lonergan
Ben Braun
37
Lincoln LU 1-2 , 0-1
42
Winner Quincy QU 1-1 , 1-0
Lincoln LU
1-2 , 0-1
37
Final
42
Quincy QU
1-1 , 1-0
Winner
Score By Quarters
Team 1st 2nd 3rd 4th F
LU Lincoln 7 10 7 13 37
QU Quincy 7 28 7 0 42

Game Recap: Football | | Brendan Bittner

Hawks Return To #TheRock With 42-37 Win

QUINCY, Ill. – A project more than nine months in the making came to fruition on Saturday (Sept. 19). The Quincy University football team made a triumphant return to QU Stadium on Saturday (Sept. 19) afternoon, earning a 42-37 win over Lincoln in front of 2,972 fans.  
 
When a $4 million renovation to QU Stadium was announced last December, it was difficult to picture in the mind's eye the transformation of the then-rundown facility. But with the installation of synthetic turf, a four-story press box, new grandstands and a glistening 14-by-48-foot video board wishes became reality and the Hawks put a stamp on their first win at their new home on Saturday.5723
 
The Hawks scored 28 points in the second quarter and led 35-17 at halftime. Quincy (1-1, 1-0 GLVC) went ahead 42-17 later in the third quarter before three straight scores by the Blue Tigers (1-2, 0-1 GLVC) closed the gap.
 
Lincoln took the opening kickoff and marched down the field on a 14-play, 93-yard drive, capped by a Miles Drummond one-yard touchdown that gave the visitors a 7-0 lead.
 
The Hawks quickly responded with its own lengthy drive, getting 54 rushing yards, the final 18 coming on a dash over the right side by freshman Darius Burse (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) to tie the game at 7-7. It was the first touchdown scored by a QU player in the renovated stadium's history.
 
Lincoln got its offense going on the next drive as well before stalling at the QU 19-yard line. Jean Claude Brooks missed a 35-yard field goal attempt to give QU the ball back.
 
Brooks connected on his next field goal try early in the second quarter to give Lincoln a 10-7 advantage.
 
Quincy came right back as redshirt-senior quarterback Nick Lonergan (Jacksonville, Ill.) found wideout Kody Wood (Jacksonville, Ill.) wide open near the left hash and the sophomore sprinted for a 65-yard touchdown reception to make it 14-10.
 
5724The offense was set up on the next drive after Lincoln's punter fell on his own dropped snap. One play later, sophomore Chris Harris (Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) was in the end zone on a 26-yard rush.
 
Vanzell Richardson returned the ensuing kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown to trim QU's lead back to four points, 21-17.
 
Quincy answered with a nine-play drive that ended with a 10-yard touchdown pass on third down from Lonergan to sophomore tight end Owen Schoenenberger (Evansville, Wis.). That score gave the Hawks a 28-17 lead.
 
QU added on after freshman corner back Christopher Parker (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park) picked off a pass in Lincoln territory with 5:45 left in the first half. Four plays later, Lonergan found junior receiver Eric Poindexter (Newport News, Va./Monroe College) on a 24-yard touchdown pass to give Quincy a 35-17 lead going into halftime.
 
With 6:51 left in the third, Lonergan scrambled out of the pocket and got to the left corner of the end zone on an eight-yard rush that ended an 86-yard drive. Harris keyed the march with a 49-yard rush that pushed Quincy into the red zone.
 
That would be the final time the Hawks would score as the Blue Tigers clamped down defensively and would not allow the home team to close out the game.
 
Lincoln scored late in the third quarter, missed a 32-yard field goal with 9:11 remaining in the fourth and scored a touchdown with 5:01 to play to cut the lead to 42-30. After forcing a QU punt, the Blue Tigers marched 90 yards in one minute, 42 seconds and got a touchdown from Alonzo Travis to trim it to 42-37.
 
The Blue Tigers recovered the onside kick with 36 seconds remaining, but they were whistled for an illegal touch prior to the kick advancing 10 yards, sealing the win for the Hawks.
 
Lonergan was characteristically efficient through the air, going 15-for-21 for 258 yards and three touchdowns. He did not throw an interception and was not sacked. He rushed for 22 yards and a touchdown. Eight different receivers caught passes, led by Poindexter, who had five catches for 89 yards and a touchdown.
 
Harris was a bruiser out of the backfield, going for 158 yards on 22 carries (7.2 yards per rush) and one touchdown. Burse had 38 yards on the ground on nine carries.
 
Redshirt-freshman linebacker T.J. Daniels (St. Louis, Mo./St. Louis University HS) led the Hawks with 11 tackles (seven solo) and three pass breakups. Senior linebacker Zach Vath (Brandon, Fla./Bloomingdale), sophomore linebacker Nate Rueckemann (McHenry, Ill.) and junior defensive tackle Darian Johnson (Freeport, Ill.) had nine stops apiece. Johnson also blocked an extra point.
 
Drummond averaged five yards per carry, going for 119 yards on 24 rushes and a touchdown. Quarterback Owen Jordan was 23-for-44 for 283 yards and two scores. Darius Hicks caught eight passes for 114 yards and a touchdown.
 
The Blue Tigers out-gained the Hawks, 509-480. Lincoln also converted 10-of-17 third downs and ran 95 offensive plays to Quincy's 59.
 
The Hawks will return to the field next Saturday (Sept. 26) when they travel to Bolivar, Mo. to take on Southwest Baptist for a 2 p.m. kickoff. Quincy is next at QU Stadium on Oct. 3 against Saint Joseph's in QU's Homecoming game.
 
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