Offense dazzles in first half, can't hold on for win
Luke Pattarozzi, SID Assistant

It was a tale of two halves at J. Leslie Rollins Stadium in Storm Lake. Loras owned the first half and Buena Vista owned the second. The latter determining the 30-24 outcome in favor of the Beavers.

With his season and tenure as Loras' quarterback, Matt McLaughlin turned in the best performance of his career by far.

The senior connected with seven differnt receivers en route to completing 23-of-32 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns.

"We felt pretty good about what BV was going to do against us so it was just a matter of throwing and catching the ball," McLaughlin said. "Our receivers ran great routes and made plays when they caught the ball which makes it easy for me as a quarterback."

The catch, the absence of linebacker Brock Hall who is out for the season with a broken hand.

However, all the blame can't rest on the shoulders of the defense. Buena Vista's four-year starting quarterback, Chris Hawkins, threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns becomeing the school record holoder for career passing yards.

The IIAC Player of the Week added the go-ahead score with :46 seconds remaining in the game, but not with his arm. Hawkins' 1-yard run into the end zone, which completed the comeback and dug the Beavers out of the IIAC basement, was one of two rushing touchdowns he had on the day as well.

With 1:53 remaining in the first quarter and trailing 3-0, McLaughlin looked over the middle and found Alex McGrew in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown pass. The score capped a nine play, 71-yard drive and gave the Duhawks a 7-3 lead.

Loras (2-6, 1-5 IIAC) didn't wait as long to score again. From their own 33-yard line, McLaughlin found a streaking Joe Mau for a 67-yard touchdown pass. It was the sophomore's only catch on the afternoon.

After adding a field goal with second to play in the first half, it was the Duhawks' offense that carried them to a 17-3 halftime lead.

The Beavers (3-4, 2-2 IIAC) had the ball to start the second half, but a fumble recovery by Loras' Zach Wilker gave the Duhawks the ball with just 20 yards to score.

On third-and-11, McLaughlin threw one to the end zone. After it was tipped and went through the hands of a BV defender, it fell right into the arms of Michael Hachey for a 21-yard touchdown. That made the score 24-3 with 13:53 left in the third.

Things were looking good for the Duhawks as they tried to end their four game losing streak, but then Hawkins took over and eventually tied the game at 24-24 late in the fourth.

In the second half, Loras' punter, Tyler Bruening, was forced to punt five times as the Beaver defense started to make stops.

"The play calling in the second half was just as aggressive as the first," McLaughlin said. "There were multiple times in the second half where we had fourth-and-one [and forced to punt]. To have that situation is on us as players to make the effort and know where the chains are to get that one more yard."

Nearing three minutes left in the game, Loras drove to the BV 5-yard line with a chance to score. On third-and-one, McGrew took the pitch to the outside.

As he reached for the first down the ball came loose and BV recovered. It looked as if McGrew's knee had touched before the ball hit the turf. Nevertheless, a scoring opportunity goes the spoil for the Duhawks.

From ther, Hawkins led the Beavers to a 14 play, 95-yard drive resulting in the go-ahead touchdown with just :46 seconds remaining. Loras needed a miracle, but would fall short as they went four-and-out.

They now bear a five game losing streak, four of which by six points or less.