After all the action, we’re left with chalk as the top four seeds all remain undefeated and comfortably esconced in the semifinals. Quarterfinal recaps and semifinal previews follow the jump. (The only non-playoff news: Pikeville coach Joe Johnson has resigned his post.)
Quarterfinals:
at #1 Sioux Falls 27, #12 McKendree 7
Sioux Falls (12-0) held the Bearcats’ 8th-ranked rushing offense to 36 yards. Any questions about the Cougars’ defense? McKendree ends the year 9-3.
at #2 Carroll (MT) 38, #11 Marian 6
Carroll (12-0) had no trouble at all dispatching the Knights. The Saints methodically added points while keeping Marian hogtied. Marian ends the season 10-3.
at #3 St. Xavier 40, #10 St. Francis (IN) 21
St. Xavier (13-0) actually trailed twice, including a 21-20 third quarter deficit, before pulling it together and blowing past their rivals from Indiana in the Battle of the Cougars. St. Francis completes the season at 10-2.
at #4 MidAmerica Nazarene 34, #7 Morningside 10
MidAmerica Nazarene (12-0) recovered from last week’s shenanigans to soundly defeat the Mustangs. The Pioneer victory means that all four semifinal teams will be undefeated. Morningside won’t; they finish the year 10-2.
Semifinals:
#4 MidAmerica Nazarene at #1 Sioux Falls:
Sioux Falls has now won 41 consecutive games. A win Saturday would tie the NAIA record owned by Texas A&M-Kingsville (then known as Texas A&I). There’s one Texas A&I record Sioux Falls can’t tie now: total NAIA football titles. A&I had seven; Sioux Falls is playing for their sixth, but won’t have the opportunity to get the seventh since they’re moving on to D-II. But I digress; MANU was impressive against Morningside, but I can’t get the iffy performance against Georgetown out of my mind, and this IS Sioux Falls we’re talking about here. I expect MANU’s season to end this week.
#3 St. Xavier at #2 Carroll (MT):
St. Xavier has never won in the semifinals, although they are 1-0 all-time against Carroll in the playoffs. Carroll is, however, a really crappy place to play football if you’re not the home team… and somehow, I think fate really wants Sioux Falls and Carroll to tee it up one final time for all the marbles.