Bearcats win, advance to Division II title game
MARYVILLE, Mo. — As Ferris State’s team left the field after Northwest Missouri State’s 35-20 victory Saturday, Bearcats fans rushed the field to join team members in tearing down the goalposts.
Following school tradition, the goalposts made it out of the stadium, down the street and out of the line of sight. For the Bearcats, the “purging of the posts” means they earned another berth to play for the national championship.
“It’s hard not to get emotional when you talk about our team tonight and their performance,” coach Adam Dorrel. “I thought it was one of the gutsiest performances in Bearcat history. I’ve been a part of a lot of big games here. I don’t really know if I’ve seen a team grind out a victory against a better team than we did today.”
Cameron Wilcox rushed for two touchdowns, Jonathan Baker threw for 139 yards and a score and top-seeded and defending champion Northwest Missouri State defeated Ferris State of Michigan to reach the NCAA Division II title game for the third time in four years.
The Bearcats will defend their title against No. 3 North Alabama (11-1) at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas, on Dec. 17.
“It’s very gratifying (to defend the title),” Dorrel said. “Especially winning the game like we just did. It’s a neat deal.”
Saturday’s game was Northwest Missouri State’s closest this season. Prior to Saturday’s contest, the Bearcats had won every game by at least 21 points.
Leading 28-20, Northwest Missouri State (14-0) running back Phil Jackson darted into the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown run to virtually seal the outcome with just under five minutes remaining.
The teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter, the Bulldogs scoring on Davontae Harrington’s 10-yard sweep to get within a point before the Bearcats replied on Wilcox’s 1-yard run with four seconds left in the quarter.
Northwest Missouri State scored the only points of the first quarter on a 4-yard run by Randy Schmidt.
But the Bearcats lost fumbles on consecutive possessions, allowing Ferris State to take a 13-7 lead early in the second quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run by Trevor Bermingham and Bermingham’s 4-yard pass to Kyle Thompson. Northwest Missouri State hadn’t trailed in a game since Oct. 15 against Northeastern Missouri State. at Pitt,” Conner tweeted, later adding “I will be declaring for the 2017 NFL Draft.”
Conner set Atlantic Coast Conference records for career touchdowns (56) and career rushing touchdowns (52) during his three-plus seasons with the Panthers. Though he moonlighted at defensive end early in his career, his 6-foot-2, 235-pound frame turned out to be better suited running through tackles, not trying to make them. He hit his stride as a sophomore in 2014 when he ran for 1,765 yards and 26 touchdowns and figured to head to the pros in 2016 despite a torn MCL in his right knee suffered in the 2015 opener against Youngstown State.
That changed in November, 2015 when Conner was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He went through more than five months of draining treatment — though it didn’t keep him from joining his teammates for portion of spring drills — and he embraced his role as a cancer survivor, visiting frequently with fellow patients in hopes of becoming a symbol of strength. He was declared cancer-free over the summer and returned to full contact in time for training camp.