Late TD thwarts Baker’s hopes

? There is one way to score five points in football: a safety and a field goal.

In a little more than 57 minutes of a defensive struggle on Saturday, Baker University and Central Methodist College combined for the rare number at Liston Stadium.

But a late touchdown by Central Methodist meant Baker has lost five straight, losing 10-3 and dropping to 3-7 on the season – guaranteeing Wildcats’ coach John Frangoulis his worst record in seven years at BU.

“We’ve been there in most every ballgame, but for whatever reason we’re getting beat,” said Frangoulis, whose worst record was a 5-6 mark last year following five seasons of .500-or-better ball.

Despite allowing the wide-open touchdown pass with 2:46 left, the Wildcats were in position to tie or win the game when they stopped the Eagles on fourth and one with :47 seconds left.

But as was the case all day, Baker’s offense – especially its passing game – couldn’t move the football.

After a penalty gave Baker the ball at midfield, quarterback Martin Updike threw four incomplete passes to end the Wildcat comeback bid.

“He wasn’t as sharp as he was the previous four games,” Frangoulis said of Updike, who completed 15 of 37 passes for only 98 yards. “But a lot of that was their pressure.”

Neither the Eagles nor the Wildcats recorded a single sack, yet Saturday’s game was dominated by defense.

The Eagles got on the board first, scoring on a second-quarter safety. With Baker deep in its own territory, a gang of Central Methodist tacklers stopped Wildcat running back Justin Cobb for a four-yard loss into the end zone.

Wildcat kicker Nate Tubach failed to hit a 42-yard field goal in the opening minutes of the third, but responded with a 26-yarder in the final minutes of the quarter.

The soccer-style score remained until Eagle quarterback Jeff Abbott – who tossed for 237 total yards – connected on eight of nine passes on a 10-play drive.

His last was the easiest, finding a wide-open Micah Hefner in the end zone.

“We were in man coverage there to try and get pressure on their quarterback with some blitzes and he ran a wheel route and got behind our backs and it was an easy hit,” Frangoulis said.

But not for Baker, which is in danger of its worst record in three decades. The Wildcats wrap up their season next Saturday at Benedictine in Atchison.

“It’s not that we’re not lining up and out of the game at halftime. We’ve been in all of them starting with Evangel,” Frangoulis said.

Central Methodist 10, Baker 3

Central Methodist (5-5, 4-5) 0 2 0 8 – 10

Baker (3-7, 3-6) 0 0 3 0 – 3

Second quarter

CM – Team Safety (6:25)

Third quarter

B – Nate Tubach 26 field goal (3:53)

Fourth quarter

CM – Micah Hefner 26 pass from Jeff Abbott (BJ Philips pass from Anthony Morris) 2:46