Lakeland Mirror

Issue date: 11/2/06 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Josh Kummerow Craig Van Deera goes up for the interception against Concordia University of Wisconsin's Jon Collier.

Media Credit: Josh Kummerow MacArthur White tries to break a tackle.

Media Credit: Josh Kummerow John Wagner and Brent Miller attempt to tackle Concordia's Tim Maher.

After defeating the Muskies in the Cheesebowl game, undefeated Concordia University of Wisconsin defeated Greenville to clinch a playoff berth for the Falcons on Saturday, Oct. 28. Lakeland's hopes had rested on Concordia losing to its next two opponents, dropping them out of first place.

Now the sole goal that the Muskies can hope for is that Concordia loses their next game against Benedictine and Lakeland wins against Aurora giving Lakeland a share of the conference title.

"(Concordia) almost lost in overtime," said Head Coach Jim Zebrowski. "It gives us a good feeling that Benedictine is going to give them a good game as well. Even though we will not be able to make the playoffs, the potential for a conference championship is still intact.

"That still gives us something to play for," said Zebrowski. "Nothing is clinched until it is clinched. The big thing is still to take care of business against Aurora.

"We want to finish 6-1 in the league and secure at worst, second place by ourselves," Zebrowski added. "We still think the two best teams in the league are Concordia and us, and we want to make sure that's how it falls."

With the choices at halfback running very thin, the Muskies turned to two freshmen to support the running game, Dominique Collins and Antonio Humphrey. Collins did not practice last week due to an ankle sprain and Humphrey was chosen as the starter.

Humphrey put up a decent performance for his first collegiate start last Saturday, racking up 62 yards on 12 carries and one touchdown. Collins also saw time at halfback despite his questionable status, he got six carries for 39 yards.

"Antonio (Humphrey) played pretty well," said Zebrowski. "We were worried a little bit that he is a smaller kid and a freshman. Dominique (Collins) also played pretty well with his six carries."

Also playing a role in the rushing game for the Muskies was Jacob Heinemeyer, Lakeland's freshman backup quarterback.

Heinemeyer has played a very diverse role for the Muskies this year. He has split time at quarterback with starter Brad Wilk, returned punts, and has now played out of the backfield. Heinemeyer had twelve carries for 47 yards against Concordia University of Chicago last Saturday.

"He's our backup quarterback, but he is just really fast," said Zebrowski. "He played pretty well, he fumbled once which you don't want, but generally he played very well. He is one of those 'Slash' (Kordell Stewart) type players. You can put him at quarterback; wide receiver; and like last Saturday, at runningback. He is such a good athlete that you need to give him some touches."

Injuries have severely plagued the Muskies this year with now eight season-ending injuries. Of these eight injuries, both of the Muskies' primary halfbacks, Brandon Erdman and Shawn Lee have gone down. With Collins's minor injury the Muskies were going very deep in their depth chart to find someone to run the ball.

"It has just been one of those years," said Zebrowski. "You cannot really attribute it to anything. The past few years we have had maybe one season-ending injury the whole year, so maybe it is just the football gods catching up to us."

"I would be more concerned if it was contact injuries, like two kids plowing into each other and one of them goes down, but it's not like that," said Zebrowski. "This year it has been more like tripping in practice or making a cut."

With all of the injuries to the running game, Humphrey, Collins, and Heinemeyer are still slated to run the ball next weekend against Aurora, all of them freshman.

"(Humphrey) has been playing well; (Collins) has been playing well; and Heinemeyer, is doing well running the ball," said Zebrowski. "You got the three freshmen who are all doing very well."

The Muskies' next and final game of the year will be against the Aurora University Spartans in Aurora, IL, this Saturday at 12 p.m.

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