No. 5 Concordia and No. 25 Indiana Wesleyan picked up key MSFA Crossover victories over nationally-ranked opponents to highlight the action in Week 4 around the MSFA.
________________________________________
#25 INDIANA WESLEYAN 52, #6 OLIVET NAZARENE 28
Never trailing throughout the game, No. 25 Indiana Wesleyan cruised to their first-ever win over an NAIA top-ten ranked program, defeating No. 6 Olivet Nazarene 52-28.
The Wildcats took advantage on defense, scoring 21 points off four IWU takeaways on the night. Tied 7-7 midway through the first quarter, the Wildcats (3-0) scored 28 unanswered points before the end of the half, finding the end zone on five of their seven first-half possessions.
David Hutton would close the gap before the half by capping a 75-yard drive with a three-yard TD pass to Jalen Dunnigan, but Indiana Wesleyan would score another 17 straight to put the game out of reach.
Devodney Alford led the way for the Wildcat offense, rushing for 143 yards and three TDs on 24 carries. Brayden Smith collected six receptions for 109 yards. On defense, Josh Davidson collected a team-high 11 tackles with a half-sack.
Hutton collected 298 passing yards for the Tigers (2-1), completing 28 of 46 passes and throwing a pair of TDs. Dunnigan made nine catches for 134 yards and a score, while Jason Freeman had a game-high 12 tackles with two tackles for loss.
________________________________________
#5 CONCORDIA 16, #16 ROOSEVELT 14
In a top-25 battle, No.16 Roosevelt nearly completed the comeback, but the final drive came up short as No. 5 Concordia held on for the home victory, 16-14.
The Cardinals (2-0) opened a 10-0 lead in the first quarter thanks to a 24-yard field goal from Luis Gomez, and a 21-yard TD pass from Gavin Brooks to Luke Wilson. Meanwhile, the Concordia defense held Roosevelt (1-1) off the scoreboard throughout the first half, as the Lakers crossed midfield during just one drive before the break.
The visitors got on the board early in the third quarter, when Jack Sheehan connected with Denzel Tolliver for a 57-yard TD pass. Both sides traded punts until the Cardinals extended their lead with a 68-yard TD drive, capped by Kirell Jackson finding the end zone to put Concordia up 16-7. Roosevelt responded on their next drive, going 83 yards in just over three minutes, then forced a three-and-out to earn a potential game-winning drive with 1:20 left on the clock. The Lakers advanced to Cardinal territory, but a lost fumble would end the game and earn Concordia the victory.
Brooks finished with 177 passing yards, completing 15 of 27 passes with one TD. Casey Raunch and Aaron Rahn each led the CUAA defense with 13 tackles apiece. Sheehan tallied 297 yards through the air to lead the Roosevelt attack, going 22-fo-33 with a pair of TDs. Tolliver led the receiving corps with eight catches for 133 yards. Defensively, Corties Draper made a team-high seven tackles for the Lakers.
________________________________________
#9 MARIAN 40, ST. FRANCIS (ILL.) 17
With a balanced attack that collected over 550 yard of total offense, No. 9 Marian cruised to their second win of the season, 40-17 at St. Francis (Ill.).
Zach Bundalo threw for 277 yards and three TDs in the win, while a pair of Marian rushers eclipsed 100 yards. Daylen Taylor led the Knights (2-1) with 142 yards and a TD on 20 carries, while Tristen Tonte took 26 rushing attempts for 116 yards on the day.
The first two drives of the game for Marian reached the end zone, as Bundalo first found C.J. Young for a 36-yard TD pass, then connected with Johnny William for a 68-yard score. The Saints (0-1) responded with a Sam Tumilty TD run off of a takeaway, when Angel Mata grabbed an interception. Brian Maday’s 22-yard field goal closed the first-half scoring with Marian holding a 17-10 lead.
Three second-half field goals from Marlon Pomili kept the Knights in front the rest of the game, with Taylor closing out the win with a 50-yard TD run in the closing minutes.
Tumilty led the Saints in both passing and rushing, collecting 161 yards and one TD through the air, and 52 yards with a TD on the ground. Ravon Johnson caught four passes for 149 yards and one TD, while Chris Johnson anchored the USF defense with 16 tackles. Sir’Zion Dance collected nine tackles, and Kyrstapher Oakley had six tackles and two sacks for the Knights.
