Alma, Michigan was "Heartbreak City" on a cool, late September Saturday afternoon at Bahlke Field. The Scots appeared on the verge of their first win of 2013, but visiting Lakeland College snared victory from the jaws of defeat. The Muskies scored a touchdown with 19 seconds remaining and after a successful extra point, took home an inprobable 21-20 win.

The Scots won the toss and deferred, giving the ball to the Muskies to start the game. After two quick first downs, Alma held and forced Lakeland to punt. The kick went off the side of P Brandon Pribbernow's foot and the Scots started on their own 31-yard line.

After first downs earned by a pass and then a run, Alma Sr. QB Jarrett Leister (St. Louis, Mich./Mt. Pleasant) faked an inside handoff and scampered 47 yards down the sideline for a touchdown and a 7-0 Scots lead.

Lakeland responded by marching to the Alma 12-yard line, but had a 29-yard field goal blocked by Scots Jr. DB Adam Nelson (St. Clair Shores, Mich./U of Jesuit). Alma then started with the ball at their own 21 and began perhaps the most impressive drive of the young season.

The Scots drove 79 yards on 10 plays and used six runs and two passes in the possession. Alma made it 13-0 when So. RB Grant Wilson (Redford Township, Mich./Lee Thurston) rushed seven yards for a score. A missed two-point conversion attempt kept the lead at 13 points.

The Muskies then drove to the Alma 30-yard line but, came up empty again on a fourth down attempt. The Scots then had a three and out and Fr. P Alex Crocker (Suttons Bay, Mich./Suttons Bay) kicked the ball to Lakeland where PR Michael Wynn fumbled and So. DE Austin Little (Defiance, OH/Timora) recovered on the Muskies' 29-yard line.

Three plays later, Leister connected with Jr. WR Tyler Watters (Williamston, Mich./Williamston) on a 24 touchdown completion and after the extra point by Sr. K Jack Pryde (Royal Oak, Mich./Royal Oak), the Scots led 20-0 with 10:35 left in the first half.

After the two teams exchanged punts on their next possessions, Lakeland was finally able to get on the board. After taking over on their own 39-yard line, the Muskies drove the 61 yards on just three plays and cut Alma's deficit to 20-7 when QB Dylan Van Straten hit WR Kezlow Smith over the middle and Smith sprinted 60 yards for a touchdown.

After a fumble by Alma's Watters on their next drive, Lakeland drove to the Scots' seven-yard line in the final minute of the half. However, Alma's defense held their ground and Van Straten was intercepted by Scots Jr. LB Eric Strickler (Lapeer, Mich./Lapeer East) ending the scoring threat. The two teams then went into halftime with the Scots holding the 20-7 advantage.

Each team had four offensive possessions in the third quarter that accomplished no points, so the Scots entered the final frame with the 13 point advantage. Alma's first drive of the fourth quarter ended in a punt and Lakeland's was stopped by a Van Straten interception, this time by Jr. DB Brandon Wegenke (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt) at the Muskies' 40-yard line.

However, Alma could not capitalize and put the game away. So. RB Robert Gibson (Royal Oak, Mich./Royal Oak), after rushing for 15 yards on first down, fumbled the ball away at the 16-yard line. Lakeland then drove 84 yards on six plays and cut Alma's lead to 20-14 when Van Straten scrambled 44 yards for a touchdown with 8:11 remaining in the game.

The Scots earned one first down on their next possession but it again ended in a Crocker punt. Lakeland suffered the same fate when they had the ball next and the Scots looked to run out the clock with a few first downs. They did move the chains twice, but like the rest of the second half, no points were to be had by the offense. Crocker punted for the seventh time and pinned the Muskies down on their 14-yard line with 1:51 left in the contest.

Lakeland then embarked on their improbable game-winning drive. A huge play in the drive came on a fourth and nine play from the 15-yard line, as Van Straten hit Kezlow for 24 yards and a first down. Two Scots defenders were there, but unable to make the play to end the drive.

Van Straten then connected with Kezlow on a 30-yard reception that put the ball at the Alma 31-yard line and another completion gave the Muskies the ball on the eight-yard line. On second down, Van Straten found WR Richard Micheaux in the left corner of the end zone for a touchdown with just 19 seconds remaining. The extra point gave Lakeland the 21-20 advantage in front of a stunned Bahlke Field audience.

Alma had four tries after the kickoff, but were unable to get anything going and the game came to an end with the Muskies walking off the field with the one-point win.

The Scots finished the game with 301 total yards, while Lakeland had 423 yards and Alma won the time of possession by a margin of 31:40 - 28:20. The Muskies had 18 first downs to the Scots' 13 and ran 69 plays to Alma's 64.

Leister finished 12 of 24 for 120 yards and a touchdown and also added 43 yards rushing on three attempts with the first quarter touchdown. Wilson was Alma's leading rusher after carrying the ball 27 times for 92 yards and a score. Watters led all Scots receivers with three catches for 60 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Nelson and So. LB Gavin Smith (Westphalia, Mich./Pewamo-Westphalia) led the way with 10 tackles a piece. Two of Smith's were for loss, while Nelson had a forced fumble, an interception, a pass break up and a blocked field goal. Sr. DL Frank Furnari (DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt) added seven total tackles with two for loss and one quarterback sack.

Alma hits the road next Saturday when they play at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Kickoff for the contest is scheduled for 2:00 EST.