William Penn Stunned Late in 14-13 Loss to Grand View
#8 William Penn Statesmen football was stunned Saturday by #23 Grand View in Des Moines
Des Moines–Controlling its own destiny, the Statesmen football team needed a win to return to the playoffs for the first time in over three decades, but Grand View was also playing for its postseason life and a late score by the home team secured the fate of both programs.
The #8 Statesmen (9-2, 5-2 MWL) fell to the #23 Vikings 14-13 Saturday afternoon in the regular season finale, likely removing the navy and gold from NAIA playoff contention.
With the win, Grand View (8-3, 6-1 MWL) shares the league crown with #13 St. Francis (Ill.) (9-2, 6-1 MWL), who defeated St. Ambrose 21-10. Since the Vikings defeated the Fighting Saints, they will likely be moved into the top 20 to guarantee the MWL of an automatic playoff berth, while the Fighting Saints will battle for one of the final at-large bids.
One year ago, the Statesmen were in St. Francis’ shoes and did what they needed to do to keep hopes alive. Unfortunately, the raters left William Penn at #13 and the program was the highest-ranked team left out of the postseason.
On Saturday, Win and In was the team’s motto, and late in the game, it seemed as though the visitors were about to achieve their goal.
Leading 13-7 in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, Joseph Frye (Fr., Detroit, Mich., Highland Park HS) came up with the team’s third interception (fourth overall takeaway) at the William Penn ten-yard line.
The offense, which gained 295 yards (205 rushing), unfortunately fizzled on a quick three-and-out possession, giving the ball right back to Grand View one final time.
The Vikings obtained possession at the 50-yard line with 2:47 left on the clock. They then methodically picked up yard after yard and eight plays and exactly two minutes later, they were in the endzone on a 26-yard completion from Dorian Ballentine to Mike Hennick. The all-important extra point was made to break the 13-13 tie.
DeMarco Sanders (Sr., Horn Lake, Miss., Horn Lake HS) returned the kickoff to the 39-yard line, but with only 43 ticks left in regulation, the ball would have to be moved through the air, much to the chagrin of the best rushing offense in the NAIA.
The Statesmen tried valiantly, but Taylor Parsons (So., The Woodlands, Texas, College Park HS) was only able to complete two of his six passes on the drive and time ran out on a completion at the Grand View 37.
William Penn got on the board first at the 2:39 mark of the second quarter when Shawn Davis (So., Hamersville, Ohio, Western Brown HS) crossed the goal line from two yards out.
The extra point by Marcus Kerrigan (So., Cary, Ill., Cary-Grove HS) was not converted, however, leaving the score at 6-0 entering intermission.
The Vikings did not answer back immediately, instead taking advantage of the lone navy and gold turnover. After Grand View was stopped on its initial drive of the second half, Chris Crawford (Jr., Muskegon, Mich., Grand Valley State) stood with his back to the goal line awaiting the punt.
Unfortunately, the junior was hit on the return and fumbled the pigskin and it was recovered by the hosts at the William Penn 1-yard line. Three plays later, the Vikings scored and hit the extra point, taking its first advantage at 7-6.
A nice 18-yard kickoff return by Sanders gave William Penn solid field position on its next drive. Sanders then made another huge play, hauling in a pass from Parsons for 39 yards. Davis eventually struck gold, again from two yards out, and the lead returned to the Statesmen at 13-7 with 9:06 still left in the third.
Neither offense accomplished much on their following possessions, but on its next drive, Grand View pushed down the ball all the way down to the Statesmen two-yard line. Facing fourth-down-and-two, though, the Vikings were stopped for a loss and could not regain the lead, at least not at that juncture.
William Penn had a great defensive showing, holding its foe to 177 total yards. Brock Peery (So., Payson, Utah, Payson HS) paced the defense with 12 tackles, while Junior Delva (So., Miami, Fla., Hialeah HS) and Michael Wright (So., Olive Branch, Miss., Olive Branch HS) joined Frye with an interception.
Parsons guided the offense with 86 rushing yards on 18 carries. He also completed six-of-14 passes for 90 yards. Sanders finished the game with two grabs for 52 yards.
If the season is in fact over, it marks the end of the collegiate careers of 19 seniors. The 2011 class includes Chris Adeshina (Detroit, Mich., Highland Park HS), Jacob Ballanger (Carlisle, Waldorf), Sean Colemon (Burlington, Burlington HS), Nick Harris (Salt Lake City, Utah, Brighton HS), Damon Harrison (Lake Charles, La., Lake Charles Boston HS), James Jenkins (Newton, Newton HS), Corey Ketchum (El Dorado Springs, Mo., El Dorado Springs HS), Ivan Kindell (Belleville, Mich., Belleville HS), Derek McIntyre (Eddyville, Iowa Central CC), Torren Millbrooks (Olive Branch, Miss., Olive Branch HS), Reggie Morris (Penns Grove, N.J., Paulsboro, HS), Shawn Oaks (Murray, Iowa Central CC), P.J. Perry (Orlando, Fla., East Ridge HS), DeMarco Sanders, Cam Shearon (St. Peters, Mo., Francis Howell Central HS), Steve Steele (Freeland, Mich., Nouvel Catholic HS), Rushawn Stewart (Houston, Texas, Eisenhower HS), Ben Taylor (Eddyville, Central), and Jordi Vernor (Ripley, Miss., Northeast Mississippi CC).
