| Ryan Stefaniak and UW-Oshkosh
limited Bethel to 28 yards rushing for the game. Photo by Larry Radloff, d3photography.com More photos from this game |
Bethel scored the first 14 points, but UW-Oshkosh scored the final 37 behind a huge third quarter to advance to the national quarterfinals for the first time. Nata Wara went 9-for-10 passing for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the third quarter alone and held Bethel's leading receiver, Mitch Hallstrom, to just one catch after halftime in the 37-14 win.
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Cole Myhra scored twice for the Titans (12-0) in rushing for 177 yards, while Ryan Stefaniak had 13 total tackles, three tackles for loss and an interception to go with the safety that sealed the game in the fourth quarter.
Elmhurst jumped out to an early 14-0 advantage on St. Thomas as the Bluejays drove 80 yards for a touchdown and took advantage of a Brenton Braddock fumble to set up the second score. But the Tommies answered, as Matt O'Connell broke off a 48-yard run to get into Elmhurst territory and Braddock finished off the drive with a 1-yard run to cut the lead to 14-7.
Freshman receiver Matt Misiwicz took an O'Connell pass 88 yards for a touchdown to tie the game and defensive lineman Ayo Idowu returned a fumble 86 yards for a touchdown to give the Tommies the lead at half. Elmhurst could only manage a field goal in the second half, which the Tommies matched for the 24-17 final.
Despite losing quarterback Nick Strang, Hobart didn't miss a beat, as Steven Webb ran for 130 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, including a higlight-reel worthy 57-yard scamper in a 35-10 win against Wittenberg.
| Jasper Collins had four
touchdown catches by halftime for Mount Union. Photo by Dan Poel for d3photography.com More photos from this game |
The Statesmen held Wittenberg (10-2) to 26 yards on the ground and just 135 yards of total offense in improving to 12-0 and advancing to the quarterfinals. Bobby Dougherty added 85 yards and a touchdown as the five Hobart TDs came from five runners. Hobart should be traveling to St. Thomas for the quarterfinals.
Nick Kukuc had two late touchdown runs, but it was Linfield's defense intercepting Spencer Stanek five times that helped the Wildcats to a 30-14 win against North Central. Mickey Inns threw for 305 yards and two scores for Linfield, which could only manage 27 yards on 26 carries.
Mount Union had little trouble with its second round opponent as Kevin Burke threw five touchdown pases, all of them to Jasper Collins, in a 55-13 win against Johns Hopkins.
Jonathan Rigaud managed 138 yards rushing against the Purple Raiders defense, most of them on a 75-yard touchdown run in the second quarter which cut Mount Union's lead to 21-7.
Widener took advantage of two Salisbury fumbles in the first half to take a 14-0 lead into the locker room, then held on to win 28-7. Chris Haupt was 23-for-35 passing with 347 yards and one interception, while Anthony Davis caught 11 passes for 201 yards and a score as well as ran twice for 32 yards and a score. And Wesley rolled past Cortland State 56-6 to likely earn a return trip to Texas to play Mary Hardin-Baylor. Wesley scored twice on defense in the first three minutes of the game.
UMHB had an easy time of it against Franklin, rolling over the Grizzlies 63-17. LiDarral Bailey was out of the game by the second quarter in this one, after completing 12 of 15 passes for 136 yards and three touchdowns and rushing for 34 more. The Cru (12-0) led 14-0 before five minutes had gone and were up 42-0 with 9:26 to go in the second quarter.
UMHB's defense had three interceptions and held Franklin (9-3) to 51 yards rushing, although Kyle Linville did had 11 catches for 154 yards and a touchdown.