Panthers blow consecutive games in overtime

      In the overtime period the Panthers received the ball first and were unable to advance with very conservative play calling. Ehasz's 47-yarder bounced off the post, and the Saints had an opportunity to put together a game-winning drive.

       "They were running by us and we weren't tackling them," Curry said. "They were blocking us. We knew what they were doing but just didn't get the job done." The Panthers' defense couldn't hold St. Francis, and Sean Murray's 31-yard field goal gave the Fighting Saints a 30-27 victory.

        As the Saints were celebrating, the Panthers were holding their heads on the way back to the locker room. Bill Curry was asked if this was the most disappointing loss in his coaching career and he had this to say; "Well I think if I say that then that is saying St. Francis didn't de- serve it. They deserved to win. They won the game.

      They played better than we did and I don't want to diminish that. It is very, very disappointing." After a Kelton Hill rushing touchdown put the Panthers ahead 24-10 with three minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Panthers seemed confident that the victory would be theirs. The Panthers' coaching staff elected to go for it on a fourth and long situation that proved to be unsuccessful, a very questionable call.

      Although they converted their first two attempts on fourth down, going for it with 13 minutes left in the game with a two-score advantage may have been unnecessary. In a losing effort, quarterback Kelton Hill rushed for 98 yards and threw for 197 yards including a 50- yard bomb to sophomore Albert Wilson. That reception by Wilson was the fourth play of 50 yards or longer between Hill and Wilson in the past three games. The chemistry between these two players is picking up and will be something to look forward to in the final two games of the season.

      Despite Hill's offensive performance the Panthers offense was out-gained by the Fighting Saints in almost every important offensive category.

      This was the second game in a row that the Panthers let a fourth quarter lead slip, and then blew it in over time. It doesn't get any easier as they travel to 7-3 West Alabama this Saturday. Granted, UWA is a Division II team, but so is St. Francis.