SWOSU Squeaks Past Panhandle State in Opener

August 25, 2005

Weatherford, Oklahoma - Southwestern Oklahoma State shook the effects of a sloppy first-half start and regrouped in the game’s final 30 minutes to beat Oklahoma Panhandle State , 13-10, in the 2005 football season opener for both squads.

Weatherford’s Rusty Voight kicked a 20-yard field goal with two seconds to play to provide the game’s victory margin. Voight had earlier tied the game at 10-10 with a 21-yard kick with 6:28 to play in the final quarter.

Voight’s heroics were set up by a 37-yard interception return by SWOSU defensive back Trent Pratt to the Aggies’ 31-yard line. The Bulldogs ran seven plays behind the hard rushing of freshman tailback Steve Ihekona and marched to the three-yard line before Voight was brought in.

SWOSU, which was playing its first game under new coach Ryan Held, was held to just 15 yards of total offense in the first half, played much better in the game’s final two quarters.

“I thought our defense really came up big all game,” Held said. “I felt in the second half we were able to wear them down with our running game. It wasn’t pretty early, but we stuck to our game plan and it ended up working in the end.”

SWOSU began its rally from a 10-0 halftime hole when Derek Wall latched onto a 20-yard touchdown pass from Steve Day to cut the Aggies lead to 10-7 with 3:13 to play in the third quarter.

SWOSU was led offensively by freshman running back Terry Sampson who had 92 yards on 21 carries. Ihekona added 59 yards on 15 carries.

Day, in his first-ever collegiate start, completed eight-of-17 passes for 74 yards and one touchdown.

SWOSU resumes its season Saturday, Sept. 3 with at Midwestern State University . Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. in Wichita Falls , Texas .