Football | 11/19/2016 5:54:57 PM
Emporia, Kan. – Fourth seeded Emporia State racked up 601 yards of total offense on the way to a 59-26 win over fifth seeded Minnesota-Duluth in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Football Championship.
The Hornets struck first as Braxton Marstall found the end zone on an 18-yard rush with 10:51 to go in the first quarter. Drew Bauer would answer with a 38-yard pass to Jason Balts for the Bulldogs though a missed PAT attempt would make it a 7-6 game.. With 5:07 to go in the first quarter Marstall found Louis Dailey for 45-yards and a second ESU touchdown. UMD would answer with just two minute in the quarter as Drew Bauer found Darren Walker for a 16-yard score.
ESU would strike first in the second quarter as Marstall found Morris Williams for a 60-yard scoring strike. UMC would answer immediately as Jason Baltz returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown. Marstall would hit Dailey for their second scoring strike of the day this time from 64-yards out making it a 28-20 advantage for ESU heading into the break.
ESU started the scoring in the second half at 11:57 to play in the third as this time Marstall found Mitchell Foote from 19 yards out. Marstall found Williams for the second time just under a minute later, as ESU took advantage of a UMD turnover, this time going for a 46-yard pass and catch. With 6:13 to go in the third quarter Nolan Folkert found the end zone from one yard out for UMD to cut the ESU lead to 42-26.
The Hornets would add to their lead in the fourth quarter as Landon Nault scored from 12-yards out to make it a 49-26 advantage. A 32-yard field goal from Austin Morton with 10:58 to go in the game gave ESU a 52-26 advantage. The Hornets would grab a defensive score with 8:55 to play as Logan Thomas recovered a fumble and lateraled to A.J. West to went 35-yards for the score.
For the Hornets Braxton Marstall was 26-of-39 for 481 yards and five touchdowns also adding a score on the ground. Dailey caught six passes for 135 yards and two scores while Williams caught four passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns. On defense Tre’Vaun Ammons finished with 2.5 sacks and Donovan Walker added two sacks while Cole Schankie and Gabe Cleveland each picked off a pass.
The Hornets will travel to top seeded Northwest Missouri on Saturday, Nov. 26 for a 1 p.m. kickoff from Maryville, Mo.