Notes on the second round of the D-III playoffs (Mount Union and Mary Hardin-Baylor brackets), and previews and predictions for the quarterfinals follow the leap. Please note: the full recaps I’ve been writing will not appear from this point forward. Real life interferes, and frankly I feel as though I’m just digesting a box score. I’d rather talk about the game. I came to this realization last weekend, but forged ahead on FCS and D-II for continuity’s sake; realizing that time was catching up made the decision for me.
Mount Union Bracket:
1 Mount Union 30, 4 Centre 10
at Mount Union Stadium, Alliance OH; attendance 2172
Mount Union held Centre to 61 yards on the ground and limited Tyler Osterman to 158 yards passing, and that pretty much explains the final score.
The Purple Raiders took an early lead, scoring on an 11-yard pass from Matt Piloto to Jasper Collins, then adding a 2-yard Blair Skilliter run midway through the second quarter. A safety shortly thereafter on a holding penalty in the end zone extended Union’s lead to 16-0. Centre got on the board with a 47-yard field goal by Jordan Gay to end the half.
Centre narrowed the margin and caused some worry with a drive that ended with a 17-yard pass from Tyler Osterman to Jason Osterman, but the Purple Raiders responded; Piloto found Brandon Brown for a 22-yard score to go back up by 13. Centre missed a couple of chances after that; Gay missed a 41-yarder wide right, and a turnover on downs inside the Mount Union 15 ended another drive. With those threats averted, Jake Simon scored on a 7-yard run to put the game out of reach with just under three minutes to go.
My pre-game prediction: Mount Union 35, Centre 21. Mount Union locked the Colonels down even harder than I had expected, but it was red-zone defense that was the key. Centre had its chances to not only keep the game close, but win it; the Purple Raiders just wouldn’t let them.
2 Wabash 29, 3 North Central 28
at Hollett Little Giant Stadium, Crawfordsville IN; attendance 1655
North Central raced out to a 21-0 lead, but the Little Giants clawed their way back and scored in the final minute to steal the victory.
Early turnovers hurt Wabash; an interception on their first drive resulted in a short field for the Cardinals, and Jordan Tassio punched in from a yard out to give North Central the early lead. The next Wabash drive was also ended with a pick in the Cardinal end zone. They escaped the first quarter only trailing by 7, but North Central was on the march.
That drive ended with a 10-yard run by Nick Kukuc; the teams then traded punts three times before North Central again drove, finishing off with another 1-yard Tassio run and a 21-0 halftime lead.
Wabash got to work when they opened the second half, capping an 80-yard drive with a 20-yard pass from Tyler Burke to Wes Chamblee to finally get on the board. The Cardinals responded, though, as a nearly five-minute possession ended with a 19-yard TD run by Kukuc. The fourth quarter began with Wabash down 28-7.
It didn’t look like there was any hope left 17 seconds later when Burke was sacked and fumbled at midfield. But the defense held, forcing a three-and-out, and a short drive resulted in another Burke connection with Chamblee, this time from 33 yards. On the Cardinals’ ensuing possession, Tassio broke free for a 20-yard scamper into Wabash territory, but fumbled on the next play. Wabash again drove quickly, with Burke finding Jonathan Horn from 23 to suddenly make it a one-score game. The Little Giant defense came up big then, forcing another three-and-out and giving Wabash another chance, taking over at their own 33 with just under four minutes to play. They embarked on a 13-play drive, finally scoring on a one-yard pass from Burke to Jeff Bell with only 52 seconds to go. Kicking the PAT would have tied it; Eric Raeburn made the ballsy decision to go for two, and Burke found Brady Young open in the end zone to put Wabash up by a point. The Cardinals tried to hurry, but never crossed midfield, and when Tyler Dicken was picked off by Austin Hodges with eight seconds left, the phenomenal comeback was sealed.
Kukuc had 118 yards on 18 carries for the Cardinals, while Dicken went only 10-22 for 127 yards and a pick. Tyler Burke carried Wabash on his shoulders; he was 24-49 for 311 yards and four touchdowns.
My pre-game prediction: North Central 34, Wabash 17. Well, it looked as though it was going to end up like this, until Wabash exploded.
Next up:
2 Wabash (12-0) at 1 Mount Union (12-0)
Mount Union Stadium, Alliance OH, 12pm ET
No video feed available. Audio available via WNDY (Real Player link) and Stretch Internet. Live stats available via Presto Sports.
Series: Mount Union leads 1-0 (45-16 at Mount Union, 2002 playoffs)
Jon’s Prediction:
Mount Union 29, Wabash 14. Wabash coach Eric Raeburn is the nephew of Mount Union’s legendary coach Larry Kehres, but he’s not going to enjoy this family reunion. Mount Union’s not going to make the mistakes North Central did in the fourth quarter, when they were playing to “not lose”.
Mary Hardin-Baylor Bracket:
1 Mary Hardin-Baylor 49, 5 McMurry 20
at Belton High School Stadium, Belton TX; attendance
Two very questionable decisions on the part of McMurry head coach Hal Mumme cost the War Hawks dearly at a point late in the third quarter when the game was still within a score, and the fallout led to a fourth-quarter rout.
