Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Independent Student Newspaper for the University of Texas at San Antonio

The Paisano

Roadrunners drop overtime heartbreaker to South Alabama

UTSA football

On the rollercoaster ride that has been the Roadrunner football season, the team has had more lows than highs. Saturday’s low was perhaps more painful than any. In a hard-fought contest, the Roadrunners came up just short in double overtime against the South Alabama Jaguars, 30-27.

“It’s very disappointing for our coaches and our players, because they worked hard to win this football game,” head coach Larry Coker said following the defeat.

The game was hard fought for the entire 60 minutes of regulation with both teams slugging it out like two middleweight boxers. One team would jab; the other would counter. The Roadrunners had a chance to deliver the coup de grace with 00:03 remaining on the clock and the score tied at 17, when kicker Shane Ianno attempted a 25 yard field goal.

“We just wanted a little chip shot to win the game and that is points,” Coker said. “You can’t turn down points.”

The potential game winning field goal was blocked by the Jaguars. The game would be decided in overtime.

“I went up to Sean (Ianno) after the kick and told him to shake it off and not to worry about it,” Roadrunner quarterback Eric Soza said. “I told him that we may need him again.”

In the first overtime, the Roadrunners elected to play defense first. The Jaguars took over on the UTSA 25 and within four plays, the Jaguars had punched the ball into the endzone.

The Roadrunners shook it off when they took over at the South Alabama 25 yard line. It took only one play for Soza to find receiver Kam Jones. Jones made the catch as he back pedaled into the endzone to tie the game at 24 and send it to a second overtime.

The second overtime would begin with the Roadrunners on offense. The offense was unable to punch it in which gave Ianno a chance to take the lead on a field goal.

The field goal flew through the uprights, but the Roadrunners defense still had one job to do: Keep the Jaguars from scoring a touchdown.

South Alabama took over at the UTSA 25 and in one play sent the 32,886 in attendance home with disappointment.

The play was a run to the left by Jaguar running back Demetre Baker, who strolled untouched into the endzone to give the Jaguars the victory.

The Roadrunners fell to 2-4 on the 2011 season.

 

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