By Bill Vilona, GoArgos.com Senior Writer

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Another high-wire, heart-stopping finish ensued Saturday with UWF's football team.

This one, however, brought joyous relief.

The 10th-ranked Argos rallied with 24 fourth-quarter points, punctuated by a walk-off, 36-yard field goal by Griffin Cerra – the first of his entire football life – to pull out a 34-31 victory against North Greenville and change a once-dire situation into celebration at Pen Air Field.

"Holy mackerel! I need a couple of aspirin," said UWF coach Pete Shinnick, after getting his 150th career win as a head coach.

Yes, this was that kind of game again.

"We were down 13 (early in fourth quarter), and I just kept telling the sidelines, hey, we've been here before…unfortunately last week," said Shinnick, in a wry smile, referring to the Argos' 45-42 double-overtime loss at home against unbeaten Delta State. "So they didn't have to recall too much.

"I kept telling our guys, we've got to find a way, find a way. We did not do everything I thought we were capable of doing, But it says a lot about a team that lost in overtime a week ago, got down (Saturday) and then continue to fight, continues to find ways to put us in the situation we're in right now. Extremely proud of these guys."

The win pushed UWF to 3-1 overall. The Argos head on the road the next two weeks, beginning with a difficult test next Saturday (Oct. 8) at West Georgia.

After UWF tied Saturday's game with 2:58 remaining on quarterback Peewee Jarrett's 18-yard touchdown pass to Jakobe Quillen, the Argos got a game-turning interception just 39 seconds later from cornerback Anthony Johnson Jr. It gave the UWF offense the ball on North Greenville's 26.

A holding penalty after a first down at the 16 pushed UWF into a 1st-and-20 situation at the 27 with 1:06 remaining.

The Argos got the ball to the 19, called timeout with 2.4 seconds remaining, to set up the dramatic kick.

And then it got more tenuous. An errant snap rolled to kick holder Steve Dawson, who is also UWF's punter. A native of Wagga Wagga, Australia, he corralled the ball, got it upright, before Cerra's right foot connected with perfection to send a no-doubt, game winner, soaring through the center of the uprights.

Cerra was then hoisted by teammates in body-surfing fashion as teammates rushed the field.

"You choose to be in this position (as a kicker) and that's exactly what you dream of… a situation like this," said Cerra, a junior from Fort Lauderdale. "I've been playing for eight years, including high school and I have never had this opportunity before. To have it happen was definitely exciting.

"(Dawson) is probably the best holder I've had in my entire career. So, when I see something like that happen. Once I knew he had control of the ball, it was a wrap."

It was the second walk-off field goal in UWF history. The first occurred in 2017 when Austin Williams made a dramatic kick on the road against former conference team Florida Tech. The Argos used that win to help carry them into qualifying for the postseason and reaching the NCAA Division II national title game in their second season.

"Griffin did a fantastic job punching it through, but Steve Dawson…just fantastic," said Shinnick, whose team ran a running play with receiver David Durden taking a direct snap to move the ball to the 19 on the previous play and in position for Cerra's kick. "I was thinking no way (when the ball was snapped). Wyatt (Adams) has been our kick snapper for four years. He's been fantastic. This is probably the worst game he's ever had… He had a couple low punts snaps (too) and I thought there is no way this game is going to overtime because of that."

Just like a week ago against Delta State, the Argos were in a hole early in the game. North Greenville's brilliant freshman quarterback Dylan Ramirez directed a 14-play, 87-yard touchdown drive on the Crusaders' first possession.

The Argos missed a prime chance to tie when Jarrett lost the ball before diving over the goal line early in the second quarter, resulting in a touchback. UWF trailed 10-0 before tying the game on C.J. Wilson's 2-yard run and Cerra's 26-yard field goal with 18 seconds left in the half.

But North Greenville (2-3, 1-1 GSC) scored on its first possession of the second half, then went up 23-10 with 56 seconds left in the third quarter. The Argos got back into the game when Jarrett hit Durden across the middle for a 56-yard TD play.

"That was huge," Shinnick said. (Durden) did the same thing last week. Peewee did a great job of reading that play. David is an electric dude. I thought he had one earlier in the game (on deep pass from Jarrett), and the ball kind of floated on him."

The Argos took a brief lead, 24-23, when C.J. Wilson carried defenders with him on an 18-yard touchdown run.

"Coming off a loss, being down, the comeback was amazing," said Jarrett, who overcame a rough first half (45 yards) to throw for 186 yards and two scores. "It was a team effort. Defense came up with some huge stops and we just had to capitalize on them."

North Greenville answered on its ensuing possession – an 81-yard scoring drive. The Crusaders followed the touchdown by converting the two-point conversion with 7:11 remaining in the game.

The Argos followed with a game-tying drive. Three plays after the ensuing kickoff, Ramirez made a rare mistake Saturday by misfiring into the hands of Johnson for a turning point interception.

"I was very impressed with Dylan," Shinnick said. "He's a young guy getting control of that (team's offense). I think he is going to have a great career."

The Argos were able to rush for 299 yards, led by Shomari Mason with 11 carries for 153 yards and Ra'veion Hargrove, who had 99 yards.

"I don't think we have played our best football. I think we are scratching the surface of what we can do, on both sides of the ball," Shinnick said.

GAME NOTABLES

--- The UWF players had pink ribbons on their helmets and many incorporated pink into socks or parts of uniform with October starting Cancer Awareness Month. Saturday was UWF's annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game.

--- UWF volleyball coach Melissa Wolter, a cancer survivor, whose team won earlier Saturday afternoon against Alabama-Huntsville to improve to 14-4 overall, was one of three honorary game captains. She was joined by Angela and Brent Lane, both radio personalities at Cat Country (FM 98.) and a duo with community service achievements. Angela is a cancer survivor.

--- Wolter's team with UWF volleyball was recognized in the second quarter for the many feats last season, which included hosting an NCAA regional.

--- The UWF men's basketball team was honored during the first quarter. The team will open play on Nov. 12.

--- Former UWF receiver Quentin Randolph, a Navarre High and UWF grad, was the guest football deejay for the game.

--- The entire UWF 2022 Athletics Hall of Fame class, which included the 2012 Argos' women soccer team that won the D-2 national championship, was honored at halftime.