Hornets fall in final road game; lose 29-20 to Portland State
Portland State junior wide receiver Justin Monahan caught 6 passes for 154 yards today.
November 5, 2011
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The
last time the Sacramento State Hornets football team left Oregon,
it was on the heels of the biggest upset win in program
history.
The
Beaver State was not nearly as friendly the second time around.
The
Hornets lost in ugly fashion to the Portland State Vikings on
Saturday, falling 29-20 on a wet Jeld-Wen Field in Portland.
The
Hornets’ offense gained only 307 total yards, most of which came in
the fourth quarter when the Vikings were playing soft defense to
prevent a big play.
The
Vikings gained 421 yards using a balanced attack that kept the
Hornets defense chasing ball carriers all day.
Senior quarterback Connor Kavanaugh led the Vikings’ pistol-attack
by throwing for 271 yards and rushing for 89 more, including a
28-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Kavanaugh is the second
all-time leading rushing quarterback in Big Sky history.
Half
of Kavanuagh’s completed passes were to wide receiver Justin
Monahan. The 6-foot-2 junior caught six balls for 154 yards,
averaging over 25 yards per reception.
Despite holding Kavanaugh to a 12-25 performance, the Hornets
defense allowed too many easy completions over the middle, many of
which went for first downs.
“We
tried to take the run game away and we kinda forced them into some
more passing situations,” Hornets head coach Marshall Sperbeck
said. “I think they probably saw that…they probably needed to
throw the ball.”
Of
the Hornets’ 20 points, only six – an eight-yard rush by Fleming in
the fourth quarter – were produced by a sustained offensive
drive.
Sac
State’s first score was a 24-yard interception return for a
touchdown by Kyle Monson, his second in as many games.
Up
16-6 with under a minute remaining, Kavanaugh lined up in the
shotgun on third down in Sac State territory. The snap flew wide of
Kavanaugh and was recovered by Hornets defensive back Evander
Wilkins at the one-yard line.
Jeff
Fleming fell into the end-zone on a quarterback sneak on the next
play. The successful two-point conversion to wide receiver John
Hendershott pulled the Hornets within two. The teams entered the
locker rooms at halftime with the Vikings leading 16-14.
“Our
defense did a great job with the turnovers keeping us in the game,”
Sperbeck said. “Our defense played hard and played well.”
The
second half would see the Hornets’ defensive luck run out.
Sac
State was expecting an offensive boost from senior quarterback Jeff
Fleming, who missed the past two games with a calf injury.
Fleming was 19-30 for 129 yards and an interception. He ran well
despite the leg injury, rushing for 78 yards to lead all
Hornets.
“Jeff’s a competitor,” Sperbeck said. “He came back out and like
always he played hard and he throws himself out there and gives it
his best effort every time he competes.”
Fleming completed passes to seven different receivers. Players like
Kenonte Howard and DeAndre Carter had more balls thrown their way
due to the absences of Chase Deadder and Brandyn Reed, who were
both sidelined with injuries.
Morris Norrise led the Hornets with six receptions, but only
managed 27 yards. No Hornets receiver had more than 45 yards
receiving.
True
freshman Garret Safron played one series, completing no passes on
two attempts. Redshirt sophomore Tommy Edwards didn’t play at
all.
The
Hornets attempted two-point conversions after all three of their
touchdowns. The Hornets had two extra points blocked during last
week’s one-point loss against Northern Arizona.
The
Hornets return to Sacramento next week to host the Idaho State
Bengals at 6:05 p.m.
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