Box Score SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio – The Notre Dame Falcons brought a four game losing streak to an end on Saturday afternoon, as they upset the Concord Mountain Lions at Mueller Field, in a 23-21 victory.
The win for the Falcons (2-5, 2-4 MEC) was their second at home this season, and marked the second year in a row that they've upset the preseason favorite to win the conference. The loss for Concord (4-3, 4-3 MEC) was their third on the road this season.
Both teams had to endure damp, cold, snowy and more importantly, windy conditions which would play a big role, especially in the kicking game, where the game was ultimately decided in the final two minutes of the contest.
The upset win came nearly a year ago to the day (Oct. 18, 2014), when they upset then unbeaten, and No. 8 Shepherd, the preseason MEC favorite to win the conference, 35-34, and clinched that game on a missed field goal in the final moments as well.
Notre Dame's defense was without some of their starters, but they still turned in one of their best performances of the season. The game was decided with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter, as the NDC defense stopped Concord on third and one at the NDC 17 yard line. Concord then attempted a 34-yard field goal on fourth and one, but Andy Ellington's field goal attempt got caught up in the wind, and drifted to the right, hitting the upright, and was no good with 1:04 left in the contest.
The Falcons completely dominated the first half of action, and went into the break with a 17-0 lead.
On their second play from scrimmage, the
DJ Greene fumbled, and Concord's LaKeem Goode recovered it at the NDC 43 yard line but the Falcon defense diffused the bomb, by forcing the Mountain Lions to turn the ball over on downs on the ensuing possession.
Notre Dame scored the game's first points, on their third drive of the game. They entered the red zone for the first time, and had to settle for three points, getting their first of three field goals on the afternoon from
Kyle Kaplan, a 23-yarder to give NDC a 3-0 lead with 7:53 remaining.
The Falcons found the end zone for the first time, with less than a minute left in the first quarter, as
Malik Grove connected with
Kyle Perkins on a 26-yard touchdown pass with 18 seconds left in the quarter to complete a seven play, 70-yard drive to give NDC a 10-0 advantage.
The next seven points came at the end of the first half. The Falcons put an eight play, 83-yard drive together and scored with 57 seconds left in the half on a six-yard touchdown rush by Grove, as they took a 17-0 lead at the half.
Through the first half of action, NDC had 10 more (16-6) first downs than the Mountain Lions, and they converted on 5-of-9 (55.5-percent) of their third down opportunities, while limiting Concord to just 108 yards of total offense.
Concord eventually got going on offense, and scored on their first drive of the second half, as Calvinaugh Jones scored on a 13-yard touchdown rush to bring Concord within 10 (17-7).
The Mountain Lions forced a three and out on NDC's next possession, and scored on their next drive, as fullback Shaun Workinger punched it in from one yard out to make it a 17-14 contest with 8:06 left.
Notre Dame answered on their next drive, as Kaplan hit on a 28-yard field goal, his second of the game to put the Falcons up by six (20-14) at the 4:50-mark in the third quarter.
On their next drive, Concord quarterback Brian Novak was hit as he threw a pass, and was intercepted by
Tyrel Hill. Notre Dame took over inside Concord territory, but no points came of the turnover, as Kaplan's 35-yard field goal attempt was blocked.
Concord took over with 40 seconds left in the third quarter, and marched 80 yards down the field on 12 plays, taking their first lead of the game as Workinger once again punched it in from one yard out for his second touchdown rush of the day, giving Concord a 21-20 advantage with 10:42 to play.
The Notre Dame offense responded on their very next drive. They were able to take the ball deep into Concord territory, eventually getting to the Concord two yard line, but had to settle for three, as Kaplan hit the eventual game winner, a 20-yard field goal which was partially deflected, but still made it over the cross bar, giving NDC a 23-21 lead with 6:33 remaining.
Notre Dame forced a three and out on Concord's next possession, and the Mountain Lions returned the favor, before they took over at their own 24 yard line with 3:16 remaining on the drive that would decide the game. They used a 40-yard pass from Novak to TJ Smith to get into NDC territory at the Falcon 26. Jones picked up nine yards on two carries, setting up a third and one, where
Darius James and
Jonah Harper stopped Workinger for no gain, before Ellington missed the 35-yard field goal.
Grove completed 20-of-34 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown, while he ran for 52 yards and a touchdown as well. Greene led the NDC rushing attack with 97 yards on 26 carries.
Perkins was NDC's top target in the passing game with three catches for 103 yards and a touchdown, while
Mitchell Shegos hauled in eight passes for 90 yards and
Emmanuel Smith caught four passes for 35 yards.
Kaplan went 3-for-4 on field goal attempts, giving him six field goals over the last two weeks.
Defensively, the Falcons held Concord to just a 30.7-percent (4-for-13) conversion rate on third downs. In addition, Jones, the reigning MEC Offensive player of the year, came into the game averaging 7.2 yards per carry, and NDC limited him to just 4.3 yards per rush.
Zach Chatlain led the way with 10 tackles, while
Jake Chestnut and Harper each had eight.
The Falcons are in action again on Thursday night, Oct. 22, when they hit the road for another MEC tilt against West Liberty. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:10 PM.
