Scott Shields, Weber State's second team All-American kicker, couldn't have picked a more dramatic way to redeem himself Saturday night at Wildcat Stadium.
With one less-than-impressive kick, the sophomore quickly transformed himself from the game's goat into the hero by barely making a 38-yard field goal with 15 seconds left in the game to hand WSU an exciting 22-20 victory over Big Sky foe Eastern Washington.Though the field goal was well within Shields' range, it took an adventurous journey off of a defender's hand then onto the cross-bar before finally bobbling through the posts to give Weber the victory in their first season-opening league game since 1981.
"There's a lot more pressure on you, but that's more exciting when you know it's up to you," said Shields. "It's the greatest feeling in the world when you make it."
It more than made up for the sophomore's pooched extra-point attempt that would have tied the game at 20-all early in the fourth quarter.
"I was thinking more that it was to win the game, not that I missed my last PAT," said Shields, who's also Weber's starting free safety.
The heroic kick capped off an excellent game - aside from the missed PAT - for Shields. He accounted for 10 of Weber's points, including three field goals. He also had an interception to stop an EWU drive in Weber territory in the first half.
"I like that, too," mused Shields about the interception.
Perhaps the best thing about the game for Weber State is that they left themselves plenty of room for improvement - and got the win.
Senior quarterback Roger Cook, who played well in four starts last season, had a shaky outing. He and Weber's offense was especially ineffective in the red zone where they had to settle for the three field goals as well as blowing a scoring opportunity by throwing an interception on the 7-yard line. And that against an EWU team that was 3-8 last year and picked to finish sixth in the Big Sky by the coaches.
"Our offense was rolling, but we couldn't get the ball in the end zone," said Cook, who completed 23-of-37 passes for 295 yards with two interceptions and a touchdown.
The Wildcats defense, which was supposed to be much improved over last year's second-to-the-bottom squad in the Big Sky, got off to a horrible start. The Eagles marched down the field 64 yards on 10 plays for a touchdown - a 1-yard run by running back Joe Sewell - on their first possession.
Shields then made a pair of field goals to trim the lead to 7-6 early in the second quarter. The Eagles ended the first-half scoring with a 30-yard FG with just under three minutes to play.
Weber took its first lead midway through the third quarter when an illegal punt by EWU's Tom Zurfluh, who tried kicking the ball on the ground after he dropped it, gave the 'Cats the ball on the Eagles' 39. Cook connected with tight end Cam Quayle, who popped the ball up in the air with one hand then pulled it back in, for a 34-yard touchdown pass. That gave WSU a 13-10 lead, but only momentarily.
EWU bounced right back with a touchdown of its own, set up by a 24-yard halfback pass from Sewell to Steve Correa. EWU quarterback Harry Leons found Steve Mattson open for a five-yard TD toss to take a 20-13 lead.
Cook and freshman receiver Richard Clarke put the 'Cats in scoring position early in the fourth quarter by combining for a 50-yard pass play that put WSU on the 6. Running back Clemente Sainten rushed six yards for the TD, then Shields missed the PAT.
Weber got the ball on its own 20 with 6:42 to play, trailing by one, and drove down to the 21 where Shields made his final kick.