Bearcats to repeat trip to Michigan in search of D-II Super Region title

The road to a Division II football championship goes through Michigan once again this week as Northwest Missouri State advances to challenge Ferris State University. Kickoff at Top Taggart Field in Big Rapids, MI, is set for 12 noon (1 p.m. ET).

This Saturday’s second round playoff game will unfold just 73 miles north of the site of last Saturday’s opening round game played at Grand Valley State University near Grand Rapids. Thus, the Bearcats will make a 700-mile trek into Michigan seeking a second consecutive upset of a higher ranked opponent.

The underdog is not a particularly familiar role for Northwest. This year’s Bearcats are MIAA co-champions (Fort Hayes State, KS, lost its playoff opener against Indianapolis, 38-27) and qualified for the playoffs for the 15th consecutive season.

Northwest owns an NCAA Division II playoff record 47 victories (a 47-16 playoff record spanning 23 years).

Saturday’s 42-17 victory over Grand Valley State makes a statement. The Bearcats (.746) and Lakers (.714) rank No. 1 and No. 2 in highest winning percentage in the Division II playoffs. These two football programs, if combined, have produced 16 national championship appearances, 10 national titles, and 82 playoff victories.

Northwest entered the game ranked #14 nationally as the underdog to host Grand Valley State ranked #7. But rankings mean little when these D-II rivals meet. The Bearcats have played the Lakes five times in the playoffs since 2005.

2005 — Grand Valley (championship), 21-17

2006 — Grand Valley (championship), 17-14

2007 — NWMo (semi-finals), 34-16

2009 — NWMo (championship), 30-23

2013 — NWMo (semi-finals), 27-13

2018 — NWMo (1st round), 42-17

It is hard to believe, but Saturday’s win was first road playoff win since a 38-31 overtime win at Midwestern State (Texas) on Nov. 26, 2011. Coach Rich Wright’s pre-game prognosis was dramatically accurate as the Bearcats checked off two important keys to a dominating victory.

Check: “…we must eliminate their running game.” Northwest held the Lakers to 111 net rushing, the longest run being 17 yards. Meanwhile, both Bearcat runningbacks individually ran for more yards that the Lakers’ team total.

Check: “…and get pressure on the quarterback to get him off his first read.” Starter Bart Williams kept trying to play after injury but tallied only 11-25-1 and endured four sacks. Northwest scored three plays into the game on a 51-yard crossing route as senior wide receiver Shawn Bane Jr. broke tackles to win a footrace to the end zone.

Later, Bearcat quarterback Braden Wright fumbled in the end zone for Grand Valley’s first touchdown. But the redshirt freshman bounced back to throw for two touchdowns, helping Northwest’s rushing game to dominate.

An 84-yard touchdown run by Isaiah Strayhorn gave Northwest a 28-17 halftime lead. Northwest is 18-0 when leading at halftime under Coach Wright. The complete effort to eliminate Grand Valley has Bearcat fans comparing this year’s squad to previous teams that notched back-to-back undefeated seasons.

Division II Super Region Three — 2nd Round:

NWMo (10-2) at Ferris State, MI (12-0), noon

Hillsdale, MI (10-2) at Notre Dame, OH (11-0), noon

Bowie State, MD (10-1) at Valdosta State (GA), noon

Indianapolis, IN (10-1) at Ouachita Baptist, AR (11-0), noon

Colorado State-Pueblo (11-1) at Minnesota-Mankato (11-0), 1 p.m.

Texas A&M-Commerce (10-2) at Tarleton State, TX (11-0), 1 p.m.

Slippery Rock, PA (10-2) at New Haven, CT (9-1), tba

Wingate, NC (9-3) at Lenoir-Rhyne, NC (11-1), tba

Saturdays winner between #6 seed Northwest and #2 seed Ferris State advances to play the winner of #1 seed Ouachita Baptist and #4 seed Indianapolis for the Super Region Three title.

Last season, two teams that had never been in the championship game squared off for the title. Texas A&M-Commerce began its quest as the #5 seed in Super Region Four and West Florida was the #4 seed in Super Region Two. The beauty of Division II playoff football is that there is no favorite. Last year two of the #1 seeds were eliminated after their first game, and three of the #2 seeds saw their seasons end in the first round.

The final playoff rounds for 2018 are:

Saturday, Nov. 1 — Division II Regional Championship @ campus site

Saturday, Nov. 8 — Division II National Semifinals @ campus site

Saturday, Nov. 15 — Division II National Championship @ McKinney, TX

NCAA Division II Super Region 3 Semifinals

Ferris State enters the Division II football playoffs for the firth consecutive season. The Bulldogs have been the last team standing out of the 12-school Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) for the past three years.

The Bulldogs may not be entirely unknown to area football fans. Ferris State defeated William Jewell 47-6 at Liberty on Nov. 10, capping their undefeated season. Perhaps their biggest win of the season, however, was during the Anchor-Bone Classic when the Bulldogs defeated arch rival Grand Valley State, 35-31.

