Mount Union tops John Carroll

John Carroll had its chance on Nov. 14 against Mount Union.

As teams have learned over the years, though, opportunities vs. mighty Mount Union have to be capitalized upon.

The Blue Streaks learned that in a 36-3 loss to the nation’s No. 1 team in Division III.

Trailing, 10-3, at the start of the second half after controlling the second quarter, JCU was hoping to continue it in the third quarter.

The Purple Raiders had none of that.

Mount (10-0) used a 19-point third quarter to key another win that clinched its 28th straight Ohio Athletic Conference title and an automatic bid to the NCAA D-III playoffs.

“We played great defense (in the second quarter) and got stops, but we couldn’t get it in the end zone,” said JCU coach Tom Arth.

The third-quarter blitz started when the Purple Raiders received the second-half kickoff and went 70 yards in five plays, finished off by a Roman Namdar 35-yard TD catch.

Logan Nemeth’s fouryard TD catch made it 23-3 five minutes later, and after a muffed kickoff by JCU, Jordan Hargrove scored on a 24-yard catch.

“Coach (Vince Kehres) always says, ‘Poise,’ and we talked about that at half,” said Mount offensive lineman Michael Frank (North). “John Carroll has a good defensive front, but we played a lot better in the second half.”

In seven minutes, a 10-3 game turned into a 29-3 advantage for the Purple Raiders. JCU (8-2), which struggled the entire game on offense, couldn’t recover.

“We just lost it (in the third quarter) and had some breakdowns, mostly because of a lack of communication,” said JCU safety Reese Armstrong (Mentor), who made a game-high 14 tackles and had a sack.

The Purple Raiders struck early, scoring a TD on their first possession on a Taurice Scott-Hargrove 18-yard TD pass and catch. Following a field goal to make it 10-0 late in the first quarter, the JCU defense took control in the second quarter.

Led by Armstrong, linebacker Mason McKenrick (Mentor) and defensive lineman Mike Tozzi (Chagrin Falls), the defense, behind three sacks, stopped Mount on its four secondquarter possessions.

The offense couldn’t take advantage, and managed just a Jake Vivonetto 43-yard field goal to make it 10-3 with 2:08 remaining before halftime.

Mount entered the game with the No. 1 defense in the country and left as good as advertised. JCU was held to 168 yards of offense. Running back Ro Golphin (Gilmour) was held to 32 yards on 13 carries.

Mount QB Scott threw for 276 yards and four TDs, as the Purple Raiders had 501 yards of offense.

The Blue Streaks (8-2) must wait to see if they are awarded an at-large bid to the 32-team NCAA playoff field, which is announced Nov. 15.

“We just lost it (in the third quarter) and had some breakdowns...”

— John Carroll safety Reese Armstrong (Mentor