“Just do our jobs,” is what fifth year senior captain and outside linebacker Andrew Belken said the defense was thinking in overtime, with a chance to win Saturday’s contest over No. 13 North Central College.

Following junior quarterback Tom Kelly’s one yard plunge to take the overtime lead, 35-28, the defense had the responsibility of holding the No. 13 Cardinals under 25 yards and a score to send the game to another overtime.

“We knew that we could hold them,” Belken said. “We knew that if we fit our gaps and read our assignments, we would be alright.”

Four plays and only two yards later, the previously No. 22 ranked Pioneers of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville defeated the Cardinals of North Central College 35-28 on Saturday after trailing 28-7 with 10 minutes left in the fourth quarter.

This marks the Pioneers’ third consecutive win and places them up five spots in the latest NCAA Division III coach’s poll to a current ranking of No. 17, while the Cardinal dropped to No. 22.

The development of the non-conference rivalry between these two institutions began in 2012 when the Cardinals stifled the Pioneers’ hopes of a national championship with a 52-24 victory in the second round of the playoffs. It continued last year as the Cardinals handed the Pioneers their first loss of the season with a 28-7 win at North Central.

Fortunately for the Pioneers, the third time was a charm.

The Pioneers trailed at halftime, 21-7, and following a scoreless third quarter, they outscored the Cardinals 21-7 in the fourth.

“It was an awesome team victory,” head coach Mike Emendorfer said. “It was just a great game, beating North Central or beating anyone in the way that we did it.”

Beginning the game at their own 35-yard line, the Cardinals went 65 yards in two plays to stun the Pioneer defense and take an early 7-0 lead.

At the beginning of the second quarter, the Pioneer offense gained momentum through the arm of Kelly as he orchestrated a 13-play, 90-yard drive ending with a toss to junior receiver Dan Arnold for the score, 7-7.

Kelly finished his second collegiate start with 315 passing yards, throwing 30-56 with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

About halfway through the second quarter, the Cardinals capped off their 41-yard drive with another rushing touchdown, 14-7, and with four minutes left in the half the Cardinals tacked on another score, 21-7.

Following a scoreless third quarter, the Cardinals were able to bust out another big play with a 46-yard scamper to go up three scores, 28-7, with 14:11 remaining in the game.

Andrew Belken said that at halftime and at the end of the third quarter the coach, as well as the team, had complete confidence in the quality of their play and their ability to win the game.

Written by: Jeremy Williamson – [email protected] – ‘Like’ us on Facebook UWPExponent – Follow us on twitter @uwpexponent