UMHB missed a chance to take the lead midway through the first quarter when Chad Peevey went wide left on a 42-yard attempt, but a three-and-out gave them another chance and they capitalized, with Darius Wilson scoring from two yards out. McMurry came right back, however, ending a 13-play drive with a 10-yard pass from Jake Mullin to Delmonte Diamond. They went for two and failed. The Crusaders responded with a short 7-play drive, Wilson scoring from the three, to take a 14-6 lead into the second quarter.
McMurry scored on the first drive of the quarter, Mullin finding Justin Johnson from two yards out; again, they went for two and missed, leaving the Crusaders a two-point lead. LiDarrel Bailey then connected with Damian Davis on a 12-yard score, stretching the lead to nine; after a three-and-out, Bailey busted loose for a 78-yard TD run to make it 28-12. With 28 seconds left, Peevey missed a 24-yard attempt wide right which would have pushed the lead to 19.
The two teams fought for field position for most of the third quarter, but with under three minutes to go Mullin hit Jaret Smith for a 16-yard score to close the gap to eight.
With just under 10 minutes to go, Mumme made his fatal decision. Facing 4th and 15 on their own 15, Mumme called for a fake punt. The play resulted in a fumble and a touchdown for UMHB. The second decision, necessitated by the first error, was to go for it on fourth down after a personal foul made it 4th and 29 on their own 13; Mullin’s pass to Chris Simpson fell incomplete, and three plays later Elijah Hudson scored from five yards out. All the air was out of the War Hawks’ sails at that point, now trailing by 22 with only seven minutes remaining.
Mullin was picked off on each of the three succeeding drives; the second was a 40-yard pick six by Ty Dooley which nailed the coffin shut.
Mullin, in his first game back after being injured in the regular season finale, was 34-60 for 269 yards with three TDs and the three late interceptions. For the Cru, Bailey was 10-17 for 139 yards and a score, and carried 15 times for 93 yards and another TD. Wilson added 90 yards on 29 carries to go with his two touchdowns. Damian Davis caught 9 balls for 120 yards.
My pre-game prediction: Mary Hardin-Baylor 35, McMurry 31. Mumme’s brain farts in the fourth quarter were huge. If he had just chosen to punt, things would probably have worked out much better.
2 Wesley 49, 3 Linfield 34
at Scott D. Miller Stadium, Dover DE; attendance
Wesley, trailing 27-7 at the half, looked dead. After 42 straight points, they were not only alive, they were on their way to Texas for the quarterfinals.
The first quarter was a grind, with the only scoring coming on two Josh Hill field goals from 27 and 26 to put Linfield up 6-0. On their first drive of the second period, Hill ran in from the six for the game’s first touchdown; Wesley responded with a 38-yard completion from Shane McSweeny to Jeremiah Howe followed by a 46-yard TD run by McSweeny. Linfield responded, however; buoyed by a 45-yard connection between Mickey Inns and Aaron Williams, the Wildcats charged downfield and scored on a two-yard lob from Inns to Buddy Saxon. McSweeny was picked off by Brian Dundas at midfield on the ensuing drive, but Linfield was forced to punt. So was Wesley, however, and this time Linfield didn’t screw around. Inns found Lucas Jepson for a 33-yard score, and the teams went to the half with Wesley appearing to be in big trouble.
After Linfield punted on the opening drive of the second half, things looked even worse for the Wolverines when Steven Koudoussou fumbled after a 29-yard pass play from McSweeny. Linfield drove into the end zone, but Inns was picked off by Leon Jones at the one yard line, and he ran it all the way back for a score. The momentum had suddenly shifted. After Linfield went three-and-out, Wesley started at their own one. It only took four plays. Askia Jahad got them out of danger with a 12-yard run, McSweeny hit Matt Barile for 49 then ran for 10, and finally McSweeny connected with Koudoussou for a 28-yard score, and Wesley was suddenly on top as the third quarter ended.
Linfield again went three-and-out; McSweeny completed two passes to get the Wolverines down to the six, then two plays later found Sean McAndrew in the end zone from three yards out. Another three-and-out; another quick drive which Koudoussou started with a 27 yard run, and McSweeny ended with a 10-yard pass to McAndrew. Hill fumbled on the first play after the kickoff, and this time McSweeny had a 28-yard run followed by a personal foul on the part of the now frustrated Wildcats which put the Wolverines on the 11. Two plays later, McSweeny scored from eight yards out, and with only 4:40 to go Wesley led 49-27. Linfield drove and scored on a 19-yard pass from Inns to Deidre Wiersma, but it was far too late. Wesley killed the clock and it was over.
Inns was 32-49 for 407 yards and three TDs with a pick, and Hill had 65 yards rushing on 11 carries with a score. Jepson caught 6 balls for 11 and a TD; Wiersma had 8 catches for 81 yards and a score. For Wesley, McSweeny was off the hook; 16-22 for 259 and four TDs and a pick in the air; 174 yards rushing on 27 carries with two scores on the ground.
My pre-game prediction: Wesley 30, Linfield 27. This game went HAM, and frankly I’m just lucky I got the right team, never mind the score.
Next up:
2 Wesley (11-1) at 1 Mary Hardin-Baylor (12-0)
Belton High School Stadium, Belton TX, 1pm ET
Video and live stats available via Stretch Internet. Audio available via WDEL.
Series: Wesley leads 3-2 (last: 19-9 Wesley at Wesley, 2010 playoffs)
Jon’s Prediction:
Mary Hardin-Baylor 32, Wesley 27. Straight up: this game’s getting decided by home-field advantage. The teams are very close, both by the numbers and in their profiles.