For the fourth time this season, Concordia College Alabama took a lead into halftime Saturday against Clark Atlanta. Unlike the first three times they had a lead going into the locker room, the Hornets had hoped to finish off the game to earn their first win of the year.

This time they never got a chance.

Two plays into the second half, lightning forced the game to be delayed at 6:36 p.m. but the teams never took the field again. Concordia led 17-7 at the time, but the athletic directors agreed to call the game a “no contest.”

“The safety factor and the fact that the weather set in for a while and that field is kind of soggy now,” said Concordia athletic director Don Jefferson.

It was raining when the game kicked off at 5 p.m., but it poured down harder as the game progressed. Concordia’s James Crosby scored on a 37-yard touchdown run on the Hornets first drive of the game, giving Concordia a 7-0 lead with 10:56 left in the first quarter.

After a second consecutive three-and-out by Clark, the Hornets drove 27 yards for a second score. Alexander Montgomery finished the drive with a 2-yard rush and gave Concordia a 14-0 lead just under nine minutes into the game.

On the first play of the second quarter, Clark quarterback Matthew Vincent threw a 31-yard touchdown pass to Brenton Martin on fourth down to pull the Panthers within 14-7.

Pablo Grajales made a 24-yard field goal with seconds remaining in the first half to put Concordia up 17-7 and in control. For a team that had seen halftime leads against Lane, Stillman and Edward Waters go by the wayside, it was another chance to finish.

“That’s how we’ve been playing all year,” said Concordia head coach Stanley Conner. “That’s what I was really looking forward to tonight, just finishing it. We start out good, but we just haven’t closed.”

After Concordia fumbled the second play of the second half and Clark Atlanta recovered, it looked like the Panthers might have a chance to cut into the lead.

Before another play could be run, a large bolt of lightning lit up the sky and forced each team to the locker room.

After about an hour delay, the athletic directors met and had four options. They could’ve agreed to terminate the game with a determined final score or resume the game at a later date, but decided it was best for both sides to declare a no contest, where neither team is given a victory or defeat.

Concordia stays 0-8 on the year, while Clark Atlanta is 1-7.