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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
SEARCY, Ark. -- Ball control for Harding and a slow start for Washburn were the keys to Saturday's NCAA Division II first-round playoff game, with the Bisons opening up a 27-7 lead early in the second half on the way to a 30-14 victory at First Security Stadium.
Harding, which improved to 11-1 with its 10th straight victory, ran 93 offensive plays to 36 by Washburn and had the ball for 47 minutes, 24 seconds, compared to 12:09 possession time for the Ichabods, who fnished the season 9-3.
"I'm just proud of our team,'' Washburn coach Craig Schurig said. "It's a great challenge to make it to the NCAA playoffs and we did it. We're obviously disappointed, but hats off to Harding. They played a great game and took control of the game and we couldn't quite get back in it.''
Harding dominated the first half, outgaining Washburn by a 279-34 margin in total yards and running 46 plays to just 16 for the Ichabods en route to a 20-7 advantage at the break.
"It was definitely frustrating, but we knew coming into the game they were going to have the ball a lot with their style of play,'' Washburn standout James Letcher Jr. said. "We just had to try to capitalize whenever we got the ball and we didn't do what we wanted to do today but you best believe we'll be back.''
Washburn's James Letcher Jr. splits Harding's defenders for a 97-yard kickoff return in Saturday's 30-14 NCAA playoff loss. [Photo by Phil Anderson/Special to TSN]
The first-half highlight for Washburn was a 97-yard kickoff return from Letcher (Trenton Brehm kick), but the Ichabods struggled mightily on offense, gaining just 3 yards on six rushing attempts in the opening half and going 4 of 10 passing for 31 yards.
Harding set the tone for the half on its opening possession of the game, going 79 yards in 12 plays for a 1-yard touchdown by senior quarterback Preston Paden with 6:41 left in the opening quarter (Grant Ennis kick).
"I think that first drive, it's hard to get the speed of the game with the work team and that first drive that dive hits real fast and we coudn't quite slow it down,'' Schurig said. "Then I thought our defense kind of got their legs under them and started slowing it down some.
"Offensively we had real trouble getting on track and they did a nice job defensively, and our third-down conversions we weren't short, we were third and long a lot and that kind of hurt us.''
After forcing two straight Washburn punts, the Bisons put together another long drive, pushing their lead to 10-0 on a 29-yard Ennis field goal with 8:58 left in the first half.
Washburn got back in the game on Letcher's return, but Harding, which rarely passes the ball, caught the Ichabods off guard for a 54-yard touchdown pass from Paden to sophomore Roland Wallace on its ensuing possession (Ennis kick) to give the Bisons a 17-7 lead with 5:00 left in the half.
After forcing Washburn's fourth punt of the first half, Harding added a 45-yard Ennis field goal on the final play of the half to put the Bisons in front, 20-7.
The Bisons then made it a three-score game on their first drive of the second half, moving 74 yards in 15 plays and holding the ball for 8:13 before Harding star running back Cole Chancey scored on a 12-yard run with 6:39 left in the third quarter.
After the Ichabods' defense came up with a big stop, Washburn finally got its offense untracked, with Mitch Schurig completing a 30-yard pass to Jace Williams and a 34-yard pass to Peter Afful before hitting Letcher for a 15-yard touchdown with 12:37 remaining.
The Ichabods then pulled off what appeared to be a successful onside kick, but Washburn was penalized for being offsides on the play and forced to kick again.
Harding then responded with yet another lengthy possession, taking a 30-14 lead lead with 7:13 remaining on a 32-yard Ennis field goal with 7:11 remaining.
Washburn threatened again on its next two drives, but Harding came up with a pair of 4th-down stops deep in Bison territory.
"I was proud of our team fighting in the fourth quarter, we had a little spark there and maybe a couple of more plays and we make it a close game, but it was tough,'' Craig Schurig said.
Harding, the nation's rushing leader, picked up 419 yards on 90 carries, with Chancey carrying the ball a whopping 41 times for 176 yards.
Omar Sinclair added 110 yards on 14 attempts.
Schurig completed 12 of 28 passes for 214 yards, but the Ichabods were unable to get anything going on the ground, with eight attemputs for minus-2 yards.
Washburn defensive back Kevin Neal Jr. leaves his feet to make a tackle Saturday at Harding. [Photo by Phil Anderson/Special to TSN]
Kevin Neal Jr. had a game-high 16 tackles for Washburn while Grant Bruner had 15 stops and Brooks Peavler 12.
"It's a tough offense to go against,'' Neal said. "We usually don't see that type of offense throughout the year. They do a great job of executing, hats off to them.''
Harding will host Northwest Missouri next Saturday in a regional semifinal.
HARDING 30, WASHBURN 14
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
The Rossville Bulldawgs are heading back to the Class 2A state championship game after a 36-8 win over arch rival Silver Lake Friday night at Rossville.
Rossville and Silver Lake’s matchup back in October was a tight 24-19 contest, with the Bulldawgs rallying for the win after quarterback Torrey Horak was knocked out of the game with a shoulder injury.
Friday was Horak's first start at quarterback since his injury and he teamed with fellow senior Corey Catron to set the tone as the Bulldawgs opened up a commanding 22-0 lead in the third quarter on the way to the decisive win.
Rossville celebrates a Corey Catron touchdown in Friday's 36-8 Class 2A semifinal win over Silver Lake Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Horak threw for 134 yards and ran for 138 yards and two touchdowns while Catron ran for 178 yards and three TDs as the Bulldawgs improved to 12-0.
