This is Scott Miles live in Alliance, Ohio for today’s Ohio Athletic Conference matchup between No. 1 Mount Union and No. 4 Capital.
Both teams are 7-0 on the season and 6-0 in the OAC.
The last two times these teams met, Mount Union defeated Capital 34-31 in the NCAA National Quarterfinals. The Crusaders took a 31-27 lead with eight minutes left, but the Purple Raiders rallied with a touchdown of their own with less than four minutes on the clock.
Look for several talented playmakers on both sides to play a major factor in today’s game. The Purple Raiders are led offensively by running back Nate Kmic (126.9 ypg), receiver Pierre Garcon (101.3 ypg) and quarterback Mike Jorris (1st nationally in pass efficency). Offense is first nationally in scoring and defense ranks second in points allowed.
Capital counters with quarterback Rocky Pentello, the all-time OAC passing yards leader, and the OAC’s top receiver, Derick Alexander (110.7 ypg). The offense is fourth nationally in scoring, and a well-balanced defense ranks fifth in points allowed.
We’re an hour away from kickoff and it is cold, windy and raining here in Alliance. Weather conditions will definitely be playing a factor today.
Rain has cleared out, at least for now. Some peeks of sunshine, which is pretty rare for a late October day in Ohio. Still pretty windy though.
We’ve got a huge crowd on hand, Mount Union Stadium seats over 5,000 and it’s definitely at capacity. A lot of sweaters, winter jackets, ear muffs and gloves – I’m pretty thankful for this nice press box.
Herbstriet and Corso both picked Mount to win today on ESPN’s “GameDay”.
Kickoff in less than 10 minutes.
Nate Kmic 1-yd TD run caps off a 10 play, 73 yard drive for the Purple Raiders on their opening drive. Eight runs, two passes…Crusaders must do better job slowing the rushing attack to stay in game defensively. It was Kmic’s 14th rushing TD of the year, tops in the OAC.
Capital three and out on first possession…Mount converts on fourth and 2 from inside Capital 45, and Kmic carries team down to the 20…Kmic TD run negated by holding penalty, and Crusaders D stiffens…32 yard FG by Zimmerman good, 10-0 Mount with 2:14 left
Capital again goes three and out and Mount blocks the punt and recovers for TD, Pierce with the block and Kappas with the recovery…17-0 Mount with under a minute left in first quarter…Sky has turned black and heavy rains and winds here
End of first stats : Capital 6 plays for 0 yards, Mount 19 plays for 117…Mount had ball for 10:38…Kmic had 10 carries for 57 yards and a TD, Jorris 4-for-4 for 40 yards
Both teams exchanged punts…Capital’s picked up a few first downs behind Pentello’s passing and a pass interference call against Mount…Gotta love Ohio weather – in the last 10 minutes we’ve had rain, snow, sleet, hail and now sunshine…Crusaders convert third-and-5 down to Mount 23, Pentello to Alexander…another penalty, roughing the passer, moves the ball to the 11…Loss of six on run, then a sack of Pentello…Pentello injured and holding head, he was hit and dropped by about three Purple Raiders…6:41 left in second
Pentello OK, Capital took a timeout so he wouldn’t have to miss a play…3rd and 15 Niedzwiecki makes a great catch in the end zone for the TD, split the Raiders D up the middle…Capital’s XP point blocked, big pileup on field, and Capital hit with personal foul penalty…17-6 Mount Union with 6:30 remaining in first half
The sun is shining in Alliance! If not for the puddles, you’d think this was a beautiful day…Mount converts third and 10 to Capital 27, then Kmic carries for another 10 to the Crusaders 17…Kmic runs around left end untouched for a 15-yard TD, Mount had the edge completely sealed off…24-6 Mount leads with 3:33, Kmic has 15 carries for 87 yards and two TD’s
Mount’s one true weakness is penalties (most in OAC), and that’s certainly played a factor today. On the kickoff, hit with a personal foul for piling on the tackle, and hit with another pass interference, giving Cap the ball at its own 40…Crusaders move ball across midfield, Mount DE Justin Stickley getting pressure on Pentello every single pass…fourth and 9 from Mount’s 30 yard line, Rocky sacked by Stickley all the way back to Mount’s 44
Kmic almost breaks a run for a TD, picking up 35 yards to the Capital 14…Kmic over 100 yards on the day an 1,000 on the season, his ninth career 100-yard day in 12 starts…Mount only has time to try one pass into end zone, broken up safety C.J. Steele…Zimmerman misses 30-yard FG wide right…at halftime, Mount Union 24, Capital 6
Homecoming ceremonies for Mount Union today, sun had been out but now those dark clouds are rolling back in. Hope things stay dry for the queen and king…back in 20 minutes after halftime
Checking in from Belton where we’re on the air and don’t have much time to talk, but defense has ruled the day so far here. Neil Mrkvicka returned the opening kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown and it remains 7-0 with 6:25 in the second quarter.
