Sports

Just short

• Mistakes catch up to the Wildcats in their home opener as missed opportunities leave them with a loss to the Fire.

Paul Dehner Jr.

ALBANY — A mix of screams, amazement and all-out showmanship filled the Civic Center.

An electrified crowd peaked on during the home opener as South Georgia receiver P.J. Berry leapt into the arms of fans after catching what appeared to be a remarkable touchdown in the final minute of their home opener on Saturday against the Louisville Fire.

But before Berry could be hurled by his rabid fans back to the playing field, the party halted.

A single yellow flag for holding represented the final defining mistake in a night full of them for the Wildcats and negated the game-tying score to allow the Fire to hold on for a 50-43 win.

“It seemed like when we had the momentum we did something to stop that ourselves,” South Georgia coach Derek Stingley said. “I am not taking anything from Louisville, they capitalized on our mistakes, but we kept making mistakes.”

Three interceptions, 10 penalties and two fumbles were the numbers that added up to a 1-1 season start for the Wildcats.

While a miracle play masked the miscues last week against Tennessee Valley, there was no hiding a young team experiencing speed bumps on a road to learning its style.

The jolt jarred quarterback Cecil Lester moments after his first loss as a starting quarterback.

Lester finished 21-of-33 with 283 yards and six touchdowns. But his three interceptions — one returned for a touchdown — and one fumbled snap on the Wildcats’ final offensive play hung with a disappointing silence inside his locker after the game.

“We lost,” he said in a quiet admission of reality. “That’s it. Not much more to say. I didn’t play well. That’s what happens when the leader of your team doesn’t play well.”

Last week’s af2 Offensive Player of the Week, Lester showed his ability in spurts. He picked up where he left off last week with receiver P.J. Berry.

After catching eight balls for 154 yards and three scores, Berry and Lester connected eight more times for 140 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday.

But Lester forced passes and threw interceptions in three of four possessions as the Wildcats fell behind, 30-23, early in the fourth.

Wildcats defensive back Pierre Lee kept them close with two interceptions, but South Georgia never held the lead again.

Lester recovered in throwing perfectly executed touchdown passes to Antwone Savage, the Westover High graduate who made a triumphant return home with seven catches for 94 yards and three scores.

The final TD pass to Savage, a hitch the receiver accepted before juking two defenders and slipping into the end zone, tied South Georgia and Louisville at 43-43 with 46 seconds remaining.

It seemed the Wildcats were again about to salvage a sloppy effort in the final minutes But Scott Hode’s kick off flew off target, allowing a short field. On the

first play from scrimmage Louisville QB Matt Bassuener, who was 25-of-37 with two touchdowns passing and four more on the ground, hit 6-foot-6 wideout Lonnell Dewalt for a 30-yard slant for the game-winning touchdown.

South Georgia was playing an aggressive defense in hopes of either making an interception or letting Louisville (2-0) score to leave time on the clock to retaliate.

That left 40 seconds for South Georgia to score — an amount of time that served as a microcosm in a game of mistakes.

Lester broke away for a long run after throwing two incompletions, but it was called back for a hold.

He then dropped back in his end zone and hurled a deep pass to Berry for a score. Berry dove, caught the ball and slammed into the wall.

As the team celebrated, the referee signaled holding.

Lester would go on to throw a pass away and eventually fumble the snap on a final play attempt.

A fitting end.

“It’s a hard pill to swallow with this one,” Lee said. “We let this one get away.”

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