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53-yard field goal beats UCA as clock hits 0:00

Central Arkansas receiver Jatavious Wilson looks for running room as Missouri State safety Caleb Schaffitzel (34) tries to make the tackle in the first half of Missouri State’s 33-31 victory Saturday night at Estes Stadium in Conway.
Central Arkansas receiver Jatavious Wilson looks for running room as Missouri State safety Caleb Schaffitzel (34) tries to make the tackle in the first half of Missouri State’s 33-31 victory Saturday night at Estes Stadium in Conway.

CONWAY – Missouri State junior kicker Marcelo Bonani found a way to make up for a missed extra-point kick.

Bonani made a 53-yard field goal, the longest of his career, as time expired to lift Missouri State to a 33-31 victory over Central Arkansas in front of an announced crowd of 10,027 at Estes Stadium.

“I wanted a chance to put this win on me,” Bonani said. “If I didn’t, the loss would have been on me.”

Bonani missed a second-quarter extra point that could have sent the game into halftime tied at 14-14, and it allowed UCA to lead by one point on two different occasions.

UCA’s second one-point lead came at 31-30 after a 1-yard dive into the end zone by Willie Matthews with 59 seconds left to play.

UCA drove downfield on a steady diet of runs by Matthews and Ryan Howard passes. Howard converted fourth and 11 from the UCA 24 with a 26-yard pass to Desmond Smith to keep the drive moving. Howard attempted two unsuccessful quarterback sneaks before Matthews scored.

“We kept punching it in,” said Matthews, who rushed 16 times for 67 yards and 2 touchdowns. “Honestly, I thought I got in every time. The ball wasn’t down. I never stopped, and the ball crossed the line.”

Jace Denker’s extra point gave UCA a 31-30 lead, but Missouri State had 54 seconds remaining and used eight plays to get in position for Bonani to win it. Quarterback Kierra Harris completed 4 of 6 passes, including a 13-yard pass to Julian Burton on third and 8 and a 29-yard completion to Burton to the UCA 31.

Missouri State was called for a false start while attempted to spike the ball with three seconds to play, which moved the ball back to 36 and set the stage for Bonani.

“I don’t even practice kicks over 50-55 yards that often because you’ll wear your back out and we never kick them that long,” Bonani said. “But I wanted that chance, and I knew I could do it.”

UCA (1-3) led 14-13 at the half.

Missouri State regained the lead early in the second half as Ryan Heaston and Harris slashed their way downfield, with Heaston rushing for 42 yards and Harris running it in from the 3 to put Missouri State ahead 20-14 after Bonani’s point-after kick with 10:29 left in the third quarter.

Clay Murphy’s 41-yard punt return gave UCA the ball at the Missouri State 8 with 1:45 left in the third. UCA failed to advance the ball and settled for a 29-yard field goal from Denker with 25 seconds left in the third to bring UCA within 20-17.

Missouri State responded with a 13-play, 75-yard drive that took 6:13 off the clock. Harris capped the drive with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Josh Mattes to make it 27-17 with 9:08 left in the fourth. It was Mattes’ first career reception.

Harris finished with a career-high 342 passing yards, completing 20 of 35 passes with 2 touchdowns.

Missouri State ran 93 plays for a season-high 579 yards, while UCA had 61 for 388.

UCA drove 62 yards in 1:20 to keep the game close. Matthews capped the drive with a 13-yard touchdown run with 7:48 left. Denker’s kick brought UCA to within a field goal, 27-24.

Two turnovers hurt UCA in the first half, the first coming when Matthews fumbled the ball attempting to dive in from 1 yard out on second and goal. The ball bounced off a defender’s helmet and was recovered by Missouri State linebacker Andrew Beisel at the Missouri State 9.

UCA’s second turnover came when Missouri State defensive back Eric Phillips ripped a deep pass away from wide receiver Desmond Smith with 8:09 left to play in the second quarter.

“We had been doing an outstanding job of protecting the football, and the turnovers hurt us today,” UCA Coach Steve Campbell said. “That’s points we left out there, and you can’t do that.”

Sports on 09/21/2014

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