Possession, they say, is nine-tenths of the law.
Possession was 100 percent of the difference in a 31-30 East Central University victory over Arkansas Tech University in Great American Conference football at Norris Field in Ada, Okla., on Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers (2-8) gained possession of the football with a 1-point lead and 8:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. ECU made those final 531 seconds disappear with a 17-play, 64-yard drive.
Time expired after three consecutive kneel downs by the Tigers inside the ATU 10-yard line, ending ECU’s six-game losing streak and stopping a string of three consecutive wins by the Wonder Boys (3-7).
East Central quarterback Kenny Hrncir completed 21-of-28 passes for 308 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown.
Teslim Abubakar (nine receptions, 123 yards) and JayQuan Lincoln (10 receptions, 97 yards, one touchdown) led the Tiger receiving corps.
ATU quarterback Carter Burcham completed 18-of-29 passes for 251 yards. Drew Wade made seven catches for 111 yards and a touchdown for the Wonder Boys, while Tech’s Tyrus Fort made a game-high 16 tackles.
Wade also had an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to begin the third quarter. It was Tech’s first kickoff return for a touchdown since Michael Perry’s 94-yard return against Southern Nazarene University on Sept. 20, 2014.
Jesus Zizumbo was 3-for-3 on field goal tries. He connected on kicks of 24, 36 and 42 yards to reach 16 made field goals in 2019, breaking the single-season school record of 15 made field goals set by All-America kicker Paul Peletz during the Wonder Boys’ 1999 Gulf South Conference championship season.
Arkansas Tech will conclude its 2019 football season by hosting nationally-ranked Harding University for a 2 p.m. GAC contest at Thone Stadium at Buerkle Field in Russellville on Saturday, Nov. 16.
