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| Mary Hardin-Baylor has posed for this photo twice before, in 2016 and 2018, and now can add 2021 to the collection of memories. d3photography.com photo |
Mary Hardin-Baylor leveraged four North Central turnovers and an explosive offense that rolled up 596 yards to defeat North Central 57-24 in Stagg Bowl XLVIII. With the win, the Crusaders capture their second national championship in the past three tournaments and extend their current win streak to 20 games.
The Cru took control of a 19-17 game in the third quarter. Aphonso Thomas finished a 12-play, 81-yard drive with a physical 15-yard touchdown run to open the second half. North Central appeared to have an answer as Cardinal quarterback Luke Lehnen threw toward a wide-open Blake Williams, but All-American safety Jefferson Fritz ranged over and intercepted the pass at the goal line. The Crusaders converted that turnover into their first points off of a turnover in the game with a 10-play, 91-yard drive ending with Thomas’s second touchdown run of the game.
Now leading 33-17, Stagg Bowl XLVIII Most Outstanding Player Mikkah Hackett corralled a pass tipped off of Andrew Kamienski’s hands. Hackett returned the interception 42 yards to the Cardinal 9-yard line. The Cardinal defense held UMHB to a field goal, but the die was cast in a third quarter featuring two UMHB scoring drives and two Cardinal turnovers.
The first half was a roller coaster affair as the first Stagg Bowl in nearly two years opened with D’Angelo Hardy returning the game’s kickoff 92 yards for the defending champion Cardinals. The Crusaders responded with a dominant first quarter, led by quarterback Kyle King. King completed seven of eight passes in the first quarter with touchdown passes to Brandon Jordan and K.J. Miller. Despite the explosive start for North Central, UMHB led 16-7 after the game’s first 15 minutes.
North Central mounted a rally in the second stanza when Sam Taviani forced a Brenton Martin fumble at the North Central 10-yard line. Ethan Greenfield rushed for 48 of his game-high 124 yards on a 90-yard Cardinal scoring drive for North Central’s first offensive touchdown of the game.
On the ensuing drive, cornerback Jake Beesley forced a King fumble recovered by Cameron Martin. The Cardinals were not able to turn the second Crusader turnover into another touchdown, but Tanner Rains converted a 22-yard field goal to put the Cardinals back ahead 17-16 with 2:08 left in the half.
Despite turnovers on the two previous dives, King led UMHB in a two-minute drill completing four of four passes on an 8-play drive that culminated in Brandon Cunningham’s 22-yard field goal to give the Crusaders a 19-17 advantage at the half.
King completed 22 of 29 pass attempts for 436 yards and three touchdowns. Martin and Miller each caught nine passes for 170 and 149 yards, respectively. Thomas led the Crusaders on the ground with 65 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries. Aside from the two second-quarter fumbles, UMHB scored on every possession in the game.
Kamieski finished his North Central career with team highs of eight receptions and 115 yards. Lehnen completed 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards, one touchdown and was intercepted three times.
Hackett finished the game with 10 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. Hackett joins Loussaint Minett (UW-Whitewater, 2011) and Nick Brish (Mount Union, 2017) as the only defensive players to be named Most Outstanding Player at the Stagg Bowl.