________________________________________
#14 SAINT FRANCIS (IND.) 45, JUDSON 34
Trailing by as much as 28 in the first half, the upstart Judson Eagles nearly pulled off the comeback over No. 16 Saint Francis (Ind.), as the Cougars held on for a 45-34 road win.
The Cougars (1-0) opened the game with touchdowns on five of their first six drives, including a blocked punt by Luke Owens that was recovered in the end zone for a 35-7 USF lead. Judson (0-3) responded with an 80-yard TD pass from Aubrey Williams to O’Vauntay Vickers, then recovered an onside kick, setting up another Williams-to-Vickers touchdown on the final play of the first half, cutting the Cougar lead to 35-21 at the break.
A touchdown on Judson’s opening drive of the third quarter made it a one-possession game, but a 36-yard Jack James field goal pushed Saint Francis’ advantage back to double digits, 38-28 early in the fourth quarter. Williams led Judson on one final touchdown drive to close the gap to four, but the Cougars put the game away on their next drive with a Will Homan rushing TD.
Homan finished with 113 yards and two TDs on 20 carries, while Cameron Peterson collected 102 rushing yards and a TD on 19 attempts. Five different players collected a team-high five tackles on the Cougar defense, with Alfred Moore getting two sacks on the day.
Williams completed 21 of 37 passes for the Eagles, recording 289 yards and three TDs. Vickers caught a game-high nine passes for 177 yards and two TDs. DeMarius Farmer finished with ten tackles for the Judson defense.
________________________________________
LAWRENCE TECH 29, ST. AMBROSE 24
The visitors held a three-point lead at the halftime break, but four second-half turnovers by the St. Ambrose offense allowed Lawrence Tech to come from behind for a 29-24 win on Saturday.
The Blue Devils (3-0) took the lead with an 82-yard kick return by Christian Broad, followed by a 10-yard TD pass from Tyler Kulka to Kendyl Williams on the game’s opening drive. St. Ambrose (1-3) bounced back with Cade Gorzny’s 68-yard TD run, and a TD pass from Tom Casey to Yemi Ward, giving the Bees a 14-7 second-quarter advantage.
Kulka put Lawrence Tech back in front with 21 unanswered points on three TD passes, including a 59-yard score to Jaden Rembert in the closing minutes of the first half. St. Ambrose made it a one-possession game late in the fourth quarter, and crossed midfield in their final drive, but the potential game-winning drive was ended with an interception by LTU’s Jon Williams.
Kulka finished with 296 passing yards and 4 TDs, completing 19 of 35 passes in the win. Kendyl Williams tallied 120 yards on seven catches with a pair of scores. Defensively, Tommy Lappin made 11 tackles for the Blue Devils, with two and a half tackles for loss and one sack.
Gorzny led the Fighting Bees attack, with 133 rushing yards on 15 carries and one TD. On the other side of the ball, Nick Daniel finished with a team-high 10 tackles, and one and a half tackles for loss.
________________________________________
SAINT XAVIER 20, SIENA HEIGHTS 13
Saint Xavier would score just one offensive touchdown at Siena Heights on Saturday, but Mason Gray’s 38-yard catch from Kyle Quinn would be enough to give the Cougars their first win of the season, 20-13 in a defensive battle over the Saints.
Siena Heights (0-2) took a 7-3 lead in the second quarter after a blocked punt set the Saints up inside the red zone, and Hayden Lehmann found the end zone two plays later. The Cougars responded immediately, as Brandt Hixson returned the following kickoff 96 yards for the touchdown and a 10-7 SXU lead.
Both sides traded field goals before the end of the first half, then a 37-yard Anthony Secchi field goal late in the third quarter tied the game at 13-13. SXU moved back in front with Quinn’s TD pass to Gray, then the Cougar defense forced two fourth-down stops in Saint Xavier territory on the Saints’ final two drives to earn the win.
