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Volume 40, Issue 3
September 24, 2002
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Mesa
muffs 1st-half lead
Loses to Dixie College 26–17 despite last-gasp touchdown
Trey Claudio
For the Mesa Legend
MCC had their 24th meeting on Sept. 14 with Dixie College.
Looking for a win after last week's loss to Pima College, head coach David
Rice was hoping to bounce back with a victory over Dixie.
"The 'W' is all we look for when the clock stops," said Rice
as he and the football players took the field.
"I would like to see the special teams' guys to make things happen,
especially after last week." Rice commented, referring to the poor
performance against Pima.
Rice would get that special teams turned around a lot sooner than he had
expected.
The opening kickoff was put in to play by freshman kicker No.12 Chase
Miller of Mesa.
Dixie's return-man fumbled the ball, however, Dixie would recover.
The Thunderbirds "Red Rage" defense would force Dixie to punt
the ball.
The special teams would show again that the kinks had been worked out,
with the punt getting blocked by sophomore lineman No.53 Armstrong Eleke.
Eleke returned the blocked punt 20 yards for the T-Birds first score of
the game.
Mesa took a 7- 0 lead following the extra point by Miller.
The Thunderbirds "Red Rage" defense lead by standout sophomore
linebacker No. 40 Josh Ah You, freshman defensive back No.11 Blake Vogt,
and sophomore defensive end No.54 Mike Mapu.
"We're going to keep coming [after Dixie]" Ah You said intensely.
Another highlight would be the 116 yards No. 30 Willie Henry the 5'11"
sophomore running-back out of New Mexico put out during the T-birds game.
Henry would also bring Mesa fans to their feet on a second down play that
sent him off tackle for 67 yards, which would bring the T-birds to the
Dixie 5-yard line.
"It takes the big front five to get it done," said freshman
offensive lineman No. 73 Jon Jiminez, following Henry's 67 yard carry.
The three were relentless, comining for 18 tackles; 7 assisted tackles;
1 sack; and a blocked extra point.
Their efforts caused Dixie havoc, allowing Dixie to convert on third downs
just once out of 10 opportunities.
Before the half, MCC would put points on the board once more with the
foot of Miller who placed a 25-yard field goal through the uprights.
The T-Birds went into the locker room with a 10-6 lead over Dixie.
"Penalties are killing us," was all Rice said as he jogged toward
the locker room.
Half-time came to a close and so would the Thunderbird's lead as Dixie
converted for 20 points that left most of MCC on-lookers scratching their
heads wondering how the team fell behind.
MCC would get a spark of daylight when late in the second half freshman
quarterback No. 15 Matt Thompson connected with freshman wide receiver
No. 82 Mike Allen for a 67-yard touchdown reception.
The clock wound down and so did the chance for a comeback.
When the final seconds ticked away, the score board read: Mesa, 17, Dixie
26.
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