by Ron Montri , last modified July 26. 2008 11:50PM
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- Evening News photos by ALEX STAWINSKI Southern Michigan Timberwolves linebacker Mike LaPlante tackles Kentucky/Ohio Xtreme running back Desmon Gault during the T-Wolves 33-27 victory Saturday night at Navarre Field.
Darvin Nunn's ankle looked like a pretzel. But the linebacker for the Southern Michigan Timberwolves had a smile on his face a few hours later.
Nunn suffered a horrific ankle injury in the first half of Saturday night's battle with the Kentucky/Ohio Xtreme. He was treated at the hospital and released just moments before his teammates cemented a 33-27 win at Navarre Field. Nunn will have surgery this morning.
The Timberwolves were struggling when Nunn, a product of Detroit Pershing, was injured early in the second quarter.
Two plays after he was carted off by the rescue squad, the Xtreme scored to take a 13-0 lead.
It was 19-8 just before haltime, but Corey Phillips kicked a 29-yard field goal as time ran out in the second quarter and Stephen Isaac gave the home team a lift when he returned the second-half kickoff 80 yards for a score.
Milan graduate Jon Hart caught a 40-yard TD pass from Kent Smith in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 27-27.
Nate Lewis, who led all rushers with 114 yards on 17 attempts, ran 21 yards for the winning points with 8:12 left.
"This was a tough win and a great win for us,'' T-Wolves coach Dick Clark said.
Hart is in his first year with the Timberwolves.
"He came about a month after we started working out. He's been playing catchup, but he has a lot of speed and good hands,'' Clark said of the wide receiver.
Hart's TD catch came on fourth down. He made the grab and was able to dash into the end zone after two defenders collided.
Once Southern Michigan took the lead on Lewis' second TD of the night, the defense took over.
Ali Bazzi, a Dearborn Fordson product, had two sacks and a fumble recovery in the final period. Zack Hamilton (Airport) had a sack earlier as the Timberwolves improved to 4-1.
Southern Michigan missed an excellent opportunity to score on its first possession. Kent Smith hit Charles Fountain with a 53-yard pass on the Timberwolves' first play. Fountain juggled the ball, then hauled it in and finally was tackled at the 31. The drive stalled at the 15 and Phillips missed a 32-yard field goal.
The Xtreme (2-3) got on the board early in the second quarter when Raymond Huff hit Dale Golsby with a 65-yard scoring pass.
Less than two minutes later, Nunn was injured. He was on the ground with his foot twisted in a grotesque position while players from both teams huddled nearby and prayed.
"You don't want to see anybody get hurt, but especially him. He's a great guy,'' Clark said.
Two plays after Nunn was hurt, the Timberwolves appeared to have Huff stopped, but he got the ball to Sean Jones, who sprinted 71 yards for a touchdown.
"I don't think that was the right call. He (Huff) should have been in the grasp and down,'' Clark said.
Smith completed half of his 14 passes for 136 yards. Fountain was the leading receiver with two catches for 72.
Southern Michigan will be on the road for the next three weeks. It plays at the Detroit Ravens Saturday.
T-Wolves 0 11 9 13 - 33
Xtreme 0 19 8 0 - 27
Second Quarter
X - Dale Golsby 65 pass from Raymond Huff (kick failed)
X - Sean Jones 71 run (Eli Rivera kick)
TW - Nate Lewis 4 run (Kent Smith run)
X - Emanuel Golsby 19 pass from Huff (kick blocked)
TW - Corey Phillips 29 field goal
Third Quarter
TW - Stephen Isaac 80 kickoff return (kick blocked)
TW - Phillips 28 field goal
X - Desmon Gault 40 run (Tyrone Armstrong run)
Fourth Quarter
TW - Jon Hart 40 pass from Smith (Phillips kick)
TW - Lewis 21 run (kick failed)
TW XTR
First Downs ...12 3
Rushing yards ..212 136
Passing yards ..136 146
Total Yardage ..348 282
Comp-Att-Int 7-14-0 8-14-0
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing: Nate Lewis, TW, 17-114; Sean Jones, X, 2-71; Kassem Rizk, TW, 5-24; Kent Smith, TW, 5-24; Ronnell Davis, TW, 4-19; Jovan Johnson, TW, 3-14.
Passing: Raymond Huff, X, 8-14-146; Kent Smith, TW, 7-14-136.
Receiving: Dale Golsby, X, 3-106; Charles Fountain, TW, 2-72; Ali Salaam, X, 3-52; Jon Hart, TW, 1-40.
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