Siena Heights earns an upset win over a nationally-ranked opponent, while No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan and No. 23 Saint Xavier each win top-25 battles in Week 6 in the MSFA.
#9 INDIANA WESLEYAN 23, #15 CONCORDIA 13
Twenty-three unanswered first-half points was too much to overcome, as No. 9 Indiana Wesleyan claimed a top-25 battle in the Mideast league over No. 15 Concordia, 23-13.
The Wildcats (3-1, 1-0 Mideast) opened the scoring with a 44-yard field goal from Ethan Collins at the end of the first quarter, before quarterback Xander Stokes went off for three TD passes before the end of the half. An 80-yard TD pass to Jacquez Carter was quickly followed by a 5-yard completion in the end zone to Perrion McClinton, after Lane Ruby grabbed an interception and sent the IWU offense back out on the field at the Concordia 4-yard line.
Concordia (1-3, 0-1 Mideast) responded with a 29-yard TD pass from Gavin Brooks to Donovan Johnson on the final play of the first half, as the Cardinals marched 75 yards in just over one minute to get on the board. Midway through the third quarter Brandon Stewart punched in the 1-yard TD run for the Cardinals, but the final three drives would end without points for the visitors.
Brooks finished with 327 yards on 22-of-39 passing with a TD, but four interceptions handicapped the Cardinal attack. Stewart led the receivers with 93 yards on four receptions. Carter tallied a game-high 101 receiving yards on four catches for the Wildcats.
Clayton Mosher had a team-high nine tackles for Indiana Wesleyan, while Donovan Shelton grabbed two picks in the win. Colby Kohmescher finished with eight tackles to lead Concordia.
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#23 SAINT XAVIER 21, #18 ROOSEVELT 20
A touchdown pass from Stuart Ross to Brandt Hixson with just 38 seconds on the clock would give No. 23 Saint Xavier a homecoming victory over No. 18 Roosevelt, 21-20.
The Cougars (3-2, 1-0 Midwest) jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first half following a pair of Matthew Chavers rushing TDs in the second quarter, but the Lakers (3-1, 0-1 Midwest) would pull even by the end of the third quarter with a pair of TD passes from Luke Wilson to Alex Tran.
Early in the fourth quarter Roosevelt took advantage of field position to lead a 41-yard TD drive, culminating in a Tyler Tenner rushing TD with 5:20 left in regulation. Despite the missed extra point, the Lakers took a 20-14 lead and forced a three-and-out on Saint Xavier’s next possession.
The Cougars would get a quick defensive stop themselves, re-gaining the ball at the Roosevelt 40-yard line with 1:54 on the clock. Four plays later, Mario Price would get SXU into the red zone with a 14-yard run, and Ross would find Hixson for a 13-yard TD to retake the lead, 21-20. The Lakers would drive into Cougar territory in the closing seconds but would run out of time on their final drive.
Price finished with 118 yards on 21 carries for Saint Xavier to lead the offense. Wilson tallied 243 passing yards with a pair of TDs for Roosevelt. Joey Markasovic posted a game-high 11 tackles with three tackles for loss and a sack for the Cougars, while Zavier Barnes made ten stops with a sack to anchor the Roosevelt defense.
The win is also the 200th for SXU head coach Mike Feminis, who becomes the third active coach in the NAIA to reach the 200-win plateau.
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SIENA HEIGHTS 13, #22 SAINT FRANCIS (IND.) 10
A Siena Heights defense that held No. 22 Saint Francis to 206 yards of total offense and just six rushing yards led the Saints to the upset victory, 13-10 over the Cougars.
Following a 35-yard Anthony Secchi field goal, the Saints (2-2, 1-0 Mideast) pushed their lead to 10-0 early in the second quarter on a 33-yard TD pass from Hayden Lehmann to Michael Guyton. The Cougars (2-2, 0-1 Mideast) got on the scoreboard before the end of the half, with a 32-yard field goal from Jack James.
After a scoreless third quarter, Secchi split the uprights again from 33 yards out to put Siena Heights back up by two scores with 4:01 remaining in regulation. The Cougars would close the gap, driving 65 yards in just under two minutes resulting in a TD pass from Heath Simmons to Eli Patchett.
A three-and-out by the Saint Francis defense allowed the Cougars on final drive starting at their own 46-yard line. USF would reach the Saints’ 40 but were stopped and forced to attempt a 58-yard field goal attempt that would fall short to complete the upset for Siena Heights.
Lehmann finished with 226 passing yards, while Kaleb Jefferson rushed for 98 yards on 19 carries to lead the Saints. Maxwell Shiltz caught a game-high nine receptions for the Couguars, recording a game-high 98 yards and a TD.
Defensively, Amir Stewart led the Saints with nine tackles and a forced fumble. Nate Talhelm made 17 tackles for Saint Francis, including a sack while Memphis Lee posted two and a half sacks with four tackles overall.
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#5 MARIAN 67, TAYLOR 7
No. 5 Marian celebrated homecoming weekend with a dominant offensive display, as the Knights found the end zone ten times in a 67-7 win over Taylor.
The Knights (4-0, 1-0 Mideast) scored touchdowns on all four first-half possessions then added a fifth TD on Logan Blake’s 88-yard pick-six in the closing seconds of the second quarter. Five more TD drives after the halftime break left Marian in control throughout the day, as the Knights generated 539 yards of total offense in the win.
