2B — October 21, 2015
SportsWednesday
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

SPORTSWEDNESDAY COLUMN

It wasn’t supposed to end that way

Y

ou weren’t supposed to 
be standing in Michigan 

Stadium, your 
mouth open 
and your 
eyes wide. 
You weren’t 
supposed to 
be paralyzed 
at your seat, 
unable to 
move a muscle 
for 15 minutes.

Michigan 

State wasn’t supposed to be down 
there, in the end zone, dog-piling 
and running around with the Paul 
Bunyan Trophy. It was supposed 
to be yours. It was supposed to be 
Michigan’s.

It was inexplicable, 

unfathomable. It all was. 
Michigan gave every last ounce 
of effort, only for a fluke play, one 
that you’ll never witness again in 
any other game, to ruin it all.

It wasn’t supposed to end that 

way.

* * *

N

ot for Joe Bolden, 
Michigan’s senior 
linebacker and team 

captain. His time in the 
Michigan-Michigan State rivalry 
wasn’t supposed to end the way 
it did Saturday. He was supposed 
to make a game-winning tackle in 
the backfield, or maybe break up 
a pass to end the game. That was 
supposed to be his final imprint 
on the rivalry.

But the lasting image of Bolden 

against Michigan State took 
place in the north end zone, and 
it wasn’t with the Paul Bunyan 
Trophy in his arms.

He had been thrown on top of 

Michigan State’s Connor Cook 
as the quarterback slid. His 
helmet collided with Cook’s and 
he was ejected for targeting in a 
play Harbaugh said was “hard to 

fathom.” Bolden had to leave the 
field for the rest of the game.

So he did what a captain does. 

His eyes red and his heart full, he 
ran around the end zone, all the 
way to the tunnel. He pumped 
his arms the whole way, jumping 
and hollering for the crowd to 
get riled up and behind his team. 
It worked. The crowd screamed, 
and the captain received an 
appropriate sendoff.

Still, it wasn’t what he 

deserved. Even before he was a 
captain, Bolden served as a de 
facto team spokesman during last 
year’s struggles. Greg Mattison, 
then Michigan’s defensive 
coordinator, once said he wished 
he had 11 Joe Boldens in his 
meeting room. He’s known as a 
leader in the locker room, setting 
an example the rest of the players 
look up to.

The passion Michigan’s 

coaching staff loves put Bolden 
in the middle of controversy last 
year before the rivalry game. 
He drove a stake into the turf of 
Spartan Stadium before the 35-11 
loss, in a move meant to motivate 
his team. Instead, it motivated 
the Spartans, and embarrassed 
Michigan. Michigan State coach 
Mark Dantonio used it as yet 
another example of disrespect. 
Brady Hoke issued an apology.

Saturday was supposed to 

change things. It was a chance to 
put a stake in Michigan State’s Big 
Ten championship hopes. It was a 
chance to move on from the years 
of being bullied and beaten.

Bolden recorded two tackles 

before his ejection, and many 
more were left on the table.

He couldn’t do anything else 

other than give his very last ounce 

of energy to firing up the crowd.

It wasn’t supposed to end this 

way.

* * *

N

ot for Blake O’Neill. 
He took the low snap 
and bobbled it with 10 

seconds remaining. You already 
know what happened next.

What you might not remember 

is his story. O’Neill is in the 
middle of his second year in the 
United States and his second 
playing college football. He came 
to Ann Arbor during the summer, 
for the chance to play big-time 
college football.

His family lives on the other 

side of the world in Australia, 
where they watch his games in 
the middle of the night. O’Neill 
earned his undergraduate degree 

in his home country and wanted 
to see the world and further his 
education, so he began attending 
ProKick Australia, a kicking 
academy, to learn how to play 
American football.

He starred in his one year 

at Weber State, ranking sixth 
in the Football Championship 
Subdivision in yards per punt. 
Then he came to Michigan, 
where he was at first in awe of 
the crowds and the passion for 
football.

Never more did he feel that 

passion than in the hours before 
his final mistake. O’Neill pumped 
his fist and gestured after an 
80-yard punt just a few minutes 
into the game. The crowd was 
overjoyed, as it seldom is because 
of a punter. O’Neill’s teammates 
mobbed him on the sideline. 
Harbaugh gave him a pat on the 

head.

