BY RONNIE GALLAGHER
SALISBURY POST

HICKORY— Chris Kotish was thinking that finally, this was Lenoir-Rhyne’s time.

The former South Rowan star had hunkered down all day with the rest of the defensive line, keeping the undefeated, third-ranked Catawba Indians at bay.

Catawba’s players looked down because they were down — 14-3 to be exact. Kotish’s team had picked off Scott Sensing twice, had stopped the Catawba running game cold and had all the momentum.

Even after Sensing led the Indians to a field goal early in the fourth period to cut the margin to 14-6, Kotish wasn’t flinching. He was sure he was going to walk out of Moretz Stadium one last time and it was going to be as a winner.

Kotish knew Sensing was standing in for starting quarterback Mitch Ellis and was not having a good day. With every incompletion, the Bears became that much more confident.

Then, Kotish noticed Ellis coming onto the field.

Oh well, there goes the Lenoir-Rhyne momentum. Oh well, there goes Lenoir-Rhyne’s lead.

Ellis wasn’t supposed to play. His battered left knee was supposed to keep him locked to the sidelines.

“I never intended to play,” he said. “But they needed me.”

Standing behind Catawba coach David Bennett, Ellis was going nuts. He wanted in the game. He couldn’t bear to watch any longer.

“Mitch was saying, ‘Coach I’m ready. I’m ready.’” said Bennett.

The result was some of that Mitch Magic. With a heavy brace covering his left knee, he stood tall in the pocket and fired two touchdown passes to Ryan Millwood. Just like that, Catawba had completed its 10-0 regular season.

And Chris Kotish had to walk off the field only wandering what could have been.

“It’s tough right now,” Kotish said. “Iwanted to beat Catawba so bad since I’m from the area. It’s tough losing that way.”

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With 11:35 remaining in the game and the score still 14-6, Jermonte Battle blocked a punt. Nine second later, Sensing threw his 17th incompletion.

On second down, Ellis lumbered in. Suddenly, everyone on the Catawba sideline perked up.

Don Moore said the offensive line had one goal. “We weren’t going to let anybody touch him,” said the All-American guard.

It took Ellis all of three plays before he tossed the fade route to Millwood for a score and a 14-12 deficit with 10 minutes left. Did Ellis have one more miracle in him?

Are you kidding?

He got the ball back with 6:32 on the clock and had 80 yards to negotiate. A13-yard pass to Millwood. An 8-yard toss to Arnold Gaither. A 37-yard catch-and-run to Means. And finally another strike to Millwood for 16 yards and the winning points.

Bill Hart, the Lenoir-Rhyne coach was as disheartened as Kotish.

“The difference in the game was Mitch Ellis coming in and doing his thing,” Hart said.

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Why was he able to play?

“Mitch rehabbed his rear end off,” said Bennett. “Before class and after class. Three and four hours a day.”

But Ellis only practiced once. And it actually helped.

“The days off helped my arm because I wasn’t throwing,” he said. “I had better velocity on my throws.”

Ellis was pounded by fans and teammates after it was over. He was a hero.

“Idon’t know about that,” he laughed. “But it’s good to be 10-0.”

While Catawba celebrated, the Bears slowly walked to their locker room. Kotish simply shrugged. While his teammates seemed a bit dazed, Kotish knew exactly what had happened.

“Mitch came in and led them to victory,” Kotish said. “Mitch is a winner.”