BLAKEY COMES UP BIG TO PUT CSUN ON TOP.Byline: Brian Dohn Daily News Staff Writer Cal State Northridge senior linebacker Shayne Blakey took some good-natured ribbing during the week about the length of time it took him to run 76 yards with an interception last week at Weber State. But for as long as that rumble took, that's how quick Blakey burst through the line of scrimmage line of scrimmage n. pl. lines of scrimmage Football Either of two imaginary lines extending across the field parallel to the goal line at the ends of the ball as it rests prior to being snapped and at which each team lines up for Saturday. And it's how rapidly Blakey turned around a game and kept a season's worth of hopes alive. It was Blakey, playing his final home game (barring playoffs), who stopped running back Charles Dunn, and Portland State's momentum, dead on the 10-yard line late in the fourth quarter. ``The guard pulled and the hole he left, I went right through it,'' Blakey said after CSUN's 32-28 win at North Campus Stadium. ``Dunn was standing right there and I just let him have it. Soon as I hit him, I knew. I could hear him breathing, and I knew.'' It began as an improbable goal-line stand. Portland State (5-4, 4-3 Big Sky) was on a drive, a championship drive, that started on its own 4-yard line and consumed more than eight minutes. CSUN's defense, already battered in the second half for two touchdowns, showed very little life as the Matadors' lead was cut from 32-14 to 32-28. And that's when Blakey struck. With Portland State inside the 10 and poised and perched to take the lead. ``Shayne's hit, he took the guy's helmet off on that hit, and that was big-time'' CSUN CSUN California State University Northridge defensive end Brennen Swanson said. ``I was pretty tired at that point. They were moving the ball on us and we needed a big play. You can just feel how tired you are. It's a long time to be out there playing.'' The thud 1. thud - Yet another metasyntactic variable (see foo). It is reported that at CMU from the mid-1970s the canonical series of these was "foo", "bar", "thud", "blat". 2. thud - Rare term for the hash character, "#" (ASCII 35). See ASCII for other synonyms. of Blakey hitting Dunn resonated across the field, stunned stun tr.v. stunned, stun·ning, stuns 1. To daze or render senseless, by or as if by a blow. 2. To overwhelm or daze with a loud noise. 3. Portland State and injected the Matadors (6-3, 5-2) with adrenalin. The Matadors defense forced three turnovers and special teams had another, yet no play was as significant as the one Blakey made. On the next play Swanson sacked quarterback Tyson Parsons Parsons, city (1990 pop. 11,924), Labette co., SE Kans.; inc. 1871. It is a shipping point for dairy products, grain, and livestock. Manufactures include ammunition, wire and paper products, plastics, and appliances. , pushing the Vikings back to the 23. An incomplete pass An incomplete pass is a term in American football which means that a legal forward pass hits the ground before a player on either team gains possession. For example, if the quarterback throws the ball to one of his wide receivers, and the receiver either does not touch it, or tries left Scott Deans facing a 40-yard field attempt. It never had a chance and never cleared the line of scrimmage. ``I said to my offensive line, `We left them on the field so we have to go cheerlead cheer·lead intr.v. cheer·led , cheer·lead·ing, cheer·leads 1. To lead organized cheering, as at sports events. 2. ,'' said CSUN running back Jaumal Bradley, who enticed most of the Matadors to go down to the North end of the sideline sideline See on the sidelines. to cheer. ``Our defense has been through that. They bend but they come through.'' Because of that play, and what transpired afterward, the Matadors aren't only talking about the playoffs, they're pounding their chests a bit about the Big Sky standings. CSUN is now alone atop the league. CAPTION(S): Photo PHOTO BLAKEY |
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