Bundalo threw for 252 yards and two TDs, completing 15 of 23 pass attempts. Five Knights recorded at least one rushing TD and three rushers had 60 or more yards on the day, led by Keagan La Belle’s 70 yards on seven carries.
Elijah McCloskey threw for 177 yards and a TD to lead the Trojans (3-3, 0-1 Mideast), finding Dakohta Sonnichsen for Taylor’s lone score on the day. Sonnichsen led all receivers with 82 yards on two catches, including an 80-yard TD pass.
Jake Paris led the Marian defense with nine tackles. Jacob Hockett made eight tackles for the Trojans.
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ST. FRANCIS (ILL.) 28, MISSOURI BAPTIST 21
Despite being held to just 19 passing yards and 3 completions by the Missouri Baptist defense, St. Francis forced four turnovers and had a pivotal play on special teams to secure a 28-21 road win over the Spartans.
The Saints (2-2, 1-0 Midwest) struck first on the game’s opening drive, with the first of three Sam Tumilty rushing TDs. Ashton Strother responded in the second quarter for the Spartans (2-3, 0-1 Midwest), finding Jacob Harness for a 40-yard score to tie the game.
Tumilty and Strother traded scores throughout the game, with Missouri Baptist tying the game at 21-21 with a 1-yard TD pass from Strother to Josh Munn, taking advantage of a short field on Demingo Loggins’ interception. Both teams would go three-and-out on their next possessions, but with 2:26 left in regulation, Ryan King would block the Spartans’ punt, and Logan Johnson would return the ball 32 yards for the go-ahead TD.
The Spartans’ final drive would cross midfield, but Nick Mabutas would close out the game with an interception for the Saints.
Tumilty finished with 61 rushing yards and three TDs to lead the St. Francis attack, while Strother passed for 216 yards, completing 22 of 36 passes for three TDs. Defensively, Michael Johnson recorded eight tackles and a half-sack for USF, and Blake Kight led the Spartans with 12 tackles and a forced fumble. Jeremiah Austin posted two sacks on the day for MBU.
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OLIVET NAZARENE 64, JUDSON 22
Over 500 yards of total offense and nine trips to the end zone would leave Olivet Nazarene in control from start to finish, as the Tigers secured a 64-22 home victory over Judson to open Midwest League play.
The Tigers (2-2, 1-0 Misdwest) opened with 16 first-quarter points, with a pair of TD passes from Cameron Crouch as well as a safety following a Kayde Mahuka kickoff that pinned the Eagles inside their own five-yard line. Judson (1-3, 0-1 Midwest) responded with the first of three TD runs from Brandon Mackey, but ONU would stay in front throughout the game with at least two touchdowns in each quarter of the game.
Crouch threw for just 97 yards but three TDs in the win, completing 10 of 17 passes on the day. Evan Leake and Arthur Walker each rushed for 132 and 121 yards, respectively, along with a TD apiece as five ONU rushers found paydirt in the win.
Mackey carried the load for Judson, rushing 15 times for 245 yards and three TDs, including scoring runs of 60 and 75 yards.
Damien Thornton led the ONU defense with nine tackles, while Mitrez Rawls picked up 11 stops for the Eagles.
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LAWRENCE TECH 38, MADONNA 10
Madonna would jump out to a 10-0 lead in the first half, but the Crusaders were unable to hold off the visiting Blue Devils, as Lawrence Tech rallied for 38 unanswered points in a 38-10 victory.
The Crusaders (0-6, 0-2 Mideast) built their lead on a 37-yard field goal from William Stoyano, followed by a second-quarter TD pass from Josh DePaulis to D’Vonta Garrett. Lawrence Tech (2-3, 1-1 Mideast) responded just before the end of the half, driving 57 yards culminating in a TD pass from Tyler Kulka to Ben Meathe.
The second half was all LTU, starting with a 40-yard fumble recovery return from Christian Broaden for the TD on the first play from scrimmage. Kulka added two more TD passes to Kendyl Williams, then rushed for an 11-yard TD in the fourth quarter as the Blue Devils cruised to the win.
Williams finished with a game-high six catches for 97 yards for Lawrence Tech, while C.J. Davidson rushed 13 times for 83 yards. DePaulis completed 7 of 10 pass attempts for the Crusaders, tallying 73 yards and a TD on the day.
Ryan Crowley collected seven tackles to lead the LTU defense, while Julius Adams’ seven stops anchored the Madonna defense.
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ST. AMBROSE 49, TRINITY INTERNATIONAL 7
A balanced St. Ambrose attack that generated over 200 yards both on the ground and through the air led to a dominant Midwest League win for the Bees, 49-7 over Trinity International.
Tom Casey threw for four TDs in the win, all in the first half, completing 14 of 21 passes for 236 yards. Yemi Ward was the Bees’ quarterback’s favorite target, bringing in five catches for 174 yards and two TDs. Kaden King took over in the second half, scoring one TD and rushing 16 times for 116 yards.
Derek Lowe led the Trojans (0-5, 0-1 Midwest) with 78 rushing yards and a TD on 14 carries. Khalid Humphreys caught five passes for Trinity International, for a team-high 25 yards.
Vince Shaw, De’Viann Titus-Porter, and Major Haas all recorded interceptions for St. Ambrose, while Corey Watkins and Matthew Perry each had five tackles to lead the Trojans.
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