BELLEVILLE - Overcoming adversity can define a football team. Belleville-Albany senior Nick Davis and coach Barry Lengfeld certainly fit the definition Friday night.
Davis rushed for 347 yards on 39 carries and scored three touchdowns while battling the flu to lead the Wildcats to a 21-14 win over Columbus.
"As a kid I used to think about rushing for 300 yards in a game when I got older," said Davis, who celebrated with teammates after the game with his knee wrapped after leaving the game as a precautionary measure. "My line made it happen. They were making holes as wide as the field."
Lengfeld was on the sideline coaching just one day after having surgery on a broken back he suffered in a motorcycle accident on his way to football practice Tuesday. Lengfeld suffered a crushed vertebrae and had surgery Thursday night.
"I was lucky it worked out the way it did," said Lengfeld, who alternately stood and sat in a cart during the game.
He didn't hesitate to be on the field Friday night.
"If they see their leader having what it takes to get here, it may inspire them," Lengfeld said. "Whatever it takes to win. I have a never-die attitude. To me it was a critical game."
The Wildcats overcame adversity late in the game, too, after Columbus pulled within 21-14 with 3:42 left when junior Ryan Dauman recovered his own punt block in the end zone.
The Cardinals got the ball with 2:07 left, but Wildcats senior Dylan Riley made his second interception with 49 seconds left
"I couldn't let him go deep," Riley said of the intended receiver. "I couldn't let him get inside of me and get beat on the post. I came in and wanted to do something for this team and that pick was really something."
He was part of defense that was opportunistic all night, forcing six turnovers - four interceptions and two fumbles. Belleville-Albany junior Alex Schauff also had two interceptions.
The Wildcats' defense set the tone on the first possession, forcing and recovering a Cardinal fumble. The big show of the night was Davis, who ripped off a 44-yard run on the first play after the turnover. Davis hammered in a 3-yard TD run to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.
"The defense is starting to play exactly the way the defense is designed," Lengfeld said. "They did an excellent job. They only gave up seven points the whole game. It's the first time we reached our goal. They were flying around and playing physical."
Columbus answered when quarterback Graham Fagerburg scrambled for 58 yards to set up his 2-yard TD run on the next play to tie the score at 7-7 at 9:04 in the first quarter.
The Wildcats had a 12-play, 52-yard drive stall in the second quarter when sophomore quarterback Collin Adams threw an interception on fourth-and-7 from the Cardinals' 15.
Schauff intercepted his first pass at the Wildcats' 2 to preserve a 7-7 halftime tie.
Belleville-Albany dominated the line of scrimmage and Davis broke the game open by scoring on 27-yard and 46-yard TD runs on the first two possessions of the third quarter to give the Wildcats a 21-7 lead.
Adams was 4-of-11 passing for 23 yards.
"It feels great," Davis said. "It's one thing to win on the road. You don't have as many fans. It's another to win at home and get everyone excited for the rest of the season."
Davis rushed for 347 yards on 39 carries and scored three touchdowns while battling the flu to lead the Wildcats to a 21-14 win over Columbus.
"As a kid I used to think about rushing for 300 yards in a game when I got older," said Davis, who celebrated with teammates after the game with his knee wrapped after leaving the game as a precautionary measure. "My line made it happen. They were making holes as wide as the field."
Lengfeld was on the sideline coaching just one day after having surgery on a broken back he suffered in a motorcycle accident on his way to football practice Tuesday. Lengfeld suffered a crushed vertebrae and had surgery Thursday night.
"I was lucky it worked out the way it did," said Lengfeld, who alternately stood and sat in a cart during the game.
He didn't hesitate to be on the field Friday night.
"If they see their leader having what it takes to get here, it may inspire them," Lengfeld said. "Whatever it takes to win. I have a never-die attitude. To me it was a critical game."
The Wildcats overcame adversity late in the game, too, after Columbus pulled within 21-14 with 3:42 left when junior Ryan Dauman recovered his own punt block in the end zone.
The Cardinals got the ball with 2:07 left, but Wildcats senior Dylan Riley made his second interception with 49 seconds left
"I couldn't let him go deep," Riley said of the intended receiver. "I couldn't let him get inside of me and get beat on the post. I came in and wanted to do something for this team and that pick was really something."
He was part of defense that was opportunistic all night, forcing six turnovers - four interceptions and two fumbles. Belleville-Albany junior Alex Schauff also had two interceptions.
The Wildcats' defense set the tone on the first possession, forcing and recovering a Cardinal fumble. The big show of the night was Davis, who ripped off a 44-yard run on the first play after the turnover. Davis hammered in a 3-yard TD run to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.
"The defense is starting to play exactly the way the defense is designed," Lengfeld said. "They did an excellent job. They only gave up seven points the whole game. It's the first time we reached our goal. They were flying around and playing physical."
Columbus answered when quarterback Graham Fagerburg scrambled for 58 yards to set up his 2-yard TD run on the next play to tie the score at 7-7 at 9:04 in the first quarter.
The Wildcats had a 12-play, 52-yard drive stall in the second quarter when sophomore quarterback Collin Adams threw an interception on fourth-and-7 from the Cardinals' 15.
Schauff intercepted his first pass at the Wildcats' 2 to preserve a 7-7 halftime tie.
Belleville-Albany dominated the line of scrimmage and Davis broke the game open by scoring on 27-yard and 46-yard TD runs on the first two possessions of the third quarter to give the Wildcats a 21-7 lead.
Adams was 4-of-11 passing for 23 yards.
"It feels great," Davis said. "It's one thing to win on the road. You don't have as many fans. It's another to win at home and get everyone excited for the rest of the season."
