Football | 11/28/2015 5:26:23 PM
Kansas City, Mo. – Both MIAA teams in the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs earned spots in the quarterfinals with victories. Top seeded Northwest Missouri defeated fourth seeded Humboldt State 54-7 at home while seventh seeded Emporia State knocked off third seeded Henderson State 29-3 on the road.
#1 Northwest Missouri 54, #4 Humboldt State 7
Northwest Missouri racked up 468 yards of total offense while holding Humboldt State to just 48 yards on 45 plays to earn a 54-7 victory.
The Bearcats would score three times from less than five yards in the first quarter to open up a 21-0 advantage. In the second quarter Simon Mathiesen would sandwich two field goals around a Brady Bolles pass to Shawn Bane as they took a 34-0 lead into the break.
NWMSU would then get two more field goals to open the second half before a Phil Jackson nine-yard run opend up a 47-0 lead heading into the final quarter. After Humboldt blocked a punt for their lone score Emmanuel Jones finished out the scoring with a 49-yard run.
Brady Bolles was 26 of 33 passing on the day for 276 yards and two touchdowns hitting Shawn Bane seven times for 134 yards and one of those scores. On the ground Phil Jackson had two scores while Jones finished with 11 carries for a team best 64 yards. On defense Trent Nally and Bryce Enyard each picked off passes.
Northwest Missouri will now play host to Emporia State on Dec. 5 in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Football playoffs.
#7 Emporia State 29, #3 Henderson State 3
Emporia State scored 13 points off of six turnovers as they upset Henderson State 29-3 on the road.
ESU got the scoring started in the second quarter as Austin Morton kicked at 41-yard field goal for the 3-0 lead. ESU would then get a score from their defense as Eddie Vinson pounced on a fumbled snap on a punt in the end zone for a 10-0 advantage. Morton would then hit four field goals between the second and third quarters to give ESU the 22-0 edge.
Landon Nault would follow up a Henderson field goal with a 58- yard scamper providing ESU’s only offensive touchdown of the day.
Nault was ESU’s leading offensive threat on the day rushing for 179 yards and a touchdown while Antonio Brown finished with 59 yards on the ground. Defensively James Junios forced two fumbles while Jordan Robinson and Larenz Abston each forced one. J.P. Lohretz had his fourth interception of the post season was MJ Mathis also picked off a pass.
Emporia State will now travel to Northwest Missouri in quarterfinal action next weekend in the NCAA Division II National Football playoffs.
Note: The MIAA is the only conference in the nation to get two teams through to quarterfinal action.