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| Wartburg had a key takeaway late in the first half that it turned into points, and the Knights forced other mistakes from UW-Whitewater as well. Photo by Caleb Williams, d3photography.com |
Randolph-Macon won on a last-minute field goal, Cortland pulled away from Alma, and both WIAC teams took their opponents into the fourth quarter before falling in Saturday's national quarterfinal games. Cortland and Randolph-Macon will meet in the national semifinals, where each are playing for the first time, while North Central and Wartburg return to the semifinal round.
The game in Baltimore went the full 60 minutes before being decided, as the Yellow Jackets drove the length of the field and Kyle Ihle snuck a 34-yard field goal inside the left upright with 4 seconds left in a 39-36 victory at Johns Hopkins.
The Blue Jays (12-1) had tied the game twice in the fourth quarter, the second time as Bay Harvey capped a 12-play drive with a second-effort quarterback sneak to get in the end zone with 1:32 left. After a timeout and some deliberation, Johns Hopkins came out and elected to kick the extra point, which it did so successfully to even the game at 36.
On the ensuing drive, Randolph-Macon (13-0) faced a third-and-9 on its own 36 before Drew Campanale found David Wallis in the middle of the field at the JHU 45. Campanale followed with a deep shot over the middle that drew a pass interference penalty, as Luca Lutzel was left with no choice but to commit the penalty. Campanale later converted a third-and-5 with a 6-yard run, and Nick Hale centered the ball to the 16, setting up Ihle for the kick.
Campanale threw for three touchdowns, two of them to Wallis, and Mitchell Johnson ran for 144 yards and two TDs on just 11 carries in the win. The 13 wins are the most in Randolph-Macon football history.
In Alma, Michigan, three forced turnovers and a career day from receiver Joe Iadevaio carried Cortland to their first-ever NCAA semifinal, defeating Alma 58-41 on the road.
Iadevaio had one touchdown reception this season but found the end zone three times for the Red Dragons. In a back and forth contest, the teams traded touchdowns for the first 30 minutes and went to halftime tied 34-34. Trailing 41-34, Alma drove to the Cortland 2 yard line where Nick Lardaro forced a fumble of Trent Devereaux which was recovered by Cortland’s Anthony Luciano. The Red Dragons drove 87 yards in 13 plays capped by Ashton Capone’s 2-yard touchdown run to create the first multi score lead of the game for either team.
Leading 48-41 early in the fourth quarter, Zac Boyes found Cole Burgess for a 50-yard touchdown pass on 4th and 6 for the game’s final touchdown. The teams combined for over 1,200 yards of offense. Boyes led the attack for the Red Dragons completing 24 of his 33 pass attempts for 400 yards and five touchdowns. Jaden AlfanoStJohn rushed 28 times for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Iadeviao caught seven passes including three touchdowns. Carter St. John, hobbled by an ankle injury early in the second quarter, finished the game 14-for-20 with 201 yards, one touchdown, and one late interception.
DeAngelo Hardy did a little bit of everything for North Central on Saturday as the Cardinals won in La Crosse, Wisconsin, defeating UW-La Crosse 55-42. Hardy scored the team's first touchdown just 1:43 into the game, catching a 17-yard touchdown pass from Luke Lehnen, but that was one of the last typical wide receiver moments of his afternoon. Hardy went on to throw a TD pass on an option play, finding Joey Lombardi in the end zone for a 21-yard score with less than a minute left in the second quarter. Hardy ended the second quarter by outleaping everyone else in the jump ball on a Hail Mary on the half's final play, pulling down an interception of Keyser Helterbrand.
And on what was practically the game's final play, Hardy picked up the high hop on an onside kick attempt and returned it 55 yards for a touchdown. It was a touchdown that the Cardinals (13-0) turned out to need to help salt the game away, because although North Central roared out to a 28-7 lead, the Eagles battled back in the third and fourth quarter, including getting two three-and-outs on defense. The Eagles (11-2) followed each of those stops with touchdowns, one of which cut the North Central lead to 41-35. The second cut it to 48-42 with 32 seconds to go. But the onside kick not only failed, it turned into a game-sealing TD for Hardy.
That play was one of a number of key moments that helped the defending national champions keep the bracket's top-seeded team at bay. Julian Bell was responsible for another key moment, as he punched the ball out of running back Gabe Lynch's hands just before he crossed the goal line. The ball went out the back of the end zone for a touchback, and on the next play, Joe Sacco took a handoff and was gone, 80 yards for a touchdown for the Cardinals.
Ball gets punched out and it's a touchback for North Central, ending the scoring threat. #d3fb pic.twitter.com/FrqhbQanIa
— D3football.com (@d3football) December 2, 2023
Lehnen completed 12 of 15 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns, while running for 86 yards and a score. Sacco carried 17 times for 187 yards and the score. Helterbrand threw for 301 yards and two scores, and ran for 135 yards and three TDs for UW-La Crosse, completing 21 of 32 passes. Jack Studer led La Crosse with 10 catches for 204 yards and two TDs.
In Waverly, Iowa, UW-Whitewater started quickly, but Wartburg rallied not once, but twice to defeat the Warhawks 31-28 and advance to their second consecutive semifinal. Whitewater’s Tamir Thomas opened the scoring by taking an Alec Ogden pass 69 yards to the end zone on the game’s third play. Whitewater added another Thomas touchdown run and a Tommy Coates touchdown reception to take a commanding 21-3 lead with 12:21 left to play in the first half. Wartburg answered first with Hunter Clasen’s 12-yard touchdown reception, followed by Owen. Grover’s forced fumble of Ogden, then a 5-yard touchdown catch by Carter Henry that made the halftime score 21-17 in favor of Whitewater.
Wartburg took their first lead of the game on the opening drive of the third quarter where Clasen finished a 13-play, 82 yard drive. The Warhawks regained the lead with 8:11 left In the game on a second touchdown reception by Coates. After trading punts, the Knights started their game winning drive from their own 22 yard line. Converting two fourth downs along the way, Nile McLaughlin connected with Clasen on a throwback pass that was nearly knocked down by the outstretched arms of Lucas Stadler. Clasen slashed his way into the end zone for the go ahead score with 57 seconds to play. Preston Rochford sealed the victory with an interception on the final Whitewater offensive possession.
Clasen scored three touchdowns in the victory, two receiving and one on the ground. McLaughlin completed 26 of 45 passes for 301 yards and three touchdowns.