-- Story provided by Alma College Athletics --
Alliance, OH – #11/13 Alma College Football traveled to Ohio on Friday, taking on Division III Powerhouse #2 Mount Union in second round playoff action. In a thriller, Alma shocked the Division III Football world, pulling out the upset 24-20.
Mount Union took the ball first, driving straight down the field. Alma backed up to their own goal line, as it looked as though the hosts would score first. The Scots had other plans however, as Jack Kretzschmar came down with an interception in the endzone to bring that drive to a close. The Scots offense sputtered out of the gates, and the hosts walked back down the field, only to have a field goal attempt blocked to keep the score at 0-0. Neither team found the scoreboard in the first quarter.
Mount Union eventually found paydirt, scoring a touchdown and snagging a field goal as the first half expired. Alma trailed 10-0 at the break.
Coming out of halftime the Scots offense was still spinning tires, unable to gain any traction throughout the third quarter. Thankfully, the Alma defense was up to the task of stopping one of the top offenses in the country. The Scots found stop after stop to keep the score at 10-0. Finally, an Alma drive took hold, and saw the Scots move down to the goal line before a lateral was snagged by a Raider defender and returned.
Things looked doomed for the Scots until a huge Brock Beaudrie interception brought things back to life. At the end of the third, the score was still at 10-0. Here's where things got crazy.
Alma capped off a 6-play, 41 yard drive with a Cole Thomas 8-yard receiving touchdown to get the visitors on the board at 10-7 MU. The home team responded, marching down the field to score a touchdown of their own, 17-7 MU. Alma moved down the field into scoring range, but stalled out, insert Josh Hernandez, who kicked a clutch 37 yard field goal, 17-10 MU. Once again, Mount responded in the form an 11-play drive ending in a field goal. 20-10 MU. The Scots needed just one play to come back within three. Nate Webb, 76 yards to the house. 20-17 MU.
Alma got a crucial stop, and with just 1:29 remaining, the Scots engineered a 10-play, 96 yard drive that ended with the go ahead score from Carter St. John to Cole Thomas with 10 seconds left. 24-20 Alma.
It was enough for Alma to pick up a sack on the second to last play, and stun the #2 team in the nation on their own turf.
Carter St. John finished with 303 yards through the air to go with 3 touchdowns. Kahleel Brown was the leading rusher on the day, netting 54 yards on 11 carries. Nate Webb was the yards leader for receiving, with 76 total on one grab.
Defensively, Odin Soffredine recorded 20 total tackles to lead the team. Jack Kretzschmar and Brock Beaudrie snagged interceptions. Jalen Dunwoody came up with 2 sacks, and Nico Candela with one.
It's a defining win for Alma College Football, who moves on to face SUNY Cortland at home next week.
