Several coaching moves to report, plus quarterfinal action and semifinal previews. You know where to click.

Mount Union Bracket
Final: at (1)Mount Union 37, (6)Alfred 7
The Purple Raiders (13-0) jumped out early, capitalizing on Saxon turnovers on their first two drives and then cruising. Alfred ends the year at 10-3.

Wesley Bracket
Final: at (1)Wesley 19, (2)Mary Hardin-Baylor 9
Wesley (12-0) held the UMHB offense — #1 in D-III in scoring offense — in check, largely due to six UMHB turnovers. Meanwhile, the Crusaders put forth a surprising defensive effort of their own to at least keep the game in striking reach until time ran out on them. UMHB heads home with their first loss and a 12-1 record.

North Central Bracket
Final: (2)Wisconsin-Whitewater 20, at (1)North Central 10
Whitewater (13-0) was irked at being seeded second and having to go on the road, but in the end it’s clear that the Cardinals weren’t utterly overmatched. North Central scored on their first possession; the last team to do that to the Warhawks was Mount Union two years ago. Three turnovers in the second half, however, proved to be the Cardinals’ undoing as Whitewater’s winning streak extends to 28. North Central finishes with a 12-1 mark, a school record for wins in a single season.

St. Thomas Bracket
Final: (6)Bethel (MN) 12, at (1)St. Thomas (MN) 7
The Royals (12-1) will be the only team in the semifinals with a loss, surviving a tightly-contested defensive battle with the Tommies in frigid conditions. St. Thomas only mustered 2 first downs and 61 yards in the final two periods, while Bethel ate tons of clock on an 11-play drive covering 96 yards to take the lead in the third quarter. St. Thomas wraps things up having suffered their first loss of the season against twelve wins.

Semifinals:
Both semifinals will be webcast on NCAA.com at noon Eastern.

Bethel (MN) at Mount Union
Both games this weekend are rematches of fairly recent semifinal contests. Bethel was wiped out by Mount Union in the 2007 semis. Both teams excel when the opposition has the ball, but Mount Union possesses a balanced offensive attack while Bethel relies far too heavily on the ground game. For obvious reasons, that’s a huge advantage to the Raiders, and it will be a huge upset if they fail to make their sixth consecutive Stagg Bowl.

Wisconsin-Whitewater at Wesley
Likewise, Whitewater is looking for their sixth straight trip to Salem; likewise, this is a rematch of a semifinal (2006 in this case). Each team has tremendous sides of beef on the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Speed will be the difference. The Warhawks have it; it remains to be seen whether Wesley does. If Wesley has an advantage, it’s in the air; if Justin Sottilare is able to rack up yardage and continue avoiding the interception (he hasn’t thrown one in the playoffs), Wesley’s liable to end Whitewater’s monopoly on facing Mount Union in the title game.

Stuff and Things:

Grinnell:
Jeff Pedersen, who headed the program the entire season under the interim tag, has been hired as the permanent head coach following a 6-4 season (the school’s first winning campaign since 2004). Pedersen is a 2002 graduate of the school.

Carroll (WI):
Henny Heimenz stepped down after a 7-3 year and a 28-22 record over five seasons. A replacement search is under way.

Ferrum:
David Harper, Ferrum’s offensive coordinator since 1999 and a member of the staff for 18 years, has been named to replace retiring coach Dave Davis following a comprehensive search.

Hardin-Simmons
Another replacement of a coaching legend was necessary after Jimmie Keeling stepped down, and Hardin-Simmons selected offensive line coach Jesse Burleson to fill a large set of shoes. Burleson, 33, has been on staff for five years, also serving as assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator. He was an academic All-American, and graduated magna cum laude from HSU in 1999. He’s also served at an assistant at Odessa Permian, among other Texas high schools.