WAUKESHA – Carroll University missed a tying field goal attempt in the final seconds and the Lakeland University football team came through late in its season opener again for a 27-24 win Saturday afternoon at Schneider Stadium.

Freshman Dezmon Eddie (Alexandria, La.) scored the go-ahead touchdown with just over a minute left in the game, capping a clutch drive led by Michael Whitley (Jr.-Visalia, La.) late. The Muskies defeated Carroll for the second time ever and for the second straight year, backing up their dramatic 34-33 overtime win over the Pioneers a year ago.

An evenly matched game went back and forth all day, with the teams swapping the lead six times and finishing almost even in most statistical categories. The Pioneers owned a slim 295-281 edge in total offense, though the Muskies held slight leads in first downs (19 to 17) and time of possession (31:46 to 28:14).

The difference in the game wound up being turnovers, as well as late-game execution. Carroll finished with five turnovers to Lakeland's one, including four fumbles. One of those came deep in Muskies' territory late in the fourth quarter, and it wound up setting the stage for the game-winning drive.

The Pioneers had driven 70 yards to the Lakeland 9-yard line and had 1st-and-goal when the Muskies recovered a fumbled snap to stay alive. Taking over at their own 13 with 3:49 to play, Lakeland calmly but quickly made its way down the field.

The Muskies mixed the pass and the run, and also gained 30 yards on consecutive 15-yard pass interference penalties against Carroll. Whitley completed two passes for 26 yards and also rushed twice for 26 yards, including a 20-yard run to get deep into Pioneer territory, and Eddie capped the drive with a seven-yard scamper to put Lakeland back ahead.

Carroll was not finished, and the Pioneers used a good kickoff return by Parker Zitzke to take over at their own 43 with 59 seconds left. Kyle Burlingame then completed three straight passes to move Carroll down to the Muskies' 19, but freshman Sam Bartlett (Racine, Wis.) came up with a big six-yard sack to back up the hosts a bit more.

An incomplete pass left the Pioneers' Taylor Plehn with a 42-yard field goal to tie the game. Plehn had earlier hit from 33 yards, but this time his kick was wide left, giving Lakeland its second straight comeback win over Carroll after rallying late in regulation to tie a year ago before winning in overtime.

The Muskies scored first in the game but trailed at the end of each quarter, despite the teams trading scores almost all afternoon. Lakeland took advantage of a muffed punt to get on the board first as Whitley carried it in from five yards out for a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.

Carroll came back with a Plehn field goal and a touchdown pass from Burlingame to Zitzke, but Whitley put the Muskies back ahead when he hit Jody Harrison (Jr.-Pontiac, Mich.) for a six-yard score to make it 13-10. Carroll returned the favor with a 34-yard pass from Burlingame to Brandon Ehrke and led 17-13 at the break.

Lakeland regained the lead in the third quarter as Kevyn Lewis (Sr.-Inkster, Mich.) continued a terrific game on defense by forcing a fumble that was recovered by Mario Rafe (So.-Bourbonnais, Ill.). The Muskies needed just four plays to go 37 yards, with Whitley finding Dezmen Morse (Jr.-Baraboo, Wis.) for a 15-yard touchdown.

Whitley completed 21 of 34 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns, with Morse catching nine of his passes for 109 yards. Harrison also added six catches for 44 yards. Eldrada Meeks (So.-Southfield, Mich.) rushed 15 times for 55 yards, and Eddie added nine rushes for 43 yards.

Lewis finished with eight tackles, including four tackles for loss for 11 yards, a total that included one sack. Diante Moses (So.-Houston, Texas) and Airiss Hargrow (Sr.-Flint, Mich.) also added eight tackles each, and Hargrow notched 2.5 tackles for loss plus one pass breakup.

The Muskies are idle next week and will next face Albion (Mich.) College in its home opener on Sept. 17. Game time at Taylor Field will be 1 p.m.


Muskies by the numbers;
2 - Consecutive years Lakeland has won at Carroll to open the season
5 - Carroll University turnovers recovered by Muskies
9 - Career high in receptions for Dezmen Morse on Saturday
13 - Tackles for loss in the game by the Lakeland defense
14:04 - Combined time the Muskies held the lead in wins over Carroll last year and this year
23.1 - Carroll's third down conversion percentage (3 of 13)
98 - Combined rushing yards by Eldrada Meeks and Dezmon Eddie, who kept the Pioneers honest on 24 carries
295 - Yards allowed by the Lakeland defense, which was lower than opponents totaled in all but two games a year ago