Quinn’s lone attempt of the game was the winning TD pass, as Stuart Ross collected 115 yards on 17-of-28 passing for the Cougars. Peyton Nigro finished with 10 tackles and a pair of sacks for the SXU defense. Lehmann went 16-for-30, for 165 passing yards for Siena Heights, with Kole Murlin leading the defense with 16 tackles and a half-sack.
________________________________________
MISSOURI BAPTIST 42, MADONNA 24
A rushing attack that finished with over 200 yards and four TDs led Missouri Baptist to their first 3-0 start in program history, as the Spartans earned a 42-24 home win over Madonna.
A pair of Ronald Allen TDs from inside the five yard line set the tone early, as the Spartans (3-0) opened a 12-0 lead by the end of the first quarter. MBU stretched their lead to 20-7 at the halftime break, capping a 77-yard drive with a TD run from Devin Willis with just nine seconds left to play before the end of the half.
Madonna (1-3) rallied in the third quarter, using a pick-six from Owen Aldridge and a TD pass from Luke Pfromm to Xavier Ricks to cut the Spartan lead to 22-21 midway through the period. Tyler Ball would put the game away for Missouri Baptist however, scoring a 52-yard TD reception from Josh Munn, then returning a kickoff 95 yards for another score that put the Spartans up by 10 by the end of the third quarter.
Darius Morrison led the balanced rushing attack for MBU, finishing with 72 yards and one TD on nine carries. Ball collected 102 receiving yards on seven catches, while Giovanoi Sanes made six tackles and one and a half sacks to lead the Spartan defense.
Pfromm finished with 279 yards and completed 22 of 42 passes with a TD for Madonna, with D’Vonta Garrett making nine catches for 116 yards. Dalen Cobb made a game-high eight tackles, while Mitch Nguyen forced a pair of fumbles for the Saints defense.
________________________________________
TRINITY INTERNATIONAL 49, IOWA WESLEYAN 32
With a 26-point third quarter, Trinity International opened their 2021 campaign with a come-from-behind win, 49-32 over Iowa Wesleyan.
The Trojans (1-0) quickly found themselves with a 13-0 lead in under four minutes of play to start the game, as Derek Lowe threw a 3-yard TD pass to Derrick Taylor, then ran in another score from 15 yards out, following a Lorenzano Blake interception on the Tigers’ first play from scrimmage.
Iowa Wesleyan (0-4) responded, scoring 20 unanswered points before a Cameron Outlaw field goal cut the home team’s lead to 20-16. The Tigers added in one more touchdown before the end of the half, taking a 26-16 lead into the break.
The Trojans saw their largest deficit of the game after Iowa Wesleyan connected for a 61-yard TD pass on the second play of the third quarter, giving the Tigers a 32-16 advantage. The momentum started to turn for Trinity International on the extra-point attempt, when Demetrius Jester returned the blocked kick 97 yards for a two-point PAT return. Javier Acosta then found the end zone with a 44-yard TD run, and Blake grabbed his second interception of the game, this time returning the ball 45 yards for the TD and tying the game at 32-32.
TIU’s defense would shut the door the rest of the way, as three consecutive drives would end in interceptions for the Iowa Wesleyan offense.
Acosta finished with 161 rushing yards on 13 carries, while Derek Lowe rushed for 97 yards on 24 attempts. On the other side of the ball, Blake and Steven Williams each grabbed two interceptions, while Kemon Reese led the defense with 12 tackles.
________________________________________
BUTLER (IND.) 77, TAYLOR 24
The Taylor Trojans opened with a 14-point advantage, and held a lead through one quarter of play against NCAA Division I Butler (Ind.), but a 35-point second quarter for the Bulldogs quickly put the game out of reach, as the Trojans fell 77-24.
A pair of Brendan Lamb rushing TDs put the Trojans (1-1) in front 14-0 less than four minutes into the contest, before two long TD passes of 43 and 66 yards, respectively tied the score midway through the first quarter. A 42-yard field goal from Zane Shilts edged Taylor back in front before Butler responded with 35 unanswered points to put the game out of reach, thanks in part to four consecutive turnovers by the TU offense.
Grant Gerig led the Trojans with 85 rushing yards on just four carries, while Lamb collected 64 yards on a team-high 17 rush attempts. Defensively, Josh Saltzgaber led the Trojans with nine tackles and an interception.
Recent Comments