SCOTS FOOTBALL LOSES 48-34 TO ILLINOIS WESLEYAN
The 2008 Alma Football Team traveled to Bloomington, IL on Saturday to take on Illinois Wesleyan University but the Scots came out on the wrong end of a 48-34 decision at IWU Stadium. Alma fell to 1-1 on the season while the Titans improved to 2-0 as junior quarterback Kraig Ladd tied a school record with six touchdown passes.
Ladd completed 17 of 26 passes for 272 yards while Alma QB Mackenzie McGrady completed 26 of 41 passes for 352 yards and two touchdowns, with Scots WR Jeremy Stephens being on the receiving end of 11 of them for192 yards. McGrady was also the leading rusher for the Scots with 112 yards on 21 attempts, while DB Travis Martin led the defense with 13 tackles (nine solo) and one pass broken-up.
IWU opened the scoring in the first quarter when Chris Messina returned a blocked Matt Brown punt 15 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Titans lead. Alma tied the score on their next possession when Stephens capped a seven-play, 74-yard drive by catching a four-yard touchdown pass from McGrady midway through the first quarter.
The only scoring of the second quarter was done by IWU as Ladd threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to TE Rick Podkowa with 3:33 left in the half and then Ladd connected with WR Martin Ceisel on a five-yard scoring strike with just 10 seconds remaining that culminated a 10-play, 90-yard drive that gave the Titans a 21-7 halftime lead.
On their first possession of the 2nd half, IWU drove 35 yards on four plays and took a 28-7 lead when Ladd hit RB Eli Williams on a seven-yard touchdown pass. The Scots were not going to go down without a fight however and scored the final 13 points of the third quarter as RB Jon Reed scored on an eight-yard TD run and then McGrady scampered nine yards for a touchdown with 1:24 left in the frame. After a missed extra point, Alma found themselves trailing 28-20 heading into the last 15:00 of the game.
On a drive that began in the third quarter, the Titans drove 66 yards in nine plays and after Ladd connected with WR Tom Alamanzo on a 23-yard score, IWU led 34-20 after a failed PAT. Alma struck quickly just 1:27 later when McGrady ran 14 yards for a touchdown to narrow IWU's lead to 34-27. The Titans answered the call however and drove 66 yards on seven plays and capped the drive with a 20-yard touchdown pass from Ladd to Ceisel and a 41-27 lead.
Misfortune struck the Scots on their next possession as McGrady was sacked and fumbled on the Alma four-yard line, recovered by IWU DL Andrew Boyd. One play later, a touchdown throw from Ladd to Alamanzo gave the Titans a 48-27 lead with 5:46 remaining in the game. Alma cut the deficit to the final score of 48-34 when McGrady hit TE Matt Brown on a 23-yard scoring play, capping a seven-play, 60-yard drive. The Scots got the ball once more in the game but the drive stalled at the Titans' 33-yard line and IWU ran out the clock for the victory.
Alma hosts Rockford (IL) College next Saturday at Bahlke Field, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Posted: Sat, September 13th, 2008 at 5:55PM
