QUINCY, Ill. - The Quincy University football team won a nail bitter over Lincoln University 7-3 Saturday. The Hawks battled the Tigers in the first night game of the season at QU Stadium.
The game featured a battle of field position as well as a defensive slugfest. Both offenses struggled to move the ball due to strong defensive efforts by both teams.
Lincoln managed to gain 282 yards of total offense compared to just 189 for QU.
The Tigers managed to get on the board first after the first three possessions of the game resulted in punts. The Tigers used a twelve play, 42 yard drive, which was capped off by a 45 yard field goal to put the Tigers up 3-0.
The second quarter saw every possession result in punts for both teams. Neither team moved passed the opponents 40 yard line in the quarter. Lincoln took a 3-0 lead into the half.
To start the second half, both teams punted on their first possession. Lincoln took over with the ball on their own 11 yard line. On the sixth play of the possession quarterback Henry Ogala's pass was intercepted by linebacker
Clayton Cole (Weatherby Lake, MO / Park Hill).
The Hawks took over on the Tigers 48 yard line. QU wasted no time as
Andrew Rund (St. Louis, MO / Saint Louis Priory) took a shot downfield and found
Kody Wood (Jacksonville, IL / Jacksonville) streaking down the middle of the field for a 48 yard touchdown.
The completion from Rund to Wood was the first completion to a receiver in the game up to that point.
With just over two minutes to play in the third quarter, Lincoln took over at its own 45 yard line. The Tigers moved quickly into Hawks territory. On third and seven at the Hawks 32, Ogala completed a crossing route to Harold Lacy, Lacy was knocked out at the one yard line.
On the next play a fumble by Miles Drummond was recovered in the end zone by QU just before the end of the third quarter.
The Hawks took over on their own 20 yard line. Unable to take advantage of the turnover, QU was forced to punt again.
The QU defense proved to be the factor again, allowing just 14 yards on the next possession and forcing another Tiger punt.
The Hawks were pinned deep in their own territory, taking over at their own 11 yard line. QU was forced into another three and out possession.
Nathan Kewney (Quincy, IL / Quincy) unleashed a 72 yard put that flipped the field down to the Lincoln eight yard line.
The QU defense again stepped up and forced the Tigers to use five minutes of game time, gaining just 29 yards, before forcing another punt.
Chris Harris (Springfield, IL/ Sacred Heart Griffin) carried five times for 22 yards on the next Hawk possession to run off three minutes of clock. Another Hawk punt forced the Tigers to start their final possession on their own 20 yard line.
A 23 yard completion moved the Tigers all the way to their 43 yard line. Three passes fell harmlessly to the turf and the Hawks held on for th 7-3 win.
Chris Harris rushed for 107 yards on 25 carries.
Andrew Rund was 5-12 for 55 yards and a touchdown.
Cody Leonard (Carrollton, IL / Carrollton) led the Hawks with 15 tackles, including three for loss.
Quincy is now 2-1, 1-0 in the GLVC. The Hawks take on SBU next Saturday in their next GLVC contest.
