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| Ethan Greenfield ran for 115 yards and two touchdowns for North Central on Saturday. Photo by Doug Sasse, d3photography.com |
Hunter Clasen had a huge game in support of quarterback Nile McLaughlin, the quarterback battle in Belton went to Kyle King, Mount Union opened up a 20-0 win and cruised at Delaware Valley and North Central decimated another quarterfinal opponent in Saturday's third-round play in the 2022 Division III football playoffs.
Game times for the semifinals are set in conjunction with ESPN, and game hosts have to meet facilities requirements for television purposes. Wartburg will play at Mount Union in a game starting at noon ET on Saturday, and Mary Hardin-Baylor will play at North Central in a game starting at 2:30 p.m. CT (3:30 p.m. ET).
Bethel took a 28-17 lead down at Mary Hardin-Baylor early in the fourth quarter, but the Cru scored the next 24 points and ended up winning going away, defeating the Royals 41-28. Things were clicking right for Bethel on offense and defense, right until they weren't. The Royals scored on the first two drives of the second half, mounting drive of 75 and 84 yards to go up 28-17. But that was the last of the offense for Bethel, and the defense couldn't keep the Cru down long. Kyle King found K.J. Miller for a short pass that Miller picked his way down the field for a 65-yard touchdown. That was the first play of the drive. UMHB was in the end zone again just three minutes and 24 seconds later, and King hit Brandon Jordan for a two-point converstion to put UMHB up 31-28. And it was all Cru after that.
"I am really proud of how our kids hung in there," coach Larry Harmon said. "KJ had an electric play that got the guys going. Nobody was pointing fingers, no negative comments, the crowd got into it. Everyone was so positive and ready to do their part."
UMHB will take on North Central, in a rematch of the 2021 Stagg Bowl.
North Central made sure that nobody could accuse the Cardinals of looking unimpressive or lackluster, as they rolled past Ithaca 48-7, defeating the Liberty League champ in the national quarterfinals for the second season in a row. The Bombers got on the board after North Central took a 21-0 lead, as Anthony D'Addetta returned the kickoff 65 yards down to the North Central 26, and A.J. Wingfield found Jake Williams for an 11-yard TD to cut the lead to 21-7. But after that, it was all North Central once again, as Luke Lehnen ran for 144 yards and two touchdowns, threw for 200 yards and three TDs, all to DeAnglelo Hardy, and Ethan Greenfield ran for 115 yards and two scores in the big win.
McLaughlin looked almost every bit of 100% for Wartburg in his return from injury, and Clasen looked that and better as the Knights withstood Aurora's initial surge and won going away, 45-17 in the quarterfinal matchup in Waverly, Iowa. The Spartans (11-2) led 10-0 through the first quarter, as Josh Swanson hit Michael Boland for an 11-yard touchdown pass on Aurora's second drive of the game, and Aurora settled for a 31-yard field goal with one second left in the first quarter to take that early lead. But Wartburg came right back with a pass from McLaughlin to Clasen for a TD on the next drive, then a Clasen TD run, and a pick-six by Parker Rochford allowed the Knights to take a 21-10 lead into the locker room at halftime. Aurora did manage one TD drive in the second half to cut the lead to 28-17 at the time, but Clasen ripped off touchdowns of 21 and 18 yards, one of which came after he looked like he was going to run out of bounds before turning downfield and running untouched to the end zone.
Clasen finished with 31 carries for 167 yards and three TDs on the ground, and added a touchdown through the air. Rochford had two of the Knights' three interceptions, while the Wartburg defense sacked the Spartan quarterback six times, led by three from defensive lineman Jordan Downing.
No. 2 Mount Union scored on its first drive of the game, and that was all the Purple Raiders needed to defeat Delaware Valley, 22-6. After DelVal won the toss and deferred, the Purple Raiders took the opening kickoff 65 yards for a DeAndre Parker 1-yard touchdown run. Mount Union increased its lead to 14-0 on a touchdown pass from Braxton Plunk to Jaden Manley. The Purple Raiders had two more trips to the redzone that ended with a Mike Nobile sack and a fumble.
The Purple Raiders pushed the lead to 20-0 in the second half when Plunk found Wayne Ruby for a 15-yard touchdown, his 27th of the year. The Aggies showed life by driving for a score on a long touchdown pass from Louie Barrios IV to Tahmir Barksdale that cut the deficit to 20-6. Mount Union immediately drove to the Aggies one and had a fourth and goal chance stuffed by Aggies safety Blaine Netterman. But DelVal could not advance past their own 46, Mount Union added a safety and the Purple Raiders ran out the clock.
Mount Union held Delaware Valley to 239 yards offense and sacked Barrios five times. Parker ran for 122 yards and Ruby added 143 receiving yards. Mike Nobile picked up 1.5 sacks giving him 50.5 sacks in his career, fourth most since the NCAA started tracking the stat in 2000.