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by Ryan Holtmann FT. WAYNE, Ind. -- The team that was becoming known as the "Road Warriors" hit a bit of snow on their run in the NAIA Playoffs. The No. 16-seeded St. Ambrose Fighting Bees run at a National Championship was brought to a halt on Saturday, as they fell 41-14 to No. 5-seeded St. Francis (IN). "We got out of our rhythm and made some mental mistakes," Fighting Bees head coach Todd Sturdy said. "You have to give St. Francis credit, they played a great football game." The Fighting Bees had won five straight games, including three straight wins over NAIA ranked teams, all on the road entering Saturday's contest. The game was delayed a half hour due to the previous nights snow. About 2-3 inches fell overnight, covering the tarp that was covering the field. It took game officials longer than expected to get the field game ready. Once the game got started things didn't start out bad for the Bees as they stopped the Cougars on their first two drives and scoring on their second. Bees quarterback Jeff Kietzman found Steve Clary for the three-yard score, giving the Bees an early 7-0 edge. However, that would be the only Bees score for the game's next 44 minutes and 57 seconds. In that same span the Cougars (12-0) scored 41 unanswered. Cougars quarterback Chris Brammel and running backs Cory Jacquay and Mike Ledo all added two touchdown runs a piece. Brammel had the first two, scoring from 3 and 4 yards out. He finished the day rushing for 21 yards on 8 carries and throwing for 118 yards on 7-of-20 passing. All seven of his completions went to seven different receivers. Jacquay and Ledo then alternated scores. Jacquay started things off in the third with a 64-yard touchdown run, followed by Ledo, who rushed 42 yards for the score four minutes later. Jacquay rushed for his second score of the day, a 7-yard scamper with 1 minute 46 seconds to go in the third to give the Cougars a 34-7 lead. Ledo scored his final touchdown, hauling in Brammel's only touchdown pass of the day, a 49-yard hookup. Jacquay was named Offensive Player of the Game, finishing the day with 122 rushing yards on 14 carries. Ledo also ruhsed for more than 100 yards, racking up 119 yards on 15 carries. The Cougars defense was all but flawless, especially in containing Bees running back Joe Schimmel. Schimmel, who has rushed for over 100 yards in all but one game (falling six yards short on that day), was limited to 47 yards on 16 carries, his lowest output of the season. Leading the Cougars defense was defensive back Jamie Holman, who had 11 tackles and a pass deflection, which earned him Defensive Player of the Game honors. Bees linebacker Kevin Hopkins had 14 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss of 7 yards, as well as a sack to lead the Bees defense. The Cougars out-gained the Fighting Bees 445-258 and had more first-downs, 19-12 on the day. The Fighting Bees also had nine penalties for 108 yards. "We moved the ball well coming out of the gate and felt good at haltime (trailing 13-7)," Sturdy said. "But we struggled in the second half, not getting first downs and keeping the defense on the field for the majority of the third quarter. "They struggled, but were tired from being on the field as much as they were. We didn't control the clock well and had some trouble moving the ball." The loss drops the Fighting Bees from playoff contention and they will finish the season with an 8-4 record, making it to the quarterfinals of the NAIA Playoffs for the second time in four years. The win advances the Cougars to the semi-finals of the playoffs, with their opponent to be determined on Sunday. Other Quarterfinal scores: Carrol (MT) defeated Mary (ND) 49-7 Sioux Falls defeated Northwestern (IA) 33-7 Northwest Oklahoma State defeated Dickinson State 24-17 Return to the Football Homepage |
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