Skyhawks are soaring high after ending OVC drought

Tennessee-Martin typifies open fight for title with win over highly regarded Tennessee Tech.

By Marty Mishow ~ Southeast Missourian

It's highly unlikely that Tennessee-Martin will challenge for the Ohio Valley Conference football championship this season.

But the Skyhawks certainly have something to hang their hat on now -- their first OVC victory since 1996. That came courtesy of Saturday's shocking 30-23 overtime win over visiting Tennessee Tech.

"We're pleased for the program, more importantly for the seniors to see their faces. I think all of them were in tears," Tennessee-Martin first-year coach Matt Griffin said during Tuesday's weekly OVC teleconference.

The Skyhawks had last won an OVC game on Nov. 2, 1996, when they beat Southeast Missouri State 7-6. And since that victory, Tennessee-Martin had been 0-64 against Division I-A or Division I-AA scholarship programs.

And for much of Saturday's contest, it looked like Tennessee-Martin's futility would continue as the Skyhawks trailed 23-7 in the fourth quarter.

But quarterback Brady Wahlberg, who had missed several games with an injury, directed two long scoring drives in the final period and also hit a pair of two-point conversions to send the game into overtime.

Wahlberg then scrambled for a 21-yard touchdown in overtime for the deciding points.

Of the long OVC losing streak, Griffin said, "Sure they know about it. They're kids. But as coaches, we didn't make a big thing about it."

Tennessee Tech, which received 212 yards rushing from freshman tailback Derek White, was coming off an impressive 49-24 win over Murray State that had stamped the Eagles as an early OVC frontrunner.

However, not only did the Eagles suffer the stunning defeat, they also lost star quarterback Robert Craft to a knee injury in the second quarter. Craft's status for this week's home game against Tennessee State has not been determined.

"The obvious is, with 10 minutes to go you'd like to be able to protect a 16-point lead, but you don't ever feel secure," Tennessee Tech coach Mike Hennigan said. "Martin just rose to the occasion. Their quarterback did a great job converting some things and they were able to drive the field the last two drives."

Wahlberg, a sophomore, completed 22 of 35 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown, while rushing 19 times for 100 yards and the winning score. He was named The Sports Network's Division I-AA national offensive player of the week.

Now Griffin knows the challenge he and his team face is in coming back down to earn while preparing for this week's game at Jacksonville State. He doesn't think that will be a problem.

"The thing we're stressing now is to keep our focus. We have another great football team to play," Griffin said. "I think if the kids really enjoyed that win, enjoyed the feeling in the locker room, they'll have the same focus for this week."

A scrambled race

After a wild second weekend of OVC play that saw two of four games decided in overtime and another decided in the final moments of regulation, the conference race is perhaps even more scrambled than most coaches had predicted -- and that's saying something.

Seven of the league's nine teams -- Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville State, Murray State, Samford, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee-Martin and Tennessee Tech -- are all 1-1 and tied for second place.

Tennessee State is the only unbeaten team at 1-0 while Eastern Illinois is the only winless squad at 0-1.

"The bright spot for everybody is, except for Tennessee State, everybody has a conference loss," Eastern Illinois coach Bob Spoo said. "It's still a race. We'll see what happens.

"It's a conference where I guess everybody has some equals there. I guess it's going to be a barnburner. I don't know who's going to survive it."

Said Southeast Missouri State coach Tim Billings, "Right now I don't know who you could pick. After Tennessee Tech's victory over Murray State, you say wow, they're playing well, then they get knocked off.

"Now everybody's looking at even steven again. It's exciting for everybody in the league."

Home sweet home

The home teams swept conference play for the second straight weekend, making home squads 8-0 in league action so far.

"I don't know if it's typical. I suppose it's a good sign for us this week," said Spoo, whose Panthers host Eastern Kentucky.

Said Eastern Kentucky coach Danny Hope of the home-field edge, "It is an issue in any league, unless you have a superior football team, and I don't know that anybody in the league has a superior team right now."

Added Jacksonville State coach Jack Crowe, "It looks like we've got a home team wins rule in the OVC. Somebody's got to do something about it."

Quarterbacks go down

In addition to Tennessee Tech quarterback Robert Craft going down against Tennessee-Martin, Murray State signal caller Stewart Childress reinjured his knee after leading a come-from-behind 23-17 overtime win over Jacksonville State.

Childress, who missed the previous week's loss to Tennessee Tech with what was diagnosed as a torn ACL, did not start against Jacksonville State. But with the Racers struggling, he entered the game in the second quarter. He directed a late 71-yard drive that ended with his 12-yard touchdown pass to Deandre Green with 24 seconds left in regulation to force overtime.

According to Murray State coach Joe Pannunzio, Childress reinjured the knee while celebrating -- although mildly -- and he is again questionable for this week's game at Samford.

"What a warrior he is," Pannunzio said. "He only jumped about four inches during the celebration, which shows you how hurt the knee was and how ready to give out it was."