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Toms keep playoff hopes alive with comeback win

More news about: St. Thomas

In Saturday's battle of top-25 ranked Division III football teams, sophomore RB Jack Kaiser and freshman RB Nick Waldvogel each recorded 100-yard rushing games to lead a balanced Tommie offense in a 34-20 St. Thomas home win over Concordia-Moorhead. 

The No. 18-ranked Tommies (7-2 overall, 5-2 MIAC) kept alive their uphill hopes for an NCAA at-large playoff berth, while the No. 21 Cobbers (7-2, 5-2) saw their postseason hopes diminished.

St. Thomas fell behind 13-0 on the game's first 5:50 as Cobber QB Griffin Neal executed a 20-yard touchdown pass scampered 30 yards for rushing TD. 

The Tommie defense turned the ride thereafter, as it allowed just 177 yards and seven points over the game's final 53:10 and posted three sacks. 

The Tommie offense scored touchdowns on four consecutive first-half possessions to regain the lead and the momentum. They finished with 233 rushing yards and 225 passing yards.

Kaiser rushed 24 times for 134 yards and three short TD runs. Waldvogel rushed 15 times for 100 yards and caught two passes for 37 yards. Soph QB Alex Fenske completed 14-of-26 passes with one interception and one TD pass. Dan Ferrazzo had seven catches for 85 yards, and Charlie Dowdle caught three passes for 79 yards including a 26-yard TD.

For the Cobbers, Neal rushed 18 times for 66 yards and completed 15-of-31 with one interception and one TD and 188 yards. Brandon Zylstra had a 20-yard scoring reception and finished with 69 yards on three catches. 

Glenn Caruso became the first St. Thomas football coach in the program's 109-year history to lead teams to seven or more victories in six consecutive seasons.

Dec. 15: All times Eastern
Final
Cortland 38, at North Central (Ill.) 37
@ Salem, Virginia
Video Box Score Recap Photos
Dec. 9: All times Eastern
Final
North Central (Ill.) 34, at Wartburg 27
Box Score Recap
Final
Cortland 49, at Randolph-Macon 14
Box Score Recap Recap Recap Photos
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