/notables/2018/09/week3-roundup

Roundup: Misericordia's search is over

More news about: Misericordia | Muhlenberg | St. Olaf
Misericordia players go crazy on the sidelines celebrating the win vs. Widener. (Misericordia athletics photo by Sean McKeag)
The celebration was on Saturday for Misericordia.
Misericordia athletics photo by Sean McKeag
 

The Cougars' misery

Misericordia never got its Year 4 boost from its first senior class. In fact, this is ths seventh year of the Cougars' program and Saturday's win vs. Widener was the first against anyone other than FDU-Florham and Wilkes.

Date Score, opponent Record
Nov. 16, 2013 63-40 at FDU-Florham 1-19
Sept. 20, 2014 35-0 vs. FDU-Florham 2-21
Nov. 7, 2015 31-24 vs. Wilkes 3-36
Nov. 12, 2016 40-36 vs. FDU-Florham 4-46
Sep. 23, 2017 43-14 vs. Wilkes 5-49
Sept. 15, 2018 36-35 vs Widener 6-56
     

Whether you blame a search engine, or not, Misericordia put up what was easily the biggest win in program history, with a dramatic two-point conversion to defeat Widener. 

Brady Williams somehow avoided a sack, spinning out of the would-be tackle and finding Sam Gillison in the end zone. The catch and two-point conversion gave Misericordia a 36-35 lead with four seconds left and the Cougars held on for what is easily the biggest win in program history. Misericordia had only ever won a total of five games.

Williams led his team on a 79-yard drive on 11 plays to win the game after Widener had scored three consecutive touchdowns to take a 35-28 lead.

The loss came after Widener coach Mike Kelly had cited an internet search engine for his team's lack of determination.

"I'm blaming Google. It's easy to pull out your magic thinking box (mobile device) and Google something," Kelly said at the Philadelphia Football Coaches Media Luncheon on Wednesday, "and you get an instant answer. I think that's hurt our society as much as anything. You should still make kids open up a Funk & Wagnall, Encyclopedia Britannica and actually have to put some effort in to do something."

It's not clear which search engine Williams uses, but he found his way to 63 yards of total offense on the final drive, including 3-for-3 passing for 44 yards and a touchdown with four seconds left, setting up the dramatic two-point conversion. He finished with 265 yards of total offense in the win. Damian Diaz provided the big blow on defense with an interception return for a touchdown that put the Cougars up 27-14 in the third quarter before the Pioneers (0-3) ripped off three long touchdown runs, two by Chris Randle, to regain the lead.

After bouncing around from school to school, across multiple divisions, it seems Ricardo Johnson III has finally settled in as a Division III starting quarterback at St. Olaf. Johnson threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more as the Oles (3-0) claimed the Goat Trophy for the fifth consecutive year, getting past crosstown rival Carleton 33-21. Johnson found Ben Smithson three times for 32 yards, all for scores. He also ran 24 times for a game-high 116 yards. Christian Zaytoun threw three TDs for the Knights (1-2) but was picked off four times. Johnson started his Division III career at Ohio Northern, helping lead the Polar Bears to a playoff win in 2015. In the interim, Johnson spent time at Division II Concordia-St. Paul.

Wabash remembered the late Evan Hansen, a four-year starter and team captain who died by suicide earlier this week. The Little Giants came out with a 10-man formation and took a delay of game penalty, which Kenyon declined. 

Quarterback Michael Ruisch was 11-for-22 for 217 yards and three touchdowns in the second half while receiver Mitch Carsley had four catches for 106 yards and a TD as Susquehanna erased an early 24-0 deficit to tie the game at 34-34 before falling to Muhlenberg by a 37-34 margin in overtime. Susquehanna had the first possession of the extra period but was stymied but a pair of penalties and a 42-yard field goal attempt rattled off the left upright and out. Muhlenberg gained just 5 yards on its overtime possession but hit a 37-yard field goal to end the game.

Ithaca held Alfred scoreless over the final 39:05 of the game and scored the final 21 points to beat the Saxons 21-13. The final TD came with just 69 seconds left in the game, after Alfred had turned the ball over on downs at the 6. Wahid Nabi threw for 182 yards on 20-of-28 passing for the Bombers (2-1).

Concordia-Moorhead and Augsburg beat the heat in Minneapolis with a 10 a.m. kickoff, and the Cobbers' running game was firing on all cylinders. Augsburg had no answer for fullback Rylie Sheridan, who had seven carries for 134 yards and two touchdowns, or for Dane Ringquist, who had seven carries for 128 yards and two scores in a 54-7 win. Neither played past the first few minutes of the third quarters as Concordia-Moorhead (2-1) rolled up 433 yards on the ground, sacked Augsburg's Quentin Lake six times and blocked two punts. 

Robert Grant tied a school record by picking off four passes and the University of Rochester had six interceptions in total as the Yellowjackets picked up their first win, edging Alfred State 20-14. Grant had one interception in each quarter. When he captured his third swipe – midway through the third period – he became the first Rochester player to intercept three in a game since Brian Daboll did it at Case Western Reserve in the 1995 opener. Daboll is the offensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills.

Geneva's Tyler Cann had three interceptions last week and added a pick-six Saturday to deal a 27-14 win vs. Thiel. Cann was the only Geneva player to catch a pass, as his team, a triple-option offense, got all 322 of its yards on the ground. ... Occidental had its official season opener and Willamette snapped a 12-game losing streak in a 25-6 victory. ... Shenandoah and Hobart had a knock-down, drag-out battle, as Hayden Bauserman threw for 471 yards and six touchdowns for Shenandoah but Hobart scored the last two touchdowns and rallied to win 56-48 on the road. Ryan Hoffman threw four TDs for the Statesmen, while Brian Haeffner ran for two scores in the win.

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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