RAMSEY: Long-distance run part of love affair

The long run ended with the words, "I love you."

Meredith Leake, captain of Air Force's cheerleading team, could see her boyfriend, Aaron Kirchoff, running toward her.

His journey to her side would end up being romantic, but at this point it was merely frantic.

Kirchoff, Air Force's senior free safety, grabbed a New Mexico fumble at the Lobos' 4-yard line, looked up and saw nothing but wide open spaces beckoning him.

His 96-yard touchdown return, the second-longest fumble return in AFA history, propelled the Falcons to a 23-10 victory.

When Kirchoff picked up the fumble, Air Force trailed 10-0 and looked doomed. He changed the game with one play.

Yet Kirchoff's epic journey involved more than football. The run was impossibly - though authentically - about love.

Kirchoff and Meredith have been dating a long time.

"Twenty-one months on Oct. 9," Kirchoff said with instant recall.

He had made plans for his first touchdown. If he ever crossed the goal line, he promised Meredith, his first move would be to hand her the ball.

It was a sweet, yet unlikely, vow. Kirchoff plays defense, and his chances of scoring seemed remote.

Then linebacker Brandon Reeves used his right hand to knock the ball loose from New Mexico quarterback Brad Gruner. The ball bounced into Kirchoff's waiting hands.

"There was no one out there in front of me," Kirchoff said. "No one. I was just scared someone was going to catch me."

When Meredith first saw Kirchoff, he was sprinting with only his teammates near him.

And she began to wonder if his promise would soon come true.

Only one obstacle threatened their end-zone reunion. The obstacle's name is Rodney Ferguson.

Ferguson reigns as New Mexico's star. He's a speedy, rugged tailback. Kirchoff is fast. Ferguson is faster.

As soon as Kirchoff seized the fumble, Ferguson began his chase. He sprinted 80 yards, swiveled past blocker Reggie Rembert and had Kirchoff in his sights at the 15-yard line.

The run to romance seemed over.

Ferguson is a gifted runner, perhaps the best in the Mountain West Conference. He's not such a gifted tackler.

Kirchoff played running back in high school, and even though he was exhausted he still managed a nifty cutback move. Ferguson was reduced to making a lame wave as Kirchoff ran by. He ran a long way for nothing.

Kirchoff will, no doubt, remember the biggest touchdown of his life. He also will remember Ferguson outran him.

AFA coach Troy Calhoun was standing at the New Mexico 25 when Kirchoff picked up the ball. Calhoun sprinted all the way to the Air Force 30, shouting while trying to will Kirchoff into the end zone.

Kirchoff's touchdown ranks among the biggest plays of the Calhoun era, but that doesn't mean the coach won't tease his safety.

"Yeah," Calhoun said with a devious grin. "Oh, yeah. I'm going to ask him about that big ol' cement truck it looked like he was carrying the last 25 yards."

The fleet Ferguson was vanquished, and Meredith waited for her boyfriend in the end zone. She was jumping up and down, which cheerleaders often do, and wondering if her moment would soon arrive.

It did. Kirchoff handed her the ball, winked and trotted away to celebrate with his teammates.

He was gone, just out of earshot, when Meredith softly said, "I love you."

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Contact the writer: Columnist David Ramsey can be reached at 476-4895 or david.ramsey@gazette.com