First-round NAIA playoffs
MidAmerica Nazarene 40, McPherson 24 (final) — Aaron Lafitte runs for 115 yards and 2 TDs in the loss … Bulldogs up 24-23 headed into fourth quarter.
Ottawa 40, Hastings 34 — Ottawa rallies from 34-6 down to win game behind school record 13 catches for 291 yards and 4 touchdowns from sophomore wideout Clarence Anderson — a Wichita Southeast product.
It’s Clarence’s world and we’re just living in it.
Out. TA
THE LAW FIRM OF HITEM, STICKEM & BEATEM AKA THE FORT SCOTT COACHING STAFF
My plate is full this evening, with Fort Scott pulling out the 13-12 Region VI win over Butler and the KCAC getting two bids to the NAIA playoffs with undefeated, No. 5 Ottawa hosting Hastings (Neb.) andNo. 12 McPherson traveling to MidAmerica Nazarene for the first playoff appearance in school history. That’s 87 years, if you’re counting. Here’s the full NAIA playoff schedule, if you’re interested.
I covered the Ottawa-Friends game yesterday and I’ll tell you what … Ottawa looked really, really good. Like they got up 42-0 in the first 16 minutes good. And as far as finally getting to see Ethan Haller play? Dude could start for most of the teams in the MIAA, no doubt. He’s that good. Their defense? Not so much. And as far as Friends — if they would have finished that comeback, as one of our page designers told me — that’s the kind of thing you could go 40 years as a sportswriter and never see. Just nuts.
So … Fort Scott. Brooks Seeley covered that game today and yes, it was cold, and yes, he whined the whole time (LOL) but he got to see a great one. And because No. 3 Blinn beat No. 1 Navarro on Sunday in the SW Region title game, that means, no matter what, the Greyhounds are gonna be No. 1 in the next poll and get to play for the national title at the Citizens Bank Bowl in Pittsburg on Dec. 6 — let’s just hope they can get the No. 2 team to come play them, whoever that may be (Likely Blinn). Couldn’t have set itself up any better for Fort Scott.
I’m out. TA.
PS. I’VE BEEN SAYING ALL YEAR … HE’S NICE!!!
SHANE MASCARENAS
So yesterday was a furlough day for me — which means a day off and also means no checking e-mail, no nothing as far as work. So I get home circa 2 a.m. and I log onto good ole Kansas.com and … I probably re-read the score twice to make sure I wasn’t seeing things.
Yes, people, McPherson beat No. 9 Friends on Saturday night.
I knew it was going to be a little rocky for the Falcons with the transition to a new QB — but this one is on the defense and on the o-line, I think. Friends only ran for 67 yards. This is a team that always leads the conference in rushing and they got smoked. And the D? Holy cow. On paper this team looked really good. Still shocked.
As far as the Bulldogs, the win brought me back to a conversation I had with head coach Brian Ward at Media Day. We were going over their recruits and who they had coming back and I said something to the effect of “hey, you guys might sneak up on people,” and it seemed like it was all part of his bigger plan. Like no big deal. Like he was surprised more people didn’t think that. And now he’s got a star QB in Shane Mascarenas (338 yards, 4 Tds) and they’re ready to roll.
Remember, dynasties start with little seeds. Victories like this can be the catalyst for something … bigger. Do I think McPherson is going to run the table in the KCAC? No way. But if you say you know who is going to win the whole thing right now, well … like Joe Wilson said, YOU LIE.
(On that note — Wilson is a jerk. So is Kanye West. Being impolite never flies)
And as far as Pittsburg State … again? Really?
Out. TA
JAKE SNODGRASS
So here’s the thing about KCAC schools and Jucos — there is no national signing date. That means that, unlike the NCAA schools, there is no set date to announce your class. Conventional wisdom would say that around this time is when these schools sign the bulk of their classes, only because of the time frame around sending in applications for scholarships and student loans, but understand that these schools never stop recruiting. You can easily pick up a kid who falls off academically late or has some other type of hold up with a bigger school and he ends up on your campus. With that being said, I’m going to break down what I have so far on our beloved KCAC, and tell you why I think the prize of this class was Derby QB Jake Snodgrass, who is headed to McPherson. I’ll post links to the school sites when I can, but a few I’ll have to type up.
After McPherson’s 37-21 win over Bethany to open the season Saturday, it’s nothing but bad news — for now — out of the Bulldog camp.
Using a two-quarterback system, junior college transfer Shane Mascarenas threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns in his McPherson debut and Josh White ran for 72 yards and two touchdowns when he got his snaps. Mascarenas is done for the year after breaking his leg in the fourth quarter, and White’s return is up in the air after sustaining a third-quarter concussion.
Shane Mascarenas
Josh White
Like I said, bad news. Coach Brian Ward is going to try to make one of three freshmen work for now.