Football team nabs playoff spot with win
Posted by The Skyliner on November 17th, 2011Fred Battenfield
Contributing Writer
Nick Rosamonda (29) and the Crusader defense held Notre Dame College to just 78 total yards in North Greenville's 62-0 victory on Saturday. With the win, the Crusaders secured themselves a spot in the Division II playoffs beginning on Saturday, Nov. 19 in Younts Stadium against Albany State (Ga.) at noon.
No, not that Notre Dame. North Greenville amassed a school record 720 yards of total offense and also set a scoring record as the Crusaders dominated Notre Dame College of South Euclid, Ohio 62-0 on Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day at Younts Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Tigerville.
The Crusaders finished the regular season with a 9-2 record and seven consecutive victories.
Quarterback Willy Korn, senior broadcast media, completed 20 of 23 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns, and NGU had eight different players score touchdowns.
North Greenville’s 720 yards were the most since the 2006 season and the 62 points were the most in school history as well. (NGU defeated Ohio State Newark last season 63-0, but Newark was a club program and the statistics did not count toward the NCAA marks).
Teryan Rucker, sophomore secondary education, rushed for 93 yards, Kyle Peck, sophomore mathematics, had a career best 91, Idris Anderson, sophomore undecided had 43 and Aaron Seigler, junior business administration, had 40 yards for NGU.
Freddie Martino, sophomore accounting, caught six passes for 165 yards. In a game that marked probably the most complete game in NGU’s short history as a Division II program, the Crusaders limited the Falcons to 78 total yards and dominated time of possession 36 minutes to 16.
North Greenville set the tone of the game immediately by scoring on a seven-play, 76 yard drive when Korn hit Harold Small, junior art, with a 12-yard touchdown. Anderson scored on a two yard run, and Martino caught a 27-yard touchdown pass to put NGU up 21-0 at the end of the first quarter.
The scoring parade continued when Justin Gravely, freshman business administration, kicked a 30-yard field goal, Sean Wright, junior secondary education, caught yet another circus-like touchdown catch and Gravely added a 24 yard field goal with 1:11 left to give North Greenville a 34-0 halftime lead.
Korn, who wrapped up his collegiate regular season by leading NGU to a school-best two-year 18-5 record, connected with Taylor Malphrus, junior business administration, for a 15-yard touchdown that put NGU up 41-0 with 11:24 left.
Korn gave way to Siegler, who scored his own touchdown on a five-yard run that made it 48-0. Marcus Wilson, sophomore biology, broke four tackles and scored on a 30 -ard run with 11 seconds left in the third to make it 55-0.
Troy Jones, junior sport management, completed North Greenville’s scoring parade with his first career touchdown on a 23-yard run after a pitch from freshman quarterback Joseph Carter, sophomore biology.
“This really added a big exclamation to a very good season,” said NGU head coach Jamey Chadwell. “I have to give all the credit to our seniors, who bought into what we threw at them three years ago. They stuck it out and have really been the true leaders who made this happen. The sophomores who were with us three years ago hung in there and made a major difference in our success. We added a few transfers like Willy [Korn] and Daniel Adderley, but you have to truly applaud the seniors.”
The Crusaders’ next game will be another first for the football program as North Greenville will host Albany State (Ga.) in the first round of the 2011 NCAA Division II playoffs in Younts Stadium at noon.
Tags: Fall 2011, Vol. 113 - Issue 9