SAN DIEGO – San Diego edged the Drake University football team, 13-10, Saturday afternoon in Pioneer Football League action at Torero Stadium.
San Diego (3-4, 3-1 PFL) scored 13 second-half points against Drake (2-5, 1-3 PFL), which led 3-0 at halftime. The Toreros have won nine-straight games in the longtime series.
In the first half both offenses struggled moving the football, but the Bulldogs capitalized on a bad Toreros’ punt early in the first quarter. Set up with good field position after the short punt the Bulldogs moved 19 yards in five plays and sophomore kicker Shane Dunning booted a 38-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.
Out of halftime, Drake received the kickoff and quickly got into San Diego’s territory. However, after the offense stalled out, Dunning’s 49-yard field goal try was no good as the score stayed 3-0.
San Diego evened the score at 3-3 with it owns field goal after Dunning’s miss. But Drake quickly answered on its next drive that started with a 49-yard reception from sophomore quarterback Sean Cooney to freshman running back Dorian Boyland. Two plays later, junior running back Caden Meis sprinted into the end zone from 22 yards out to put Drake back ahead as Dunning’s extra point made it 10-3.
San Diego countered with its own long drive as the Toreros went 94 yards in just under five minutes. A 10-yard touchdown pass from Randall to Gadinis tied the game at 10-10. The Toreros tallied the deciding points with 9:50 left in the game with Eickert’s 44-yard field goal.
Drake had one final chance with 1:08 left and the football at its own 36-yard line. Cooney hit senior tight end Matt Hartlieb for a 12-yard gain and a first down at the 48. However, back-to-back sacks pushed Drake back and after an incomplete pass, Cooney’s pass was intercepted at midfield to seal the Toreros’ win.
Cooney, who made his first career start and is the fourth Bulldog quarterback to start a game this season, finished 6-of-13 for 101 yards and one interception. In his first start, Boyland racked up a career-high 67 yards on the ground and set a career mark with 55 receiving yards on just two catches. Meis had 58 rushing yards and his touchdown was the second of the year.
Defensively, Alex Rogers had a game-high seven tackles, including five solo and two tackles for loss.
Drake returns home Oct. 23 to host Stetson for a noon contest.
