Last-tick FG lifts Nicholls to first win

Kicker Gavin Lasseigne booted a career-high four field goals including a 43-yarder as time expired, as the Nicholls State University football team earned its first win of the season with a 19-17 victory at Houston Christian University Saturday night at Husky Stadium.

Earlier in the quarter, Lasseigne drilled a career-long 52-yarder with 10 minutes remaining to give Nicholls (1-5, 1-1 SLC) a 16-14 lead. But HCU, formerly known as Houston Baptist, answered with a field goal with only 43 seconds remaining.

Nicholls took advantage of a pair of Husky penalties to move into field goal range with only 4 seconds to go. Lasseigne split the upright as the buzzer sounded, giving the Colonels the walkoff victory.

Nicholls totaled 409 yards of offense in the win as third-year sophomore Leonard Kelly made the first start of his career at quarterback, filling in for Kohen Granier who was sidelined with an injury. Kelly completed 20 of 31 passes for 217 yards and helped Nicholls sustain drives for nearly a 20-minute advantage in time of possession. But the Colonels could only find the endz one once in five red zone chances.

Lasseigne connected on 27- and 21-yarders before halftime, but misfired on a 30-yard try in the second quarter.

But the defense pitched a shutout in the first half as Nicholls led 6-0 at the break.
The Colonels then found the end zone for the lone time of the night, scoring on the opening drive of the third quarter. Collin

Guggenheim was the workhorse on the drive, carrying the ball six times and capping it with a 2-yard touchdown plunge. His 25-yard rush on a fourth-and-three highlighted the possession. Gugg-eheim rushed for 82 yards on 15 carries while Julien Gums totaled 84 yards on 22 totes.

The shutout bid for the defense ended when HCU scored on a 40-yard catch and run by Karl Reynolds with less than five minutes remaining in the third. Then the momentum completely shifted full swing towards the Huskies as Nicholls lost the ball on back-to-back rushes by Marquese Albert and Collin Guggenheim. The defense was able to force a three-and-out after Albert’s fumble but HCU started at the Colonel 27 following Guggenheim’s, leading to a short touchdown pass by Justin Fomby and a 14-13 HCU advantage.

Early in the fourth, Nicholls was in solid field-goal range before Kelly took one of his three sacks on the night, moving the ball back to the HCU 35. But with a slight breeze to work with, head coach Tim Rebowe sent Lasseigne out for the 52-yard try. It was the first 50-plus yard field goal for the Colonels since Lorran Fonseca hit a school-record 56-yarder on the same Husky Field.

The Colonels then came up with another special teams play as Kylan Dupre’s punt was downed at the 2 by Dominic Brocato with 3:52 remaining. But HCU converted on a pair of third downs before being stopped at the 25 with less than a minute to go. Alberto Arroyo delivered a go-ahead 42-yard field goal with 43 seconds remaining.

Kelly completed three passes to move the Colonels to midfield, then a roughing the passer call moved Nicholls into HCU territory.

But instead of trying a 58-yard field goal, Kelly threw one more time and Neno Lemay drew a pass interference call for an additional 15 yards. The snap, hold and kick were perfect as the Colonels rushed the field following the first win of 2022.

For the defense, Alex Villavaso had two sacks and forced a fumble, while Brandon Lairy intercepted a pass in the second quarter.

The unit held HCU to 3 of 12 on third downs and stopped the Huskies on a fourth-down try on the opening drive of the game.

Leading the receivers was K.J. Franklin with eight receptions for 82 yards.

Lemay totaled four for 53 yards with two coming on third-down conversions to set up Lasseigne’s career-long field goal.

Up next
Nicholls will return home to host UIW for a nonconference game on Saturday, Oct. 15. Kickoff for Homecoming is scheduled for 3 p.m.