http://www.d3football.com/audio/
Second half underway, and Capital forced to punt after getting one first down…Mount picks ball up at midfield and gains 20 yards in 2 plays…Garcon on an end around pass to Maxwell Smith from 18 yards out gives Mount Union a 31-6 lead with 8:42 in the third quarter
Crusaders start drive with bomb to Mike Niedzwiecki for 55 yards down to Mount 19… Niedzwiecki over 100 yards receiving now…Pentello becomes just the seventh D-3 quarterback to throw for over 11,000 passing yards for his career… Capital pushes down to Mount’s 3-yard line with another completion to Niedzwiecki, and Pentello finds Dylan Kelly in the corner of the end zone for a 1-yard TD…Stickley blocks the extra point. He is EVERYWHERE on the field
Capital and Mount trade td’s in 3rd. Stickey blocks another PAT 31-12
There’s a reason why Nate Kmic is one of the best backs around. He doesn’t even need a hole to get 12-15 yards on a carry. Just a sophomore, Kmic is certainly the real deal… Holding penalties bring back a pair of long runs by Kmic and the Purple Raider fans express their displeasure with the officiating…At the end of the third quarter Mount is driving and Kmic has 188 yards rushing…31-12 Purple Raiders
Second play of the fourth quarter Kmic scampers into the end zone for a TD…38-12 Mount with 14 minutes left…this is the first time Capital has allowed a running back to go over 200 yards since 2004 against Ohio Northern
End of three here, been a great game especially if you like defense. 7-0 Whitewater.
Crusaders march downfield, but have TD pass called back on holding penalty…Niedzwiecki leading all WR’s today with 134 yards…Capital fails to convert on fourth down and 10 from Mount’s 13 yard line…Purple Raiders still up 38-12 with 9 minutes left
Final Score from Alliance: No. 1 Mount Union 38, No. 4 Capital 12
Nate Kmic rushes for well over 200 yards, and Mount finishes with 345 yards rushing for the game. Purple Raider DE Justin Stickley disrupted the Crusaders on offense all day.
Mount moves to 8-0 and 7-0 in the OAC. Capital falls to 7-1, 6-1 OAC.
Purple Raiders jumped out to a 17-0 lead early and were pretty much in cruise control from there.
Final score from Alfred, NY. Hobart 21, Alfred 14. My Statesmen just keep on truckin!
Well,
After what we saw in Belton today, I’m not sure there are many defenses playing better right now. UWW came in averaging almost 40 points a game and got shut out, considering their only points were on the opening kickoff return. UMHB came in averaging 35 points and finished with three.
UMHB, much like in the Christopher Newport loss, had its chances to win. Today, they dinked a 47-yard attempt off the high school upright at Belton HS field, threw a pick at the 12 at the end of the first half and had the ball on the 5 midway through the fourth quarter. The fade to Fred Cumby, to the naked eye, looked like it could have gone either way. Cumby, 6-foot-2, leapt and caught the ball but was stripped as he came down, possibly never getting his feet down in the end zone. The officials were right on top of the call and never wavered.
Whitewater missed a 50-yard field goal, also dinking off the HS upright, but really never threatened, even as they led from start to finish. Sure tackling and great team speed on defense helped UMHB pretty much dominate. The numbers weren’t pretty for either side, but I’m not sure Whitewater had a drive over 40 yards. When you consider how well-rounded and powerful the Whitewater offense is even without Justin Beaver, that’s a heck of an accomplishment.
Both teams should make the playoffs via AQ, but I guess you never know for sure.
Heck of a place UMHB has here, and considering Belton’s stadium is turf, seats like 10,000, and is just on the other side of an overpass, I could see why the need for one on campus. They did just build a nice basketball arena, so I’m betting UMHB gets its own field before too long.