O’Neill was shaping up to be a 

hero Saturday, a guy who flipped 
the field position battle almost 
every time he touched the ball. 
Three of his seven punts were 
downed inside Michigan State’s 
20-yard line. The Wolverines 
might never have held the lead if 
it weren’t for O’Neill.

But the eighth punt never 

happened. That punt, the game-
sealing one, was supposed to 
roll down the Spartans’ end of 
the field, where no return man 
waited. It was supposed to roll 
until the clock hit zero and “The 
Victors” played.

What was supposed to happen 

did not. The snap was low and 
bobbled. O’Neill tried and tried, 
but he could not gain control and 
the ball flew into the air. It ended 
up in Michigan’s end zone, in the 
hands of Jalen Watts-Jackson, 
where nobody ever thought it 
could.

And all you could do was sit 

there and wonder: How did that 
happen?

If December 30, the day 

Michigan announced the hiring 
of Jim Harbaugh, was supposed 
to be the day marking the 
Wolverines’ return to college 
football’s elite, Saturday was 
going to be the coronation. It 
was going to be the day when 
Michigan defeated its top-10 
instate rival for just the second 
time in eight years, when you 
could finally turn to your cousin 
or your dad or your little brother 
who went to Michigan State and 
tell them that your school was 
finally back, for real this time.

But then came the play you 

don’t want to relive, the one 
you’ll never forget. So you sat 
there, your head in your hands, 
wondering how it all came to be.

Cohen can be reached at 

maxac@umich.edu and on 

Twitter @MaxACohen.

MAX
COHEN

RUBY WALLAU/Daily

The final play Saturday left all of those in attendance shocked and provided a bitter ending for fifth-year senior punter Blake O’Neill and senior linebacker Joe Bolden.

AMANDA ALLEN/Daily

Freshman forward Francis Atuahene scored his 10th goal of the season to put Michigan ahead of Valparaiso for good.
‘M’ stifles Valparaiso

By ORION SANG

For the Daily

Despite gusting winds that 

affected play, the Michigan men’s 
soccer team beat Valparaiso, 1-0, 
Monday night.

Freshman midfielder Francis 

Atuahene 
continued 
his 
torrid 

scoring pace with his 10th goal 
of the season, providing the 
Wolverines the only tally they 
needed. Atuahene struck in the 
50th minute off a crisp pass from 
senior forward William Mellors-
Blair.

Michigan (2-1-2 Big Ten, 7-3-3 

overall) controlled possession for 
most of the first half and outshot 
the Crusaders, 19-12, but the 
Wolverines were initially unable 
to finish their chances against 
Valparaiso (6-4-4).

The wind presented problems 

to both the Wolverines’ offense 
and defense.

“It was a grind,” Mellors-Blair 

said. “We played a lot of long balls, 
and the wind was killing that. 
With his leg and the wind, their 
keeper put a lot of pressure on our 
center-backs to make clearances.”

Redshirt sophomore midfielder 

Tyler 
Anderson 
provided 

Michigan with its first major 
opportunity eight minutes into 

the game when he unleashed a 
blast from 25 yards out that was 
saved by Valparaiso goalkeeper 
Nico Campbell.

Atuahene also generated two 

more early chances of his own, 
but both shots were deflected out 
of bounds.

Though Michigan headed into 

the locker room still needing to 
break the scoreless tie, the team 
was optimistic.

“The 
first 
half 
we 
had 

possession, and we knew we only 
needed one chance to score,” 
Mellors-Blair 
said.

Added 

Michigan 
coach 
Chaka 

Daley: 
“We 

created 
OK 

chances 
in 

the first half. 
There was a 
lot of stuff from distance. We 
encouraged the guys to be a little 
more patient and to pass it east 
and west.”

The Wolverines came out in 

the second half and continued 
their strong play, immediately 
controlling tempo and possession 
like they had in the first half.

But 
in 
the 
50th 
minute, 

Atuahene broke the stalemate.

Mellors-Blair made a run down 

the right side before playing the 

ball into the box past a defender, 
where Atuahene buried the ball 
into the back of the net.

