Central Michigan Life

Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: Sports

Senior running back Pierre Walker cuts upfield Friday during CMU's 48-45 loss at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Walker had three rushing touchdowns. [Click to enlarge]

This one hurt.

It didn't mean much in terms of winning the Mid-American Conference, because Central still is slated to face Miami on Dec. 1 at Ford Field to decide the championship.

But Steven Friend said he still didn't want his last recollection of Kelly/Shorts Stadium to be a green mass of Eastern Michigan players and fans all over the "Flying C" at midfield.

"It's real tough - this is my last memory here," said the senior defensive tackle of Friday's 48-45 loss. "It is hard to swallow in the last game at home, losing to Eastern Michigan of all teams. But we still have the MAC Championship to go to."

The game was almost sent into overtime for the fourth consecutive season, but sophomore kicker Andrew Aguila's 52-yard field goal attempt with 22 seconds remaining was too short and far left, leaving EMU to take the Michigan MAC Trophy.

Central now is 1-3 against the Eagles in the last four years.

Penalties hindered Central's late comeback attempt as CMU drove to EMU's 14-yard line with less than one minute remaining.

On a second-down play which coach Butch Jones said was a busted screen-pass, sophomore quarterback Dan LeFevour threw into the midst of several lineman as an EMU defender closed in. But it hit off redshirt freshman Jeff Maddux's hands, and what transpired next changed the course of the game.

With EMU sophomore linebacker Andre Hatchett hanging onto his legs, Maddux swiped at the defender and grabbed hold of his helmet. He then sent it flying down the field.

"Football's a game played by human beings," Jones said. "Individuals make mistakes."

Maddux was flagged for a 15-yard personal foul in addition to a 5-yard illegal touching penalty, which moved the ball back to the 34-yard line.

Central was flagged nine times for 73 yards in the loss.

The game held some similarity to last season, when CMU lost 31-10 at Northern Illinois after clinching the MAC West at home against Western. This one was closer, but it had the same effects, Friend said.

Continued...

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