District College Football Recap for Saturday, November 27th

By: Bruce Markey
Saturday, November 27, 2010 | 12:00 AM

Two local football teams continue their season in the NCAA Playoffs, with both district teams making their first ever playoff appearance.

Here are recaps of both of the games:

NCAA Division 1 FCS Playoffs 1st Round:

North Dakota State 43 0 Robert Morris 17

The first trip to the NCAA playoffs was not kind to the Colonials on the long trip to the FargoDome.

The Colonials jumped out to a 7-0 first quarter lead on a Myles Russ five yard run, capping a ten play drive. Ryan Jastrom kicked two field goals, a 34 yarder late in the first quarter and a 51 yard with 1:51 remaining in the second, cutting the RMU lead to one at the half.

The second half was not kind to the Colonials, Brock Jensen threw a 32 yard touchdown to Warren Holloway on the opening drive of the half. Jensen came back with a 49 yard pass to D. J. McNorton to put the Bison up 20-7 with 2:04 remaining in the quarter. Russ scored his second touchdown of the game on a 9 yard run with three seconds left.

Greg Langer cut the NDSU lead to three with a 46 yard field goal with 12:05 left in regulation. Jensen scored on a 5 yard run, the Bison forced a safety on the next RMU possession. McNorton scored on a 12 yard run and Mike Sigers added a 28 yard score with 5:31left to cap the scoring.

Jensen threw for 229 yards, Holloway had 2 catches for 110 yards. McNorton ran for 110 yards on 27 carries. The Bison are now 8-4 and move on the second round to take on Montana State next Saturday.

For the Colonials, also making their first trip to the post season, Jeff Sinclair was 9 of 24 for 146 yards. Russ ends his RMU career with another 100 yard performance, rushing for 117 yards on 25 carries. Robert Morris ends the season at 8-3.

NCAA Division II Super Region One Semifinals:

Mercyhurst 28 – Bloomsburg 14

The Mercyhurst Lakers picked up their first ever NCAA playoff win with a 28-14 victory over the Bloomsburg Huskies at Tullio Field Saturday afternoon and will host the Super Region One final next week in Erie.

The game was much different that the first matchup in the PSAC State Title Game which set a conference record for points scored and offensive yards.

The Lakers started the scoring early as Fred Hale recovered a Pat Carey fumble setting up Mercyhurst at the eight yard line. Travis Rearick scored two plays later from three yards out to put Mercyhurst up 7-0. The Lakers added to the lead in the second as Rearick hit Gerald Anderson from 24 yards out and a 14-0 lead with 12:56 remaining in the half.

Mercyhurst started the second half, the same way they started the first with a touchdown drive on the opening possession, going 70 yards in 13 plays, Rearick to Tim Herbener for a 3 yard touchdown and a 21-0 lead.

Franklyn Quiteh scored on a 4 yard run to put the Huskies on the board with 4:16 left in the third. Rearick added another touchdown to Terrance Coon for a 48 yard score and a 28-7 lead with 7 minutes to play. Bloomsburg scored on a 10 play drive, Carey to Ben Weaber for a 9 yard strike with 3:58 left, cutting the lead to 14. The Huskies drove to the Laker 9 late in the contest, but turned the ball over on downs with 30 seconds left in the contest.

Bloomsburg was led by Quiteh with 138 yards, he went over the two-thousand yard mark for the season. Carey was 9-26 for 111 yards. The Huskies end the season at 10-3 overall, with two of the losses coming in Erie to Mercyhurst.

The Lakers were led by Rearick, he was 24-34 for 252 yards and the three scores. Coon had eight catches for 108 yards. Mercyhurst is now 10-2 on the season, the Lakers will now host Shepherd, who upset number one seed Kutztown 41-34, next Saturday at noon at Tullio Field.