JOLIET, Ill. - The Marian University football team opened the 2009 season with a dramatic come-from-behind 27-24 victory over the University of St. Francis (Ill.) Saints at Joliet Memorial Stadium on Thursday night. The win was the first-ever season-opening victory for the Knights, and it came off the leg of a true freshman.

Freshman Martin Waddick (Indianapolis, Ind./Scecina Memorial) hit the game-winning 50-yard field with 20.2 seconds remaining to send the Knights to the victory in the first-ever meeting between the two schools. The kick was his career long and the second on the night.

"Wow, Martin Waddick did a great job in his first college start both as a punter and as a kicker," said head coach Ted Karras, Jr. "He showed great poise on the botched snap and to make a 51-yarder to win it. I am just proud of him."

The Knights (1-0) were forced to come from behind as the Saints jumped out early two first quarter touchdowns of 69 and 80 yards to take a 14-0 lead. The Knights clawed back on the strength of a nine-play drive that culminated in a quarterback sneak by senior Matt Rogers (Trafalgar, Ind./Indian Creek) that brought the score to 14-7 with 9:23 remaining in the first half.

"We let them score too easy with a couple of blown coverages," said Karras. "But our guys have resolve. We have been in games like this before and we know how to fight back. The offense started to pound the ball and we seized the momentum."

A three-and-out led the Saints to punt and the Knights broke through the line and blocked the kick. Junior Dontae Crook (Indianapolis, Ind./Arsenal Tech) recovered the football at the Saints' 11-yard line to shift the momentum.

After a couple of running plays, sophomore Brandon Sherman (Richton Park, Ill./Marian Catholic), on a busted play that was stopped behind the line of scrimmage, lobbed a pass into the end zone and junior JaQuan Patilla (Fairfield, Ohio/Fairfield) hauled it down to knot the score, 14-14, with six minutes remaining in the half.

Waddick ended the first stanza with a 19-yard field goal as time expired to send the Knights into the locker room with a 17-14 lead. It was his first collegiate field goal.

The Saints opened the second half with an eight-play, 46-yard drive that resulted in a field goal. The Knights' defense stood firm in the red zone and allowed just a field goal to knot the score line, 17-17, with 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter.

After a couple of stalled drives for both teams, the Knights caught a break as a high snap on a wet field was recovered at the 14-yard line. Rogers hit freshman tight end Nathan Jones (Ferdinand, Ind./Forest Park) for a 10-yard touchdown to give the Knights a 24-17 lead with four minutes remaining in the third quarter.

The Saints responded with a 17-play, 60-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown to tie the game, 24-24, with nearly 10 minutes remaining in the game.

The teams traded possessions and could not capitalize on opportunities before the longest kick in Marian University history sailed through the uprights for the 27-24 victory.

The Knights take the week off before they head to Lebanon, Ill., for a showdown with No. 25-ranked McKendree University on September 12 at Leemon Field. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 (EDT) and will air LIVE on the Knights Football Radio Network with Dr. David Pierce (pbp) and Jeff Burris (color) calling all the action at 2:15 p.m.