North Central Cardinals dominates Wisconsin-Whitewater for NCAA D3 title

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis
La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2019 All Rights Reserved

(SHENANDOAH, TEXAS (Decemebr 20, 2019) It only took the North Central Cardinals two minutes, 33 seconds to put the first points of the game on the scoreboard in route to a 41-14 win over Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks in the 47th Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. With the win, the Warhawks captured their first NCAA Division III Football Championship.

Running back Ethan Greenfield (Lakes HS, Lindenhurst Illinois) (shown right) carried the ball the final five yards of a seven-play, 45-yard driv for the score. The Cardinal possession began when Terrance Hill (Effington HS, Effington, Illinois) returned the Warhark kickoff 49 yards to begin the game.

With thrity-five seconds remaining in the first quarter North Central added to their lead when quarterback Broc Rutter (Neuqua HS, Naperville, Illinois) with wide receiver Blake Williams (Metea Valley HS, Aurora, Illinois) on a 31-yard pass for their second touchdown of the game. Freshman Mangus Meyer (Nesbru, Norway) add the extra point to give the Cardinals a 13-0 lead going into the second quarter.

Early in the second quarter, the Warhawks were moving the ball well, until Cardinal cornerback Julian Bell intercepted a Wisconsin pass; returning it to the Cardinals' 46-yard line. Eight plays later, Rutter carried the ball the final  yard to put six more points on the board. Meyer again split the uprights to push the Warhawks' lead to 20-0 wth 10:12 left in the half.

The Cardinals were not done in the first half as they added seven more points to their total with the 1:49 mark of the first half. Greenfield capped a 13-play, 7-yard drive with a two-yard run for score, with Magnus adding the extra point to post a 27-0 lead after 30 minutes of play. In the fourth quarter, they added seven more points 

The second half was a mirror image of the first, with the Cardidals picking up where they left off, scoring halfway into the third quarter. Greenfield again carried the ball 38 yards for his thord TD of the night, with Magnus addign the extra point.

The Warhawks finally found the endzone at the 4;32 mark of the quarter when Max Meylor (Mt. Horeb HS, Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin) connected with Jared Zausch (Ozaukee HS, Saulville, Wisconsin) for six points, with Wojciech Gasienica (Ridgewood HS, Norridge, Illinois) adding the extra point. In the fourth quater they added seven more points on a Alex Peete (Johnstown HS, Ringwood, Illinois) one-yard run and Gasienica's extra point.

The Cardinals added an insurance touchdown and extra point with 1:58 remaining in the game with a Andrew Kamienski (South Elgin HS, Pingree Grove, Illinois) run and Meyer's extra point.

For his efforts, Greenfield was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the game.

Mary Hardin-Baylor wins Stagg Bowl XLVI with 24-16 win over Mount Union

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

By Robert H Kelly
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

SHENANDOAH, TEXAS (December 14, 2018) The No 2 Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders came back from a 10-0 deficit in the first quarter to down the No. 1 Mount Union Purple Raiders by the score of 24-16 to win the NCAA Division 3 Football Championship at Woodforest Bank Stadium in Shenandoah, Texas. The win was the second national title for the Cru in the past three years; having won the Stagg Bowl in 2016.

After a missed field goal by the Crusaders in the first quarter, Mount Union drove the ball 55 yards, on their second possession, to enable kicker Cory Barnett to boot a 55-yarder for the first score of the game. The Purple Raiders used 11 plays and 3:58 to score. Beginning on their own 23-yard line, after the ensuring kickoff, UMHB quarterback Jase Hammack fumbled the ball on a second and 10 play, with safety Austin White recovering on the 23-yard line. Five plays later, D'Angelo Fulford carried the ball the final yard for the touchdown. Barnett tacked on the extra point; giving Mount Union a 10-3 lead with 3:29 remaining in the first quarter.

Photo by
Darla S Tamulitis, La Vita Loca Photography
Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved

A bit over two minutes later, the Cru drove 62 yards in four plays to cut Mount Union's lead tofourth play of the  three. On the series, Hammack connected with T.J. Josey with a 36 yard pass for the score. Anthony Avila recovered from missing the earlier field, booting the extra point to cut the Union lead to 10-7. Josey (shown left) finished the game with five catches for 78 yards and one TD. As a result, he was selected as the Outstanding Player of the Game, by a vote of the sports writers.

Early in the second quarter, the Purple Raiders responded with another Barnett field goal; this time a 22-yarder, to push their lead to 13-7. After a good deal of back-and-forth, the Cru saw momentum swing their way as they used seven plays to cover 60 yards in 2:34 to take the lead in the game. Thirty-eight second reminded on the clock when Markeith Miller rushed the final two yards for the score. Avila tacked on the extra point to give MHB a 14-13 lead at halftime.

The Cru increased their lead to 17-13 at the 11:01 mark in the third quarter when Avila again split the uprights with a 30-yard field goal. They increased their lead to 24-13 at the 9:46 mark in the fourth quarter with a Hammack pass to K.J. Miller for another six points. Avila again added the kicking conversion. Barnett added a 21-yard field goal with 7:06 left in the game to close out scoring.