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Show ,, u N I V E R s I T y MONDAY, NOV. 20, 2000 DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER: As fall semester draws to a close, many students are looking ahead. Registration for spring semester 2001 starts tod_ay and follows a schedule starting with graduate students and seniors. For the registration schedule, SEE PAGE 3. Back-up T-Birds quarterback Chuck Henderson (right), a freshman from Las Vegas, Nev., stepped in for the injured Matt Cannon, who was knocked out of th(t game twice, to help lead the Thunderbirds to a 27-23 come-from-behind victory at Northern Arizona University Saturday afternoon. Gridders win final game of season Quarterback Cannon injured in final minutes of the game against Northern Arizona BY NOAH BORTON JOURNAL SPORTS WRITER It wasn't a storybook ending for Southern Utah quarterback Matt Cannon in the final game of his collegiate career. Rather than leaving the field on his teammates' shoulders, he left on a stretcher Saturday during a contest versus Northern Arizona University. Cannon was on the receiving end of a head to head collision on the SUU five-yard line with 10 minutes remaining in the last game of the season. · Head Coach C. Ray Gregqry said that Cannon was feeling a pain in the back .of his neck and was OK, but as a precautionary measure trainer Ricki Mendini decided to put him on a stretcher and take him to the hospital. The quarterback turned out to have only minor injuries. Despite the loss there was still a football game to play. Freshman quarterback Chuck Henderson stepped in to try and preserve a 27-23 Thunderbird lead. "This is the most pressure I have received all season,· Henderson said. "He has a great deal of confidence and a great deal of ability. I don't think anyone doubts he can get it done,· Gregory said. With Cannon gone. the defense knew they would have to step up. · we knew that they couldn't score," linebacker Spencer Woolston said. The time for the defense to step up came when Northern Arizona's offense started at its own 34-yard line with 8:25 on the clock. Thanks to big plays by Woolston and safety Jerry Cowan, who ended the day with 14 tackles, NAU could muster only 32 yards on 11 plays. SUU took over on downs at its own 34. The 'Birds used four players on nine straight running plays to eat up the final three and a half minutes off the clock and seal the 27-23 victory. The final drive didn't mark the first time on the day Henderson had to take the helm. Part way through the first quarter Cannon hurt his left ankle, and was unable to return until after halftime. Henderson responded well. After NAU opened up the scoring in the second quarter Henderson and company responded immediately. From the 50-yard line Henderson stepped back and delivered a 36-yard strike to Clay Denton. Four plays later fullback Rod Madsen tied the game on a two-yard dive. (continued on page 13) . 1• |