FLORENCE - After missing the final two games of the regular season, North Alabama wide receiver Preston Parker was eager to get back in the lineup for Saturday's NCAA Division II playoff game against Arkansas Tech.

Parker suffered a strained MCL on the opening kickoff against Valdosta State on Oct. 22 and had not played since. It did not take long for him to make his presence felt against the Wonder Boys.

After a long pass bounced off his fingertips on the first play, Parker caught three passes for 33 yards on UNA's opening drive.

"I was pretty anxious, but I just wanted to do whatever I could to help," Parker said. "I wanted to show our fans and our team how much effort I came back with. I worked hard to get my knee right and try to help our team."

Parker came up even bigger on UNA's second drive. After making a catch on a crossing route, he broke toward the left sideline looking for a block from T.J. Porter. He then surprised everyone by pitching the ball to Porter, who went the final 10 yards for the touchdown.

"I came across when I caught the ball and I thought the dude was going to tackle me from behind, but he didn't so I kept running," Parker said.

"T.J. couldn't get the block, but it was like a 2-on-1 in basketball. Me and T.J. have this vibe between us, so I knew he would catch it and I gave him the touchdown."

Parker later scored a touchdown on a 21-yard pass from Harrison Beck. The senior finished with eight receptions for 121 yards.

Momentum swing

Arkansas Tech appeared to make a big play after scoring its first touchdown to tie the score at 7 in the first quarter.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Wonder Boys attempted and recovered an onside kick. The recovery, however, was nullified when he officials ruled that the ball did not travel 10 yards before being touched. UNA took over at the Tech 45 and quickly drove for a

touchdown.

Arkansas Tech coach Steve Mullins, who called a timeout to protest the call, said the play changed the momentum completely.

"We felt like the play was there and we executed it well," Mullins said.

"That's all I'm allowed to say about that, although I never did get the answer I was looking for.

"Obviously it was a huge play because it gave UNA a short field and they took it down and scored. At that point we had all of the momentum. It was a huge, game-changing moment."

Tickets on sale Monday

Tickets for the quarterfinal game against Carson-Newman next Saturday will go on sale Monday at the

UNA ticket office at Flowers Hall.

UNA season ticket holders have until Wednesday to claim their same seats and any unclaimed tickets will then also be on sale.

Kickoff for the Carson-Newman game is noon at Braly Stadium.

All west stand tickets are reserved and are $13, and student tickets are $5. East stand tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for students.

For information, call 765-5466.

Shuffle Pass

Facing a 2nd-and-25 from his own 30-yard line Harrison Beck dropped into the pocket and looked down the field before firing a shuffle pass to running back Tim Hicks, who was moving uncovered through the Lions backfield.

Hicks took the pass 37 yards for a first down, moving the Lions into position for a 36-yard field goal by Kenny Spencer.

Two possessions later the two would connect with another shuffle pass, this one good for 17 yards and another UNA first down.

The play has been absent from the offense this season, but was added for the game to give Hicks a larger role in the passing game.

"Harrison and Tim executed the shuffle pass perfectly," Bowden said. "We want to do whatever we can to get the ball in Tim's hands, so a play like the shuffle pass works perfectly for us. Today he was able to find space and break off some big plays, so we went with it multiple times.'

Hicks, who finished the game with 159 all-purpose yards, said the play was a

welcome addition to the offense.

"The play was perfect today," he said. "Every time we ran it the field was wide open. In our offense we don't really run the ball that much, so I'm thankful for the ball any way I can get it."

Penalty update

It's not secret UNA has been the most penalized team in the country, averaging 11 flags for 108 yards per game. In the first meeting with Arkansas Tech, the Lions were especially active in drawing flags. They were penalized 21 times for 185 yards.

In their final regular-season outing against West Alabama, UNA was penalized 16 times for 167 yards.

Bowden expressed concern last week about the penalties, noting it is always a point of emphasis for coaches with players.

After a clean first quarter, the Lions started seeing yellow on a consistent basis and finished with 11 flags for 96 yards.

The most costly flag was a second-quarter illegal shift call that negated a 46-yard touchdown run by Hicks.

Porter injured

Senior wide receiver T.J. Porter went out with a apparent concussion late in the first half and did not return to the game.

Porter, who caught six passes for 69 yards in the half, watched the second half in street clothes.

Coach Terry Bowden said that Porter was in good spirits after the game, but he was unsure of his status for next Saturday's game against Carson-Newman.

Turnovers tell part of the story

Arkansas Tech needed to play error-free to have a chance at the upset, but instead turned the ball over six times on four fumbles and two interceptions.

UNA scored 10 points off the fumble recoveries, including a key field goal near the end of the first half that allowed the Lions to pad a 7-point advantage to 24-14.

J.J. Johnson's fumble recovery in the third quarter led to a UNA touchdown and a 38-14 lead.

Darron Dampier had one interception of Nick Graziano, returning it 55 yards, while Quinton Andrews had a late interception in the end zone to finally put away the Wonder Boys.

UNA was turnover free until Beck was intercepted on a tipped pass late in the fourth quarter.

Graziano took the blame for his poor throw that ended ATU's comeback.

"Turning the ball over in the red zone is unacceptable if you want to win the football game," Graziano said. "That's really the way the game ended."

Tying a record

Beck tied a UNA record with his three touchdown passes. The senior has thrown 30 touchdown passes this season, tying Will Hall's mark set in 2003.

Arkansas Tech senior wide receivers Frantz Simeon and Landon Turner put on quite a show, combining for 18 catches for 254 yards and a touchdown.

Simeon, who ranks fifth among Arkansas State's all-time scoring leaders, caught 15 passes for 105 yards.

Turner, a two-year starter for the Wonder Boys, caught 13 passes for 149 yards, including a 15-yard touchdown reception early in the second quarter.

"They (UNA) lined up in man coverage a lot, and we like our chances in any one-on-one situation," Simeon said. "Nick did a good job of delivering the ball and we were able to make some plays out there."