Records fall, Vikings too

There is no way that any Viking fan that entered PGE Park last Saturday afternoon could have anticipated the epic barnburner that would take place.

Portland State and Weber State combined for 141 points, 1,189 yards of total offense and 57 first downs. There were so many points scored that celebratory pushups following touchdowns had to be divided up between seven cheerleaders, which is typically the job for one.

The Vikings and Wildcats put on one of the greatest offensive displays the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision has ever seen. Despite the fireworks, the Vikings left without a victory, falling 73-68 in the highest scoring game in NCAA history.

In his collegiate debut, freshman quarterback Drew Hubel threw a record nine touchdown passes, shattering the previous Portland State all-time high of seven and tying the FCS mark. The true freshman tossed for 485 yards through the air on 56 pass attempts.

“It’s exciting,” Hubel said. “But the record is 0-1. Everyone wants to win-you don’t play to lose. So it’s exciting to do that but it’s sweet and sour at the same time.”

Senior wide receivers Tremayne Kirkland and David Lewis each caught four touchdown passes and fellow senior Kenneth Mackins snagged one on the day. Kirkland had the most receptions, securing 13 balls for 177 yards.

“One day we are all going to play good on the same day. When the defense plays good and the offense plays like that, we’ll have a lot of fun,” said head coach Jerry Glanville.

In the first half, the game went back and forth with the Vikings jumping out to a 7-3 first-quarter lead and Weber State reeling off 21 unanswered second-quarter points to finish the first 30 minutes with 38-27 lead.

At the tail end of the second quarter, sophomore cornerback Stanley Jackson broke up a pass play intended for a Wildcat receiver. As the corner ran off the field, he waved his arms to motion incomplete pass. Stanley was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, which spurred a tirade from Glanville, who yelled at any official in his immediate vicinity for nearly five minutes.

Glanville was penalized for his verbal outburst and he was nearly ejected for his antics.

“It was the first time we stopped them. I’m glad the team showed emotion that we stopped them,” Glanville said. “I did not know that waving incomplete three times was a penalty, so it’s my error. I honestly did not know that was a violation and I know the rules better then most.”

Portland State emerged from the locker room after halftime determined to take control, blasting out of the gates with 14 unanswered points of its own to snatch a slim 41-38 lead. A key play in this third-quarter surge was sophomore wide receiver Mario D’Ambrosio’s 65-yard kick return, which set up a 22-yard toss from Hubel to Lewis.

The Vikings tacked on a couple touchdowns, though Weber State proved too much to tame. By the end of the third quarter, the Wildcats were able to stagnate Portland State’s offense long enough to compile an 11-point lead, making the score 59-48.

In the fourth quarter, the Vikings attempted to stay afloat, scoring one 15-yard touchdown on a Lewis reception and an 84-yard fumble return by junior inside linebacker Andy Shantz, bringing the score to 73-68. Following Shantz’s touchdown, there were 31 ticks remaining on the clock, and just enough time to attempt an onside kick.

Junior kicker Chris Chalmers lined up for the kick and smacked the ball into the ground, but it traveled a bit too far and Weber State recovered to seal the victory.

“I would of never thought we would be 2-6 especially after coming off of last year almost making the playoffs with the talent we had coming back this year,” Kirkland said. “Its disrespectful to our coaching staff and ourselves.”