Football Game Notes: Week Eleven: Grand View‏

Recent William Penn Statesmen Football action at the Lacey Complex Stadium

Oskaloosa–For the third year in a row, William Penn has a playoff bid in its grasp entering the final week of the year, but just like last year, it will have to go through its biggest rival to obtain it.

The 15th-ranked Statesmen (8-2, 4-1 MWL) host #9 Grand View (8-2, 5-0 MWL) in Midwest League play at 1 p.m. The teams will be playing for an assortment of prizes as they sit in opposite positions from a season ago.

The Vikings have already secured at least a share of the MWL crown and are seeking to lock up a first-round playoff game. Grand View could possibly get knocked out of the whole equation with a loss however.

The navy and gold are looking to share the league title as well as put themselves on solid postseason standing. The Rock and Ladder Trophy is also up for grabs.

STATESMEN BROADCASTING: Every William Penn football game can be followed through several different mediums.

Radio (all games): Heard live on KBOE 740 AM or 104.9 FM
Internet (all games): Heard live at http://client.stretchinternet.com/client/kboe.portal
TV (home games): Viewed and heard live on Mahaska Communication Group’s local channel
Internet (home games): Viewed and heard live at http://origin.peg.tv/pegtv_player?s=wpenn

SERIES HISTORY: William Penn is 1-2 all-time in its series against Grand View.

William Penn was denied the playoffs last year with a 14-13 season-finale loss to the Vikings.

The Statesmen led 13-7 late, but Grand View scored with 47 seconds left and held on for the win to earn a share of the MWL crown and a postseason berth. The loss dropped the navy and gold to #16, one spot out of the playoff picture for the second-straight year.

Taylor Parsons (Jr., The Woodlands, Texas, Sociology) rushed for 86 yards and also completed six passes for 90 yards.

2009–Grand View, 26-21
2010–William Penn, 41-35
2011–Grand View, 14-13

WILLIAM PENN PROFILE: William Penn lost for the first time in league play with a 20-17 setback to St. Ambrose last Saturday.

Parsons scored twice and Marcus Kerrigan (Jr., Cary, Ill., Sociology) added a 29-yard field goal. Kerrigan was named MWL Special Teams POW for his efforts.

Trailing 20-17 late, the Statesmen stormed down to the Fighting Bee goal line. With time running out, the team chose to go for the win, but Parsons was unfortunately denied at the one-yard line to end the game. The junior signal-caller finished with a game-high 124 yards.

William Penn forced three turnovers, including an interception by Jacob Batterson (Jr., Eddyville, Iowa, Industrial Technology).

For the year, William Penn is averaging 34.3 points and 377.4 yards per game, including 320.6 rushing and 56.8 passing. The squad is second in the NAIA in total rushing yards (3,206) and third in rushing yards per game.

Parsons leads the Statesmen offense with 705 rushing yards and ten touchdowns. Six other players, including Evan Ressler (So., Cascade, Iowa, Physical Education) with 619 yards and nine scores, are also over the century mark.

Parsons is 30-of-77 in the passing game, accounting for 483 yards and three TDs. Aaron Broyles (Jr., Escondido, Calif., Physical Education) has ten receptions, while Ed Cazenave (Jr., Marietta, Ga., Communications) has collected 184 yards on the receiving end.

William Penn has committed 14 turnovers this year.

Defensively, the Statesmen are giving up an average of 13.5 points and 286.4 yards, including 152.1 passing and 134.3 rushing. William Penn is sixth nationally in points allowed per game.

Brock Peery (Jr., Payson, Utah, Secondary Education) tops William Penn with 74 stops. Nick DiMarco (So., St. Charles, Mo., Physical Education) has a team-best 4.5 sacks, while four players have recorded three interceptions. The Statesmen have forced 31 turnovers.