The freshman sensation now 

has goals in seven of the last eight 
games and is the nation’s leading 
scorer.

When asked about Atuahene’s 

play, Daley was sure to pass the 
credit around.

“It’s not a one-man show,” 

Daley said. “He’s the beneficiary 
of a lot of good work. Francis was 
hungry enough to be in the right 
spot tonight.”

Valparaiso 

was 
unable 

to 
find 
an 

equalizer 
to 

Atuahene’s 
goal, 
and 

Michigan 
emerged with 
a win.

“I 
thought 

the guys played well,” Daley said. 
“We dominated the ball from 
start to finish.”

The Wolverines only have 

four games left before the Big 
Ten Tournament, but their coach 
certainly isn’t looking ahead after 
a game in which their play was not 
reflected on the scoreboard.

Next time, before they even 

think about the postseason, the 
Wolverines will have to convert 
their chances.

VALPARAISO
MICHIGAN 

0
1

“We dominated 

the ball from 
start to finish.”

Defense lifts Wolverines 
again in another shutout

Michigan’s back 

line holds off 

Valparaiso despite 

gusty winds

By AZALEA HINOJOSA

Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan men’s soccer 

team’s defense was the deciding 
factor during Monday night’s 
game against Valparaiso, giving 
the Wolverines much-needed 
momentum throughout in the 
face of 20-m.p.h. winds.

For the offense, it meant 

taking direct shots from a 
close distance. For the defense, 
it 
meant 
clearing 
the 
ball 

frequently, and with extra force.

But it was nothing the team 

couldn’t handle.

“I thought the wind would be 

a huge factor as soon as I woke 
up and walked outside of the 
house,” said Michigan coach 
Chaka Daley.

The Wolverines (2-1-2 Big Ten, 

7-3-3 overall) outshot Valparaiso 
(2-1-2 Horizon League, 6-4-4) 
19-12, but it was only one shot off 
the foot of freshman midfielder 
Francis Atuahene that found its 
way inside the net. Michigan 
handed the opposition a 1-0 
loss, marking the Wolverines’ 
fifth shutout this season less 
than a week 
after defeating 
Duquesne, 
3-0.

Senior 

forward 
William 
Mellors-
Blair assisted 
Atuahene in the lone goal and 
took four shots of his own, but he 
credited junior defenders Lars 
Eckenrode and Rylee Woods 
and sophomore defender Billy 
Stevens for the win.

The three defenders worked 

tirelessly 
to 
protect 
their 

goal, often forcing turnovers 
from the Crusaders. Michigan 
maintained control of the ball 

for the majority of the first half, 
holding Valparaiso to just four 
shots.

“(Valparaiso’s) goalkeeper is 

6-foot-4,” 
Mellors-Blair 
said. 

“He’d kick the ball from their 

18 to our 18. 
That put a lot 
of 
pressure 

on our back 
line to make 
clearances, 
and they did a 
great job.”

Of the 12 

shots taken by the Crusaders, 
only one in the second half 
proved to be a good scoring 
chance. 
But 
even 
then, 

sophomore 
goalkeeper 
Evan 

Louro dove for the critical 
save. He blocked three shots 
throughout the game, with the 
wind favoring Michigan as it 
helped redirect the other nine 
Valparaiso attempts.

On the other end, the weather 

obstructed 
the 
Wolverines’ 

chances to score on nine corner 
kicks. However, with the ball 
almost always in motion on 
the Crusaders’ side of the field, 
though, the Michigan defense 
was not always being pressured.

“When the defense was called 

upon, they did what they had to 
do,” Louro said.

Added Daley: “We continued 

to play, and more than anything, 
defend very strongly. That kept 
us going, kept the momentum 
going in the right direction.”

While it is an offense that puts 

numbers on the scoreboard, it is 
the defense that can withhold 
the opponent from doing the 
same. And with the turbulent 
wind suppressing Michigan’s 
attackers, the defense was all 
the Wolverines could rely on. 
Luckily for them, that element of 
the game stayed consistent. 

AMANDA ALLEN/Daily

Sophomore goalie Evan Louro earned another shutout for Michigan on Monday.

“They did what 
they had to do.”

