By Cassie Kickert
Saturday’s game was a unique experience in recent memory for
the Pioneers.
It was actually a game. A great one.
The Lake Superior Rage came into the contest undefeated at 3-0
and, historically, close games are common when these two teams face each other -- they just didn't play last year, when the Pioneers rolled to a 12-0 record and a National Championship.
The last time the two teams met, in week
8 of the 2011 season, the Pioneers beat the Rage 9-6 on three Jay Harding field
goals in Superior, Wisconsin.
So, Saturday’s game at Sea Foam Stadium at Concordia
University in St. Paul was no exception. In fact, no one scored until the
beginning of the second quarter, when St. Paul quarterback Cleveland McCoy
threw to Delane Woods, who was eagerly waiting in the end zone and jumped up
and grabbed the ball for a 6-0 lead.
With that scoring toss, the Pioneers found out again that
they have found a special talent in McCoy.
Throughout the game Saturday, he
continued to showcase his athletic abilities. He led the Pioneers in passing
and rushing yards, with 181 and 78 yards, respectively. McCoy has been great
everywhere he’s been. In 2007, in only 11 games for South Carolina State, he
threw 12 touchdowns and had 1,241 passing yards.
After college, he spent three weeks in training camp with the
Detroit Lions as well.