on two of the first three plays of the series, but was on the bench with a concussion while his understudy Mike MacKenzie was taking handoff after handoff on his way to scoring the decisive touchdown on a 1-yard run with just under 2 minutes left.
MacKenzie carried 10 times and gained 62 yards on the drive all while Prescott, a 5-foot-7, 170-pound senior who had rushed for 166 yards on 27 carries prior to being sidelined, watched in tears.
“It was a tough deal,” Eagles coach Mike Kramer said of Prescott’s inability to contribute to the final 10 plays of the drive. “It was pretty terrible for me to watch him sitting on the sidelines with big old tears running down his face because he’s not a very big person and those tears looked like big drops of water.”
Prescott, who leads the Big Sky Conference in rushing with an average of 120.7 yards per game, has been cleared to play in Saturday’s 12:35 p.m. homecoming game against Idaho State in Woodward Stadium.
Backs are back
Prior to last weekend, Montana State’s once-proud rushing attack had not produced a 100-yard game from any of the three tailbacks who have alternated at the position vacated last spring by Matt Engelking.
But in Saturday’s 31-20 win over Cal State Northridge, freshman Lathian Tyler and junior Travis Wright both hit that total on the nose as the Bobcats rolled up 228 yards on the ground.
“We’ve heard the criticism, people pointing fingers,” Wright said. “This week we just wanted to step up and answer some of those critics, and I think we did a good job of that.”
Flowers mending
There was talk Cal State Northridge quarterback Aaron Flowers, who fractured his fibula earlier this season, might return for last weekend’s game against Montana State.
As it turned out, first-year Matadors coach Jim Fenwick decided to hold out the 6-foot, 185-pound senior another week, saying Flowers probably will play in Saturday’s matchup against Sacramento State.
In the four games he played before being injured, Flowers threw for 1,539 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Golf benefit
A benefit golf tournament to help cover the uninsured medical expenses for Tammy Wulff, the wife of Eastern Washington offensive line coach Paul Wulff, will be held Sunday at the Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course.
The event will feature a 10:30 a.m. shotgun start. The $100 entry fee includes greens fees, cart, lunch and tee prizes, with all proceeds going to help finance Tammy Wulff’s alternative medical treatment for inoperable brain cancer.
Anyone wishing to participate can contact Doug Wellsandt at (509) 659-1074 in Ritzville.
Quick kicks
Portland State’s attacking defense registered 13 tackles for losses in last Saturday’s 16-7 loss to Weber State, giving the Vikings four consecutive games with 10 or more tackles behind the line of scrimmage. … After three three-touchdown games, Eastern Washington wide receiver Jeff Ogden leads the Big Sky with nine touchdowns receptions. … Of the 44 first downs Northern Arizona amassed in thumping Sacramento State 48-25 last week, 11 came on penalties, tying an NCAA Division I-AA record set by Towson State in a 1990 win over Liberty. … With his three field goals against PSU last Saturday, Weber State’s Scott Shields became the Wildcats’ career leader in that category with 48. … Sac State quarterback A.J. Bernhardt will be sidelined from three to six weeks with a separated shoulder. … Montana State made five interceptions - one more than the Bobcats made in their first five games, combined - in last Saturday’s 31-20 win over Cal State Northridge.
, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = COLUMN - Big Sky football notebook