Nov. 12, 2005

Final Stats

Chris Thomas ran for 106 yards and the game's winning touchdown as McNeese State turned back Northwestern State 22-17 in Southland Conference action here Saturday afternoon.

The Cowboy junior, who has become McNeese's 23rd leading all-time rusher, came off the bench to chalk up his first 100 yard game this season. He turned the trick on 26 carries.

The victory cinched a winning season for the Cowboys who are now 5-3 with only a game with Nicholls State remaining on their schedule. They are also now 3-2 in league play while Northwestern fell to 4-5 and to 2-3.

The Cowboys also got three field goals from freshman place kicker Blake Bercegeay and a touchdown from Quinten Lawrence on a 56 yard pass completion from Mark Fontenot.

McNeese totaled 350 yards to the Demons' 227 as Fontenot completed five of 11 passes for 125 yards.

The Cowboys led from the outset and for most of the game. After McNeese had taken a 16-11 lead the Demons got a five yard pass td from Ricky Joe Meeks to A. J. Franklin early in the fourth period to take a 17-16 lead but the Cowboys came back with the game winner with 5:30 left.

A short punt had set the Cowboys up on the 50 yard line. Fontenot went to Lawrence for 11 yards and then Thomas took over, going 14, nine and finally 16 yards for the game winner.

It was Bercegeay's field goals that had put the Cowboys into the lead early. He booted a 25 yarder with 10:39 to go in the first period and added a 26 yarder at the 5:15 mark. He also went on to add a 22 yarder with 8:32 left in the third quarter and he had a 40 yard shot blocked in the fourth period, snapping a consecutive string of field goals made at seven.

The Fontenot to Lawrence td pass came with 9:30 left in the second quarter.

Northwestern got its first score on a team safety early in the second period when a Jason Cook punt was blocked and knocked out of the end zone by the Demons. Franklin also had a three yard scoring run midway the second period and Marshal Burton booted a 26 yard field goal.

Franklin led the Demons in rushing with 66 yards while Meeks, who was starting in place of the injured Davon Vinson, completed 18 of 31 passes for 173 yards.

Lawrence had one of his top games catching footballs for the Cowboys as he had three catches for 94 yards and the score.

Among the team's defensive leaders were Jamelle Juneau, Allen Nelson and Trey Bennett, all with six tackles and Juneau with three tackles for losses.

The Cowboys will close out their regular season next Saturday at Thibodaux against Nicholls State. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m.