N 4B • Concordia Sentinel • August 15, 2018 www.concordiasentinel.com Daye Continued from 1B Tech hoops shining one knows it's a building doing a lot of first-time things better, not an attack. If I'm not coach at Nicholls State and Mis- at Costa Rica trip process," Daye said. "Last year here, and it's still happening. And talking to them, then they know souri Southern. was the first time for us to win a the kids have a better relationship it's not a good thing." “It was different not having Toughness was the theme of so much more physical and home game and them we beat with me. They know where I Last season marked the first those responsibilities,” Daye said. the 10 practices leading up the downright tougher. I thought that Samford, which was the first time come from and understand when time Daye served as a position “But I was able to coach my guys foreign tour trip. was the difference in the game." we beat a ranked team. "We're I correct them it's to make them coach, including stints as head and it was a lot of fun.” Louisiana Tech was instantly The first 20 minutes was not tested with its toughness against pretty for the Bulldogs. They Rebowe a strong Costa Rica National shot just 32 percent from the field Continued from 1B Team and they responded, espe- through the first two quarters, cially in crunch time as the Bull- giving Costa Rica an opportunity were ranked in both final FCS polls. football. Lamar. dogs used a big fourth quarter to to have a 45-37 halftime edge. Nicholls had lost 18 straight games before Nicholls graduated only 16 seniors from the That Sam Houston State game, the home take the victory, 90-80, late Sun- That lead capped at 52-39 with Rebowe's arrival in 2015. 2017 FCS playoff team, which was ranked as opener for the Colonels, should attract a day night at BN Arena. 8:07 remaining in the third quar- He has built the foundation of the program high as No. 17. All 10 All-Southland honorees record crowd at John L. Guidry Stadium. Down by as much as 13 in the ter, forcing coach Konkol to call by recruiting locally. Rebowe and his staff were juniors and sophomores. Heck, they may have more people surround- game, LA Tech crawled to within a timeout. have signed 68 Louisiana natives out of 74 re- Fourcade and center Ryan Hanley anchor ing the field than what you usually have dur- six at the end of the third quarter. LA Tech thought it was going cruits, including all 10 in the recent signing the offense, while linebacker Hezekiah White ing the Manning camp. Then a switch flipped and the to go into the fourth quarter down period. (he has to be on the All-Name team), is the There is no Central Arkansas on the sched- 'Dogs held the opponent scoreless just four, but a foul called on jun- With the majority of the student-athletes top guy on defense. ule. for over six minutes of action into ior guard DaQuan Bracey gave hailing from the river parishes, New Orleans And there is no Georgia on the schedule. It could be an historic year for Nicholls the fourth while going on a 19-0 the visitors two made free throws and Baton Rouge areas, Nicholls had the most Nicholls opens at Kansas, Tulane and Mc- State. And if some bigger schools are smart, run, taking a double-digit lead to up their lead to six. Louisiana players on its roster in Division I Neese, before hosting Sam Houston State and the final year for Tim Rebowe. and maintaining it for the win. Coming out of the fourth quar- "We talked about being tougher ter, the 'Dogs were able to get a together really all spring and corner three from junior guard summer," head coach Eric Ra'Shawn Langston on the team's Demons pass-happy in contest Konkol said. "I thought that we second possession to make it a were really reactive early on to one-possession game. That was For all of the 468 passing yards close to the end of the scrim- Sophomore Kaleb Fletcher Along with his two 41-yarders, the physicality of the game. Then followed up by an old-fashioned the Northwestern State football mage. It capped a 10-play drive went 8 for 12 with 111 passing Fendrick nailed a 33-yard field I thought we really adjusted, es- three-point play by Bracey to tie team piled up Saturday morning beginning with 1:39 left, with the yards, including a 35-yard strike goal and was perfect on his five pecially coming out