Clark's pick helps Harper survive furious rally

Harper College was cruising to its first home football victory of the season with a seemingly comfortable 28-point lead and 13½ minutes to play Saturday afternoon.

With three minutes left, Harper was no longer in control as North Dakota State College of Science had just an 8-point deficit and the ball in their Midwest Football Conference game in Palatine.

But freshman linebacker Kevin Clark came up with a rally-killing interception as Harper (3-3, 2-3) pulled out a 47-33 victory.

"We started taking it lightly," Clark said. "Coach (Dragan Teonic) told us, 'Don't take it lightly after halftime.'"

Clark did get some light-hearted razzing from his teammates since he was caught at the NDSCS 2 after a 30-yard return with 2:09 left.

"You need a speed camp," one of them shouted to the Pattonville, Mo., product who had an interception return at Grand Rapids come up 5 yards shy of the end zone.

But the overall mood was hardly jovial after Harper squandered leads of 35-7 at halftime and 41-13 with 13:37 to play to NDSCS (1-4, 1-3).

"The worst second half I've ever been a part of," Teonic said.

Freshman Garrett Barnas even had his right arm on ice after completing 24 of 39 passes for 281 yards and 3 touchdowns and rushing for 3 first-half scores.

But Barnas had to come back in for one more play -- a handoff to Streamwood product Senica Jackson (16 carries, 75 yards) for an insurance 2-yard score at 2:08.

"It was ridiculous," Barnas said. "We kind of thought we had it.

"We all laid back and wanted the game to be over and you can't do that. You've got to play all the way through."

The ending overshadowed positives such as the defense fueled by Aaron Diggs, Aaron Miller, Dillon Forbes (2 sacks, 2 tackles for losses), and Kyle Jenkins forcing seven first-half three-and-outs.

"We thought we were going to blow this team out," Clark said of NDSCS having only 107 of its 394 total yards at halftime.

Terron Bibbs blocked a punt to set up a score. Barnas had ample time to find Eric Watts for touchdown passes of 15 and 27 yards, John Baldwin (5 catches, 89 yards) for a 14-yard score and Brian Mitz (Cary-Grove) six times for 80 yards.

"The offensive line played fantastic," Barnas said of the freshman crew of Eduardo Cortez, Deonte Coleman, Matt Royer, Quinton Thurman and Ryan Mayse-Miller. "I felt like Tom Brady back there."