By Todd Hummel
For The Daily Item
SELINSGROVE -- As Susquehanna called timeout with four seconds left in the game to set up a game-winning field goal against Dickinson in a Centennial Conference contest Saturday afternoon, University president Dr. L. Jay Lemons set himself behind the goalposts on the scoreboard side of Amos Alonzo Stagg Field at Nicholas A. Lopardo Stadium.
"I could see him out there setting up behind the (goal posts)," Susquehanna kicker Spencer Hotaling said. "I thought if he has that kind of confidence in me, I'm just going to kick it right to him."
Hotaling knocked a 19-yard field goal through the middle of the uprights as time expired for the second consecutive home game as Susquehanna defeated the Red Devils 20-18.
"The athletic director (Pam Samuelson) said before the game that it was going to come down to me," Hotaling, a freshman from Selinsgrove, said. "I was happy to have another opportunity (to win a game)."
David London's 33-yard field goal gave the Red Devils (1-2 overall, 1-1 CC) an 18-17 lead with 7:26 left in the game. However, that would be the last time the Dickinson offense would touch the ball in the game.
Lewisburg High grad Spencer Ercole returned the ensuing kickoff from a yard deep in the end zone out to the Susquehanna 34. The Crusaders then drove 64 yards in 15 plays, consuming the final 7:19 off the clock, but it certainly wasn't easy. Susquehanna converted three third downs and a fourth down. The fourth down of course was the biggest play of the game. Quarterback Rich Palazzi found tight end Matt Knouse (5 catches, 78 yards) down the middle of the field for a 23-yard gain to the Dickinson 16.
Susquehanna picked up another first down to keep the clock running and give Hotaling a chance to win the game without Dickinson getting the ball back.
"The kids are resilient, that's all I can say," Susquehanna coach Steve Briggs said. "We just made plays when we had to, just like we did two weeks ago (a 33-30 overtime over Wilkes)."
Hotaling also kicked a last-second field goal to win that one.
Susquehanna jumped out to a 14-3 lead on the Red Devils on the strength of Greg Tellish and back up quarterback Matt Lottes. Tellish ran for 116 yards in the first half, while Lottes was 11-of-18 for 93 yards and a touchdown in place of an injured Palazzi. The Crusaders (2-1, 1-1) took a 7-0 lead on a Lottes-to-Mike Ritter 10-yard touchdown pass with 4:25 left in the first quarter.
After the Red Devils kicked a field goal to cut the lead to 7-3, Tellish capped a 13-play, 80-yard drive that consumed seven minutes off the clock with a nine-yard TD run with 6:35 left in the first half. Tellish finished the game with 166 yards on 36 carries.
"I'm sore. I'm really tired. I was expecting the workload just because we lost our other back, Connor McGrath, last week (to an injury)," Tellish said. "I knew I would have to do the work of two backs."
Dickinson rallied on the strength of its own running game. The Red Devils ran 37 times for 137 yards, most of it coming in the second half. Quarterback Todd Smolinsky threw two touchdown passes, the second one coming with 8:01 left in the third quarter to give the Red Devils a 15-14 lead.
Susquehanna used a 38-yard punt return by Ritter, another Selinsgrove grad, to set up Hotaling's first field goal of the game, a 33-yarder with 14:05 left in the game to take a 17-15 lead.
