By Randon Coffey
sports@joplinglobe.com
GALENA, Kan. — With just 12 minutes threatening St. Mary’s-Colgan’s 54-game conference winning streak, it was time for an unlikely name to once again preserve the victory.
After starting running back Nick Whetzell left the game minutes into the second quarter, junior Alex Evans picked up his team and ran for 43 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown dash, on the final drive to ice the 26-19 win.
“It was pretty big, he had some pretty big runs... he’s been ready to step up and he finally got his oppurtunity and took a hold of it,” said senior quarterback Chas Smith. “He’s been working really hard in (the) summer and offseason.”
Smith made some crucial plays himself. Unable to muster a consistent air attack, Smith rolled up 95 yards on the ground and, more importantly, scored three touchdowns.
Colgan trailed 13-12 going into the fourth quarter before Smith added his final scoring sprint. He found Evans in the corner of the endzone for th two-point conversion..
Rallying from a 12-0 halftime deficit, the Bulldogs mounted an impressive drive capped by a 36-yard touchdown throw from Jacoby Martin to Cody Clark. Clark’s PAT kick sailed wide right and Galena still trailed, 20-19.
The miss allowed Colgan coach Chuck Smith to change his final drive strategy. “I wouldn’t have hurried anything... (we) would have taken it to overtime and seen what happens.”
The relaxed Panther offense was able to chew up 5:34 of the seven remaining minutes and drive 73 yards for the proverbial nail in the coffin. Chas Smith remarked how in his mind the final drive was more about points than ticks.
“We were just trying to get it downfield, but we didn’t want to leave time on. It had been a long game,” Smith said.
“We wanted to score more than we wanted to run down the time.”
After Evan’s 18-yard score, Galena’s drive was thwarted at the Panther 44-yard line when senior Stuart Jeck nabbed the game-sealing interception.
“I’m real proud of my team,” said Galena head coach Beau Sarwinski. “They believe now in big games they’re going to win. We’re going in the right direction. I’m real happy with our kids. They did a great job tonight; they fought hard.”
The Bulldogs had their chances to pull off the upset. The game’s opening drive ended when Chase Keyser fumbled as he was going into the endzone. The next Galena drive ended at the Colgan 39.
The Panthers weren’t able to muster a score, though, until two minutes into the second quarter. Chas Smith scored both first-half touchdowns on runs of 10 and 3 yards, the last one coming with 44 seconds left. Colgan was unable to convert after either score.
Galena scored 13 of its 19 points in the third quarter on a highlight-reel 57-yard touchdown reception by Chase Keyser and another Keyser catch and run of 15 yards.
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