of the half, to the game up at 66-66. in its first preseason game, new offense starting at its own 32 to sophomore Gavin Landry, who extra point kicks. being much more proactive and The run continued. head coach Brad Laird was most trailing by two points. led all receivers by snaring seven Junior safety Hayden Bour- proud of just seven. “At the end, we’re in a two- passes for 122 yards. geois led the defense with five Four quarterbacks and 15 re- minute situation, needing a field Eppler led three scoring drives, tackles and a pass breakup, while SLU defense improving ceivers combined for 36 comple- goal to win it, and have the ball Holgerson and Fletcher two true freshman safety Keenan What a difference a year makes year of Southland Conference ex- tions in 51 attempts with no with 12 seconds left, looking at apiece, and Howell threw a per- Leachman had four stops and a for the Southeastern Louisiana perience under the belts, senior interceptions as NSU scored five close to a 50-yard field goal. We fectly-placed 25-yarder down the breakup. Redshirt freshman line- football team’s defensive line Imani Mitchell, as well as soph- touchdowns and was perfect on ran one more play, got seven sideline to Gabe Ernest in a TD backer Landon King made three corps. omores Noah Vance, Tainano three field goals in the 90-minute more yards with the quarterback hookup between two true fresh- stops with two for lost yards. At the opening of last fall’s Gailua and Feletoa Ailua, will intrasquad competition at Turpin realizing where to go and the re- men. Sophomore Kenny Sears sat True freshman linebacker Jomard camp, SLU defensive line coach have a chance to make a bigger Stadium. ceiver knowing he had to get out out the competition with a Valsin collected a pair of sacks Brandon Lacy was working with impact in 2018. “We were productive in the of bounds,” said Laird. “Because bruised shoulder. while sophomore linebacker Cor- a young group that had played in “We’re more comfortable and things we wanted to get accom- we played situational football, we Bourque caught five passes for ban James blocked a punt. a combined 15 games in a Lion have a better understanding of plished,” said Laird. “It was a kicked a 41-yard field goal to 52 yards, while transfers Quan “Early in the move the ball seg- uniform. Entering his 10th season our expectations this fall,” Lacy good first scrimmage. We’re not win.” Shorts (4-75) and Jazz Ferguson ment, the defense did a good job in Hammond, Lacy, who also commented. “ where we want to be, but we are Seniors Clay Holgorsen and (4-68) were also particularly pro- of getting off the field,” said serves as assistant head coach While he’s seen progress with closer. Bryson Bourque connected on ductive. Laird. “They competed hard. and run game coordinator, has a his group over the past year, Lacy “Offensively, we protected the the seven-yard sideline pattern The morning’s first score, a 1- Nine of 18 possessions they 2018 group featuring seven re- still wants his veteran defensive football and had no turnovers. We that set up the field goal. Hol- yard Da’Von Smith run, traced to forced a punt. We had a lot of turning letter winners. line to raise the bar even higher. made good decisions at quarter- gorsen finished 15 of 20 for 142 a 58-yard Eppler-Shorts connec- positives.” Junior Fred Brown (23 tackles, “We’ve done a good job of back and played smart football on yards, while his chief competitor tion. Eppler later scampered Classes begin Monday, Aug. 2.5 TFL), sophomore Ronald competing on a day-to-day basis both sides.” for the starting quarterback’s job, across from seven yards, but was 20, when NSU’s attention will Cherry III (22 tackles, 2.0 TFL) for the most part,” Lacy said. The last of three Austyn junior Shelton Eppler, went 11 of snagged for a safety by defensive begin to fall on its first opponent, and senior Jon Miller (14 tackles, “We’re going to have to consis- Fendrick field goals, and the sec- 17 for 185, including a 7-yard tackle Damian Thompson in a Texas A&M, which hosts the 0.5 TFL) are the most productive tently perform for a whole prac- ond 41-yarder he nailed, came touchdown to Stadford Anderson. “coming out” drill from the two. Demons Aug. 30. returners for the Lions. 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