In a sentence, Central’s 23 – 17 overtime win against Monmouth on Saturday was “just another really good football game.” It had your classic back-and-forth events where both teams had the lead at some point and some late-game heroics. The score was 7 – 3 in favor of the Dutch at intermission, thanks to a juggling 48-yard reception by Zack Martinelli. With Central down 10 – 7 late in the fourth quarter and pinned inside their one-yard line, one record-breaking moment turned the complexion of the game.

The 99-yard reception by Martinelli temporarily gave Central the lead and the momentum. Martinelli, one of the many heroes of Saturday’s win, described the crowd-silencing touchdown.

“It was just a post pattern, had to get inside of the corner, and they brought pressure” Martinelli says. “We were on the one yard line and had to get rid of it quick and Riley did his job and got it out, and I just had to make a play from there.”

The Dutch had the game on the line with two seconds left in regulation. Down 17 – 14, Aaron Marcellus made a career-long 42-yard field goal to send the game to overtime, where Central would intercept a Tanner Matlick pass and Adam Lindell punched in the walk-off touchdown from two yards out. From that play on, the confidence was high on Central’s sideline.

“We believed in each other the whole time, we knew we were gonna pull it off once it went to over,” Martinelli says. “We made that kick, and we knew we were going to win.”

Martinelli finished the day with 172 yards on five receptions and two touchdowns, and Riley Gray threw for 320 yards on 20-for-31 passing. Gray also rushed for 48 yards. The win is Central’s first overtime win since October 25, 2008 when they beat Cornell, and first overtime game played since a November 15, 2008 loss to Simpson. As a program, Central improves to 11 – 3 in overtime affairs. Central is now 1 – 1 and they’ll make the even longer drive up northeast to Wisconsin next Saturday for their final non-conference test against Maranatha Baptist.