The Skyhawks began their 2002 campaign on the right track Thursday night, but it took a last minute score to do so, as UTM handed Southwest Missouri Baptist a 19-18 loss at Hardy M. Graham Stadium.

After losing the lead with only a little over five minutes left on the clock the Skyhawks rallied. After receiving the ball at the Skyhawk 47-yard line, Sam Berrien rushed for three yards to the UTM 44-yard line.

On the next snap, Kendric Edwards rushed five yards to the UTM 49-yard line for a first down for the Skyhawks and then continued to rush seven yards on the next play. Carl Lattimore gained six yards for a Skyhawk first down.

After Williams rushed nine yards to the Southwest Baptist 29, Edwards rushed to complete a first down. At the 27-yard line, Williams rushed for no gain, but the next play to Lattimore gained the Skyhawks three yards.

After a pass for 15 yards to Duane Corlett, Williams completed a pass to Russell Gambrell for 20 yards to the 7-yard line. After a one yard gain by Lattimore, Williams pass attempt to John McAdams failed.

However, the Skyhawks found the end zone on the next play as Lattimore rushed for six yards to the Southwest Baptist goal line to score the touchdown with only 27 seconds left in the game.

Southwest Baptist tried to make a comeback. The Bearcats were able to complete two nine-yard passes, both of them from Mark Schuck to Marc Green, but were unable to complete the rally.

Both the Skyhawks and Bearcats battled back and forth through the opening minutes of the first half. The Skyhawk defense turned the tide of the first quarter when cornerback Ralph Hines intercepted an errant Bearcat pass and returned it 10 yards to the SBU 37 before being run out of bounds.

Following a Damien Harris one-yard run, Williams hit McAdams with a 12-yard bullet across the middle to give the Skyhawks a first down at the Bearcat 24. Andrew Staten gained another five yards, but the 'Cat defense halted the UTM drive stopping Berrien twice for no gain. Facing a fourth-and-five, Coach McCorkle called on place-kicker Brent Harris, who nailed a 36-yard field goal with 43 seconds remaining in the first quarter to give the Skyhawks an early 3-0 lead.

On the ensuing Bearcat drive, the UTM defense made another big play, as the Skyhawks forced Nathan Dunn to fumble at the SBU 29.

The fumble was recovered by linebacker Thomas Harris. Beginning the second stanza at the Bearcat 28, Marcus Ross quickly put the Skyhawks within striking distance of the goal line, as his 23-yard carry took UTM to the SBU five.

Staten picked up two yards on the next play, then two plays later, Williams scored the first touchdown of the Skyhawk's season with 13:11 remaining in the first half. Harris added the extra point to stretch the UTM lead to 10-0.

SBU retaliated on their next possession. After the Bearcats recovered on-side kick at the UTM 43, Dunn began the drive of a 16-yard run to the Skyhawk 27. Dunn came up big again, as he grabbed a 19-yard pass and took it to the UTM eight.

Dunn continued his effort with a five-yard pick-up before being stopped for no gain on the next play at the three.

The Bearcats cut the UTM lead to four on the next play as Lowe hit Green for a three-yard touchdown pass with 10:35 left in the half to make the score 10-6.

The Bearcat momentum continued on the next Skyhawk drive as SBU forced Lattimore to fumble on the first play of the Skyhawk's next drive and recover the ball on the UTM 18.

Three Marco Kirven carries took the Bearcats to within two yards of the goal line. The UTM defense toughened up keeping SBU out of the end zone for two plays before a Green touchdown run with 6:38 remaining in the half, giving the Bearcats a 12-10 lead.

Both teams held each other off of the board through the third quarter, but the Skyhawks struck early in the final frame. Beginning at their own 42-yard line, the Skyhawks put together a 16-play, 71-yard drive that was capped off by a 26-yard Harris field goal with 9:12 left in the game to give UTM a 13-12 lead.

However, that lead only lasted 7:35, as the Bearcats rode Kirven again as the SBU running back gained 14 yards on three plays.

The last run, a three-yard gain, took the Bearcats to the UTM 33. A face mask penalty on the same play added five yards to the gain, placing the ball on the 28-yard line.

A penalty on the next play pushed the Bearcats back to the UTM 38, but, on the next play, Lowe hit Kevin Whitley for a 38-yard touchdown pass with 5:29 left, returning the lead to the Bearcats at 18-13.

A 15-yard kick-off return by Kidane McBride set up UTM's final scoring drive.

Dunn paced all rushers with 80 yards on 11 carries. Ross and Berrien lead UTM in rushing with 65 yards apiece.

Lowe completed 12 of 23 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns for the Bearcats in the loss.

The Skyhawks will hope to continue their winning ways at 6 p.m. next Thursday as the Pioneers from Tusculum College come to Martin.