No. 5 Concordia took the first step in defending their Mideast League crown Saturday, highlighting six games of action across the MSFA.
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#5 CONCORDIA 28, #11 INDIANA WESLEYAN 21
No. 11 Indiana Wesleyan would tie the game with a TD late in the fourth quarter, but Concordia’s Gavin Brooks would lead the offense on a 10-play, 69-yard TD drive in the closing minutes to give the 5th-ranked Cardinals the edge, 28-21.
Brooks threw three TD passes in the win, including two in the first quarter that got the Cardinals (3-0, 1-0 Mideast) out to a 14-0 lead. The Wildcats (3-1, 0-1 Mideast) responded with a pair of scoring drives in the second quarter, as Brayden Smith brought in two TD catches to tie the game at the half.
Trailing 21-14, Xander Stokes found Jacuqez Carter for a six-yard TD to even the score again for IWU, but left enough time on the clock for Brooks to lead the game-winning drive. A late interception grabbed by Gerald McHenry clinched the victory for the Cardinals.
Brooks finished with 188 yards on 24-of-36 passing, while Keirell Jackson rushed for 108 yards on just 14 carries. Stokes led the IWU attack with 261 yards and two TDs, completing 24 of 33 passes. Smith made a game-high nine receptions for 101 yards.
Defensively, Aaron Rahn made ten tackles for CUAA, while Hunter Maynard finished with nine tackles and an interception. Jamis Carson made a team-leading ten tackles for the Wildcats.
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SIENA HEIGHTS 27, #25 SAINT FRANCIS (IND.) 17
Back-to-back touchdown drives in the third quarter proved to be the difference, as Siena Heights opened Mideast League play with an upset road win over No. 25 Saint Francis (Ind.), 27-17.
Trailing 10-6 at the half, the Saints (2-2, 1-0 Mideast) took the lead with a 14-yard TD pass from Ryan Minor to Sam Cousino midway through the third. Following a three-and-out from the SHU defense that included a sack from Vincent Walker, the Saints forced a quick punt and scored again. Minor connected with Eric Williams for a 41-yard TD pass, giving the Saints the lead for good.
A blocked punt by River Walsh brought Saint Francis (1-2, 0-1 Mideast) back into the game late in the fourth quarter, as Walsh returned the punt 36 yards for the TD, but the Cougar offense was unable to put any more points on the board.
Minor finished with two TD passes and 130 yards, going 12-for-21 through the air. Williams was SHU’s top target, bringing in five receptions for 113 yards and a score. The defensive unit got to the Cougar quarterback five times on the day, with Andrew McGaughy making six tackles and one sack.
Heath Simmons collected 211 yards for USF, completing 23 of 40 passes. Walsh led the defense with 13 tackles and one tackle for loss.
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#7 MARIAN 51, TAYLOR 7
The 7th-ranked Knights used a rushing effort that generated 263 yards and five TDs, as Marian took a commanding 51-7 road win at Taylor.
Marian (4-1, 2-0 Mideast) got off to a slow start and was tied 7-7 at the half after both sides traded first-quarter touchdowns. The Knights would then pull away in the second half, scoring touchdowns on six of their eight second-half drives. Daylen Taylor led the way, rushing 18 times for 143 yards and two TDs, while Baron Huebler collected three TDs and 61 yards on nine carries. Tyler Bukur finished with one and a half sacks, and seven tackles overall.
Brendan Lamb led the offense for Taylor (1-3, 0-1 Mideast), gaining 96 yards on 24 carries while also bringing in a team-high 15 receiving yards on two catches. Josh Saltzgaber made a game-high ten tackles for the Trojans.
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#14 OLIVET NAZARENE 58, JUDSON 19
With touchdowns on five of their first six drives, No. 14 Olivet Nazarene built a 34-0 lead and never looked back, defeating Judson 58-19 in their Midwest League opener.
David Hutton threw for 247 yards on just 10 completions in the win, including four TD passes. Brian Jenkins had a team-high 157 receiving yards on two catches, both going for scores, including a 97-yard TD catch late in the first half. Mattias Clark led the Tigers (3-1, 1-0 Midwest) on the ground, with 121 yards on 12 carries.
The Judson offense was able to put some points on the board, finding the end zone once in each of the second, third, and fourth quarters. Christian Mille threw for 145 yards and two TDs on the day, while O’Vauntay Vickers made eight catches for 143 yards and a TD.
Defensively, Jackson Reese made five tackles with a sack to lead Olivet Nazarene, and David Dunbar’s eight tackles led the defensive effort for the Eagles (1-4, 0-1 Midwest)
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ST. FRANCIS (ILL.) 20, MISSOURI BAPTIST 13
A pair of second-half touchdowns completed the come-from-behind victory, as St. Francis (Ill.) opened Midwest League play with a 20-13 win over Missouri Baptist.
The Spartans (3-2, 0-1 Midwest) tied the game in the second quarter with a 37-yard Odaine Reid field goal, then capitalized on a USF muffed punt that set up the Missouri Baptist offense in the red zone. Six plays later, the Spartans took a 13-6 lead on Darius Morrison’s five-yard TD run just before the end of the half.
The Saints (1-2, 1-0 Midwest) would recover, tying the game at 13-13 midway through the third quarter. Sam Tumilty drove USF 42 yards in five plays, finding Ravon Johnson in the end zone from two yards out.
When Brian Maday’s punt pinned Missouri Baptist on their own three yardline, it set the table for St. Francis’ T.J. Neal to recover a fumble inside the MBU 15-yardline just two plays later. Tumilty would punch the ball in for a TD moments later, giving St. Francis the 20-13 lead they would hold the rest of the way.
Sam Tumilty finished with three TDs for the Saints, both on the ground and through the air, finishing with 142 passing yards and two TDs, along with 100 rushing yards and one score. Scott Tumilty led the defensive side of the ball for the Saints, with 12 tackles, a tackle for loss, and the key forced fumble in the fourth quarter.
Josh Munn threw for 176 yards for the Spartans, finding Tyler Ball a game-high nine times for 101 yards. Rakweon Ramsey made five tackles to go along with one and a half tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble.
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ST. AMBROSE 49, TRINITY INTERNATIONAL 28
Two quick TD drives from Trinity International to end the first half tied the game, but St. Ambrose would score 28 unanswered to claim the victory in the Midwest League opener.
A total of nine TD passes were completed between both sides, with St. Ambrose’s Tom Casey going 21-for-30 for 247 yards and five TDs. Nolan Brammer tallied 331 passing yards and three TDs for the Trojans (2-3, 0-1 Midwest).
T’Nahleg Hall put the Bees (2-3, 1-0 Midwest) on top in the first quarter with a 12-yard TD run, but the Trojans came back early in the second, when Brammer found Deon Cook for the first of his three TD catches on the day. St. Ambrose would lead 21-7 after a pair of scores, including an eight-play, 93-yard drive by the SAU offense. The Trojans then found the end zone twice in the final 4:05 of the first half, evening the score again at 21-21.
Three second-half turnovers killed the Trojans’ momentum however, as St. Ambrose took the lead on a 42-yard TD pass from Casey to Yemi Ward early in the third quarter, then added in 21 fourth-quarter points to secure the win.
Hall finished with 95 rushing yards on 15 carries for the Bees, while Cade Gorzny tallied 92 yards on 17 rushes. Ward made six catches for 93 yards and a pair of TDs.
Cook led the Trojan attack all day, grabbing 10 receptions for 222 yards and three TDs. Defensively, Corey Watkins made ten tackles for TIU, while D.J. Oshin finished with seven tackles and three sacks for the Bees.
