District College Football Recap for Saturday, November 21

By: Bruce Markey
Saturday, November 21, 2015 | 10:12 PM

A mix of playoff and regular season action in thecdistrict this weekend. The Division II playoffs kicked off while two local PAC teams participate in ECAC Bowls. The NEC cocludes the regular season with a title deciding tilt at Rooney Field.

Here are recaps of ALL THE GAMES:

Division II Playoffs/Super Region 1
Slippery Rock 40 – Virginia Union 21
Playing their first home playoff game since 1999, #10 Slippery Rock advanced to the regional semifinals with the Rock’s 8th straight win. Shamar Greene(West Mifflin) ran for 154 yards and 2 touchdowns in the win.

Greene opened the scoring with a 2 yard run in the first quarter. Teven Williams made it 13-0 with a 24 yard Pick 6 off of Shawheem Dowdy. The VU quarterback led his team on a 4 ½ minute drive, hitting Devin Anderson for a 5 yard touchdown. Slippery Rock answered with a pair of td passes from Dante Nania(Hempfield) to Leroy McClain for 18 yards and Marcus Carter(New Castle) for a 8 yard score.

Leading 26-7, the Rock scored on the opening possession of the third as Nania hit Brett Crenshaw for a 1 yard td. Dowdy scored on a pair of one yard runs to cut the SRU lead to 33-21 midway thru the quarter. Virginia Union had a drive going in the fourth but Dowdy fumbled on the SRU 35 with 4:13 remaining. Greene put the game out of reach with a 59 yard run to allow the Rock to advance.

Greene carried 21 times, he averaged over 7 yards per carry. Nania was 17-32 for 249 yards. Cornelius Raye (Allderdice) had 6 catches for 151 yards. SRU, the #2 seed in the region, is now 11-1 overall and will host #3 seed Assumption next Saturday at noon. Assumption defeated Bowie State 51-29 to advance.

Dowdy was 29-53 for 375 yards, he had 3 interceptions and a fumble. Anderson had 10 catches for 174 yards, Virginia Union finishes at 8-3.

IUP 47 – Charleston 21
The Crimson Hawks took advantage of 4 turnovers and scored the final 34 points to advance to the regional semifinals next week. IUP ran for 347 yards on the day and 5 touchdowns, the Crimson Hawks will travel to face # 1 seed Shepherd (10-0) next week.

The Crimson Hawks led 6-0 after 15 minutes on 2 Ryan Stewart field goals. Charleston took the lead back with a Jermaine Kelly 1 yard run and added to that advantage on Marvin Elam’s 4 yard run.

IUP recovered a fumble on the second half kickoff and capped a 10 play drive with a Lenny Williams(Sto-Rox) 4 yard run. Jeremy Johnson extended the Charleston lead with a 51 yard td pass to Rashard Dickerson.

The game changed when Diamond Jones blocked a punt, giving IUP the ball at the 5 yard line. Williams scored on a 1 yard run, his 2 point attempt failed as the Crimson Hawks trailed 21-19. The defense forced a fumble and Williams took to the air, hitting Sean McVay for a 34 yard score and the lead for good.

Williams scored on a 4 yard run, Chris Temple added a 3 yard score and Williams went in from 21 yards to push IUP(9-2) to the next round. Williams ran 27 times for 151 yards and the 4 scores. Temple carried 28 times for 116 yards.

Elam ran 20 times for 154 yards for Charleston(10-2).

ECAC Division III Bowl Game
Westminster 41 – St John Fisher 21
In the James Lynan Bowl, the Titans picked up their first post season win since 1996 with the win at Central Connecticut State on Saturday. Dominique McKinley(Greensburg Salem) ran 24 times for 114 yards and a score to lead the Titans.

The Cardinals took the early lead, using up over 7 minutes on the drive. Matt Naton tossed a 2 yard td pass to taylor Byrne for the opening score. Jametrius Bentley returned the ensuing kickoff 90 yards for a score to knot the game. Jordan Edwards gave Westminster the lead for good on a 16 yard run. QB Paul Columbo added to the lead in the second on a 24 yard run.

The Titans picked up where they left off in the third as Columbo hit Taran Sifontes-Levine(Char Valley) for a 42 yard strike. Naton scored for the Cardinals on a 2 yard run as Westminster led 28-14 after three.

The Titans added to the lead on the first play of the fourth as Columbo connected with Cody Alward(Keystone Oaks) for a 56 yard score. McKinley scored on a10 yard run to get on the board. Danny Caton tossed a td pass to Byrne for 8 yards to finish the scoring.

Columbo threw for 203 yards and 2 scores, he ran for 1. LB Mac Quinn(Northgate) led Westminster with 10 tackles as the defense allowed just 38 rushing yards.

The Titans finish at 9-2, while St. John Fisher ends up at 7-4.

NEC/Regular Season:
Duquesne 30 – Saint Francis 20
With the victory on the Bluff, the Dukes claim the NEC title for the first time ever and with a trip to the NCAA FCS playoffs next weekend. Rafiq Douglas ran for 165 yards and 3 touchdowns to take the Dukes to 8-3 overall.

The Red Flash jumped out to an early lead. Zack Drayer hit Daniel Adams for a 24 yard touchdown. Saint Francis made it 14-0 as a DaQuan Minter interception led to a Drayer to Terell Smith 14 yard td. Douglas put the Dukes on the board 2 plays into the second quarter on a 2 yard run. Austin Crimmins added a 25 yard field goal and a Dillion Buechel(Montour) 62 yard bomb to Wayne Capers(Char Valley) in the final two minutes to take a 16-14 lead at the break.

Douglas capped a 16 play 90 yard drive to allow the Dukes to start pulling away in the third. The 3 yard run gave Duquesne a 23-14 lead. Douglas added a 6 yard td run with 10:53 left in regulation to put the Dukes up by 16. Drayer hit Adams for a 53 yard strike to the 1, the quarterback scored two plays later to cut the lead to 10. Drayer’s 2 point run attempt failed, the Red Flash signal caller was intercepted on the next two possessions to clinch the conference for Duquesne.

Buechel threw for 281 yards on 17-31. Capers had 4 catches for 104 yards. Chris King added 7 catches for Duquesne, now 5-1 in the NEC.

Khairi Dickson ran 18 times for 102 yards for the Red Flash, now 6-4. Drayer threw for 207 yards and 3 interceptions, Saint Francis finishes 4-2 in the NEC.

Robert Morris 21 – Bryant 20
The Colonials saved the best for last, upsetting the Bulldogs in Moon Township. Dalton Easton connected with John Lavin for a 18 yard td with 2:35 remaining, but Ricky Perez missed the extra point. Cole Blake recovered the onsides kick attempt and RMU ran out the clock to end up at 4-7 overall.

Ricardo McCray gave Bryant a 7-0 first quarter lead on a 7 yard run. RMU scored twice in the second on a 4 yard td run by Matthew Barr and a 13 yard scamper from Rameses Owens.

The Colonials made it 21-7 on a 6 yard run with 6:22 remaining. Easton hit Jose Depadua for a 30 yard touchdown before the pass to Lavin and the bad news for the Bulldogs(5-6).

Blake ran 16 times for 76 yards, Owens added 23 totes for 64. Barr was 13-16 for 122 yards. RMU finishes 2-4 in the NEC.

McCray carried 9 times for 90 yards for Bryant, he left after one quarter and did not carry again. Bryant ends up 3-3 in NEC play.