RICHMOND, Ky. - Using a heart-stopping finish with a 26-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Waylon Chapman to wide receiver Rondel Menendez with just 34 seconds left, coach Roy Kidd's Eastern Kentucky Colonels were able to defeat Eastern Illinois, 28-24, and close the season with a 6-5 overall record and 4-3 mark inside Ohio Valley Conference action.

With the win, Eastern has now had 21 straight winning seasons and 26 consecutive non-losing seasons (EKU was 5-5 in 1977 and 5-6 in 1972).

Kidd, who completed his 35^th season as head coach of the Colonels, was impressed with the way his team battled, not only in this game, but throughout the year, considering the injuries that befell Eastern during the '98 schedule.

"I'm really proud of this team. They faced so much all season and, in particular, in this game, and kept on hanging in there," Kidd said. "It was kind of sad before the game to look around and see all the crutches and injured players. I am so glad we came back and won this game for the seniors, as much as anything."

Menendez closed his EKU career in grand style in the final game, catching seven passes for 153 yards and scoring on pass receptions of 62 and 26 yards. He finished his brilliant four-year career with school records for most career TD catches (27), most career yards pass receiving (2,990), most single season yards pass receiving (1,137 in 1997) and tied for the most touchdown receptions in a single season with 11 this year. He was second in career receptions with 150.

Final rushing statistics showed junior tailback Derick Logan, on the strength of his 106-yard day vs. Eastern Illinois, leading the Colonels in this department with 556 yards, followed by sophomore tailback Corey Crume with 543 yards and sophomore tailback Brian Durham with 358 yards. Both Logan and Crume missed two full games and parts of other contests with ankle injuries.

Junior quarterback Jon Denton, the OVC's top-rated quarterback with an efficiency mark of 148.1, finished the year with 119 completions in 217 attempts (.548) with 18 touchdown passes and only six interceptions. Sophomore QB Waylon Chapman, who started the final game, hit 17-41 passes for 317 yards and two TD's.

Other double-digit pass receivers for the Colonels in 1998 were sophomore Alexander Bannister (23 receptions, 320 yards, two TD's); senior Brian Brenneman (16-262-1); and sophomore Anthony Boggs (14-250-2).

Defensively, linebackers Brad Folke and Charles Tinsley and safety Shawn Gallant led the way for EKU. Folke had 38 solo tackles, 47 assists, one caused fumble, three tackles for loss and two quarterback sacks, while Tinsley totaled 33 solos, 32 assists, six tackles for loss and three QB sacks. Gallant had 52 solos, 16 assists, 12 pass deflections and two recovered fumbles.