“I feel good,'' Horak said. "The shoulder is fine. My throws have looked great in practice. Coach (Derick Hammes) saw my progression and he said I was in tonight.''
There was no scoring in the first quarter, with Rossville’s Mshewe Hale coming up with a big sack forcing Silver Lake to lose 8 yards and force a punt, while Silver Lake’s defensive backs had some big deflections and run stops to force Rossville to be uncomfortable. The teams would each punt the ball three times before the end of the quarter.
Rossville senior Corey Catron, who scored three touchdowns, flashes the No. 1 sign during the Bulldawgs' 36-8 win over Silver Lake Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
But the second quarter was all Rossville, with Catron and Horak racking up over 100 yards in the quarter, including a 2-yard touchdown run from Catron and a 15-yard score from Horak as the Bulldawgs opened up a 15-0 advantage.
“They had some defensive shifts we needed to pick up on,'' Rossville junior offensive lineman Jacob Carver said. "We adjusted to their tough shifts and that got us to put some points up.''
Catron had a 1-yard rushing touchdown midway through the third quarter and Horak added a 10-yard TD and Catron a 1-yard plunge in the fourth as Rossville put the game away.
Silver Lake, which ended its season 9-3, got on the board late on a 21-yard touchdown strike from Daigan Kruger to Kamryn Kaniper.
Kruger threw for 178 yards and ran for 51 yards to lead Silver Lake's offense.
Next up for Rossville, which has won four state titles over the past seven seasons, is a 1 p.m. matchup with Beloit next Saturday at Salina Stadium.
Beloit, now 9-3, advanced to the championship game with a 22-19 win over Kingman.
“We won the title last year from the focus we had going into the state championship,'' Horak said. "We know how Thanksgiving week works. We need to have a lot of focus and a lot of close attention to detail.''
ROSSVILLE 36, SILVER LAKE 8
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
SEARCY, Ark. -- By the end of a football season, it's easy for players to get sick of practice.
But Washburn University's football team is happy to keep grinding as long as possible if it means the Ichabods can keep their outstanding 9-2 season going.
"You get something you really look forward to and it's a goal we've been chasing for a long time here, so it's definitely gratifying knowing that you're in (the playoffs) but you didn't just come here to take part,'' Washburn senior All-MIAA first-team quarterback Mitch Schurig said. "You want to play well and keep on winning.''
Washburn senior quarterback Mitch Schurig and the 9-2 Ichabods will be looking to extend their season with an NCAA Division II playoff win Saturday at Harding. [File photo/TSN]
For the first time since the 2011 season and the fourth time in the program's history, the 9-2 the Ichabods will be out to extend their season when they face off against No. 7-ranked Harding at 1 p.m. Saturday in the first round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
Harding finished the season 10-1 in the Great American Conference and is the No. 2 ranked team in NCAA Super Region 3, while Washburn, which has won six straight games, garnered the No. 7 seed out of Super Region 3.
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By ISAAC DEER
TopSports.news
The 11th-ranked Washburn University men's basketball team will be looking to move forward after falling to William Jewell College, 56-52, on Wednesday night in Liberty, Mo.
Washburn (1-2) is set to take the Lee Arena court at 2 p.m. Saturday against Baker University (3-4) in the Ichabods' home-opener. Washburn has won 31 home-openers in a row.
Saturday’s contest will be an exhibition game for Baker while the Ichabods are looking to even their record.
Michael Keegan
While the Ichabods, who have been without All-American guard Tyler Geiman and post player Jonny Clausing due to injuries, have lost two in a row, they have still managed to outscore their opponents on the season.
Washburn is currently shooting 39.3 percent from the field and shooting 35.3 percent from beyond the 3-point line.
The Ichabods have stolen the ball from opponents 24 times and have blocked five shots. Washburn has scored 18.3 points off of turnovers.
Washburn’s biggest strength this year has been taking advantage of free throw opportunities, with the Ichabods shooting 83 percent from the free-throw line on 31 attempts.
Leading the way for Washburn in the young 2021 season is freshman Michael Keegan, who is leading the team in points per game (12.7) and rebounds per game (4.3).
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THE PENNANT PLAYER PROFILE
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Peyton Lane agrees that to be a pole-vaulter you have to be a little crazy, and a little controlled craziness can go a long ways on the football field as well.
So if you want to describe Washburn University's record-setting pole-vaulter and the Ichabods' leading tackler in those terms, he's fine with that.
"There's a lot of things that tie in together with pole vault and football,'' Lane said. "You've got to be a little bit crazy to do both of them and I'm not the biggest guy in football either, so whether it's football or flinging myself in the air in the pole vault, you've got to be a little bit fearless and just trust the moment and just trust yourself.''
Also the school record-holder in the indoor pole vault, the 6-foot, 180-pound junior Clay Center native cleared 16 feet, 4.50 inches to set the Washburn outdoor school record in the pole vault in the spring and he followed that success with a big football season this fall, recording a team-high 62 tackles (46 solo) while also picking off two passes and recovering a pair of fumbles.
Washburn junior safety Peyton Lane comes up with a pass interception in the Ichabods' victory over then-No. 2-ranked Northwest Missouri earlier this season. [File photo/TSN]
Peyton Lane is Washburn's indoor and outdoor school record-holder in the pole vault. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]
Lane said he feels like last spring's success in track and field helped set the stage for his success fhis fall.
"Definitely I feel really confident in myself and my ability to perform, whether it's in track or in football, and I feel like it does carry over,'' he said.
Lane received All-MIAA football recognition for the first time earlier this week, earning honorable mention.