In the opening game of the playoffs, Ferris State built a 21-0 halftime lead in a rematch against last year’s Super Region Three champion Harding (AR). The Bison scored three times in the fourth quarter and mounted would could have been a game winning final drive before Ferris State regained possession of the football and ran out the clock for the 21-19 victory.

The Bulldogs are ranked #2 in the Super Region Three, ahead of #6 seeded Northwest Missouri State. Ferris State averages 38.7 points a game with a balanced offense (266.7 yards rushing, 220 yards passing per game).

Quarterback Jayru Campbell leads an offense that finds ways to win. The dual-threat quarterback has produced at least three touchdowns in each of the team’s first 10 games of the season. He’s notched four 3-touchdown passing days and six multi-touchdown days on the ground.

No doubt Northwest’s pre-playoff ranking drooped due to the two blemishes on its regular season record. The Bearcats played flat, losing to Central Oklahoma 31-21 in late September. Then on Senior Day, the final home game for 16 senior Bearcats, Northwest lost 17-16 to Fort Hayes State when the Tigers blocked a PAT to share the conference championship with the Bearcats.

Northwest is the only MIAA school still alive in the playoffs. Fort Hays State has defeated the Bearcats in the regular season two years in a row but the Tigers have also lost their first playoff test both this year and last.

Bearcat football roster underscores Northwest Missouri

The Bearcat roster has a distinctly Northwest Missouri flavor with 15 players on the active roster hailing from area high schools. Six players are Maryville High School graduates, but two on the following list of active players are of particular local interest.

Freshman LaTroy Harper (6-1, 185-lb. WR) hails from Penney High School at Hamilton. During Saturday’s 42-17 playoff victory over Grand Valley, Harper nabbed a ??-yard pass.

During the regular season #88 Harper recorded 12 catches for 129 yards and two touchdowns. He also passed for a 67-yard touchdown against Nebraska-Kearney and returned kickoffs and punts for the Bearcats.

Harper is remembered locally as a first team all-state and Class 1A Offensive Player of the Year at Hamilton for Coach Caleb Obert. He helped lead the Hornets to a 2016 state title. He was also an all-state pick in basketball and holds the school record in the high jump.

Another Northwest Missouri Bearcat of note is senior #8 Austen Eskew of Lawson (6-4, 248-lb. DE). A first team All-MIAA selection, Eskew emerged from a stellar high school career where he excelled at linebacker and runningback. He was a 3-time state medalist in wrestling and the 195-lb. state wrestling champion. Eskew was also named the Class 3A all-state catcher in baseball playing for Lawson.

Here’s a snapshot of Bearcat football players from Northwest Missouri high schools:

#8 Austen Eskew (6-4, 248-lb. Sr.), DE         Lawson

#19 Cody Massey (6-3,199-lb. Jr.), WR         St. Joe Lafayette

#22 Jacob Gassman (5-11, 198-lb. Jr.), FS     Kearney

#34 Brody McMahon (5-10, 203-lb. Jr.), RB Maryville

#40 Adrean Eskew (6-1, 220-lb. R-Fr.), LB   Lawson

#52 Jacob Marshall (5-11, 200-lb. R-Fr.), LB Kearney

#58 Chase Thomas (6-3, 289-lb. Sr.), OL       Smithville

#59 Dustin Piper (6-2, 240-lb. So.), DT          Maryville

#60 Walker Graves (6-3, 309-lb. Fr.), DL      Chillicothe

#62 Shelby McMillen (6-2, 240-lb. So.), DE  Stanberry

#69 Jake White (6-1, 265-lb. R-Fr.), OL        Maryville

#75 Tanner Owen (6-5, 278-lb. So.), OL        Kearney

#88 LaTroy Harper (6-1, 185-lb. Fr.), WR     Hamilton

#92 Tucker Tripp (6-3, 230-lb. R-Fr.), DE      Maryville

#95 Elijah Green (5-11, 240-b. R-Fr.), DT     Maryville

NON-ROSTER PLAYERS:

Drake Kinsella (6-3, 230-lb. Fr.), DE Grant City

Gunner Carpenter (6-2, 165-lb. Fr.), WR Kearney

Ryan Dewhirst, (6-2, 230-lb. Fr.), TE   Rock Port

Thomas Henrichs (6-4, 196-lb. Fr.), P Liberty

Tyler Miller (6-3, 238-lb. Fr.), DL      Staley (KC)

Robert Rawie (6-0, 175-lb. Fr.), RB   Liberty

Pat Walton (6-1, 195-lb. Fr.), WR      Raytown

Tre Wheaton (6-1, 175-lb. Fr.), WR   Blue Springs

Javon Williams (6-0, 175-lb. Fr. ), DB Grandview