Kerrigan is having another strong year, going 31-of-37 in point-after-attempts and 11-of-13 in field goals. He ranks seventh in the nation in field goals made, ninth in both field goal percentage (84.6%) and field goals per game (1.1), and tenth in total scoring (kicking) (64 points).

The team is again utilizing a two-punter rugby-style formation with Kerrigan, DiMarco, and Jason Johnson (Jr., Geneseo, Ill., Industrial Technology) all having sent the pigskin into the air. Kerrigan has 15 punts for a 40.4 yard average, while Johnson has kicked nine times for a clip of 36.0 yards. DiMarco also has seven attempts for a 31.9 mark.

Batterson has taken eight kickoffs back for an average of 23.8 yards (long of 51 yards), while Joel Medina (Sr., Palmdale, Calif., Sociology) has seven punt returns for a clip of 11.4 yards (long of 40 yards).

William Penn was picked to finish second in the Midwest League.

GRAND VIEW PROFILE: Mike Woodley is in his fifth year as head football coach at Grand View, entering the campaign with a 24-19 record.

Woodley has been named Midwest League Coach of the Year twice, in 2009 and 2011. He has spent 30 of his 35 seasons coaching in Iowa, including nine years at fellow MWL program St. Ambrose. He came to Grand View from Sam Rayburn HS (Texas) where he served as athletic director and head football coach for four years.

Woodley is a member of three Hall of Fames–the Iowa High School Football Coaches Association, the University of Northern Iowa, and Waterloo East HS. He has won Coach of the Year honors at each school in which he has coached and was the NAIA District 15 Coach of the Year while at St. Ambrose.

The Vikings won their fifth game in a row with a 51-7 decision over Iowa Wesleyan last Saturday.

Grand View, who outgained the Tigers 483-168, scored the game’s first 38 points. The squad was balanced with 275 yards passing, including 236 by Derek Fulton, and 205 rushing.

Brady Roland was the top receiver with three grabs for 113 yards.

For the year, Grand View is averaging 28.6 points and 338.0 yards per game, including 172.8 passing and 165.2 rushing.

Fulton tops the offense by completing 87-of-150 passes for 1,226 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has four receivers over the century mark, including Roland with 40 catches for 717 yards and six scores.

Dorian Ballentine is pacing the ground attack with 441 yards and two scores, while Charlie Badgett has 401 yards (six TDs). Three more players are also over the 100-yard barrier. The offense has committed 21 turnovers.

Defensively, the Vikings are giving up an average of 16.0 points and 293.9 yards, including 196.3 passing and 97.6 rushing. Grand View is ninth in the NAIA in rushing yards allowed per game.

Dudley Bickham has a squad-best 90 tackles, including 19.5 for loss. Bickham is fourth in the NAIA in total tackles for loss and tackles for loss per game (2.0). Jon Higgins has sacked opposing QBs 12 times, ranking third nationally in total sacks and sacks per game (1.2). Two players have two interceptions apiece as the defense has forced 20 turnovers this year.

Ben Hurley is 29-of-36 in extra points and 11-of-12 in field goals. He ranks seventh in both total field goals and field goal percentage (91.7%), and ninth in field goals per game (1.1).

Zach Antle has punted 46 times for a 38.7 average (long of 80). Keonte White has 20 kickoff returns for a 22.5 clip (long of 48), while Davion Hurst has 11 punt returns for a 10.4 average (long of 45).

Grand View was picked to finish third in the Midwest League.

COACH HAFNER SAYS: On the St. Ambrose game: “It was a great small-college football game. Both teams played extremely hard and very physical. It was a shame that one team had to lose.”

On Grand View: “We are playing with a lot on the line–a conference championship, the Rock and Ladder trophy, and a possible playoff berth. Grand View is an outstanding team and very well-coached. We must execute, be patient, and win the turnover battle. We have a very confident football team, and with it being senior day, we are sure our players will play with a lot of enthusiasm. We look forward to a great day and a great crowd to support us.”

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