Playoff Bid Falls Short in 26-14 Rock and Ladder Loss
William Penn University Athletics
Oskaloosa–Forced out of its comfort zone, the Statesmen football team did not have enough in its arsenal to take back the Rock and Ladder Trophy and make a case for a possible postseason berth in a 26-14 loss to #3 Grand View Saturday.
#19 William Penn (7-4, 3-2 North) needed a win and some help to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Unfortunately, the navy and gold, which entered the contest as the NAIA’s best rushing team (378.6 yards/game), was limited to just 88 yards on 32 attempts by the nation’s third-best run defense.
It was not just the home squad that was stymied by the opposing defense as Grand View also found it difficult to accomplish much with the ball. The Vikings outgained WPU 196-119 at intermission, but was unable to produce any points as the teams went into their respective locker rooms in a scoreless tie.
GVU (10-1, 5-0 North), which claimed the North title outright, moved into the Statesmen redzone twice, but were turned back on each occasion, including being intercepted on the second trip by Isaac Samek (Sr., Bolivar, Mo., Industrial Technology). William Penn recorded both of the game’s takeaways Saturday.
The visitors eventually scored the game’s first points on their first drive of the second half, and after a three-and-out of WPU, they were in position to strike again. Fortunately, the punt return was fumbled and Van Parker (So., Muskegon, Mich., Physical Education) was right there to recover the loose ball.
The Statesmen could not take advantage of better field position, kicking it right back to Grand View. The Vikings were not as generous, however, marching for another score to lead 13-0 after three quarters of action.
William Penn finally got its offense going on the contest’s next possession, going 65 yards on 12 plays. On 4th-and-3 from the GVU 5-yard line, Tyler Hafner (Sr., Oskaloosa, Iowa, Communications) connected with Jatavius Stewart (Rock Hill, S.C., Biology) on a crossing pattern to make it 13-7 with 13:33 to go.
Hafner finished the day 10-for-23 through the air for 149 yards, while Stewart hauled in seven balls for 139 of those yards.
GVU was not stunned as it answered right back, putting WPU on its heels at 19-7 midway through the final period. With hope dwindling, the Statesmen went to their two best offensive weapons–Hafner and Stewart.
On the first play from scrimmage, Hafner lofted a ball down the left sideline. The pass initially appeared to be out of the reach of everyone, but the Viking defensive back made contact, tipping the ball into the air. The GVU player was in position for the interception, but as the pigskin descended, Stewart stepped in and snatched it away. He then darted the rest of the way untouched for a 63-yard touchdown to trim the margin to 19-14.
Watch Jatavius Stewart’s final collegiate touchdown at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i2GcGuzs2c
The defense then rose to the occasion. Although Grand View marched 59 yards down to the WPU 8-yard line, the Statesmen bent but did not break, refusing to permit any points to be scored, giving the ball back to the offense at the 15-yard line with three minutes still on the clock. Unfortunately, the ending was not one of a fairy tale as three incompletions and a sack returned the ball back to the Vikings and they put the game away on a score two plays later.
Aaron Osborne (Sr., Houston, Texas, Physical Education) guided the rushing attack with 38 yards on seven runs, while William Penn ended the matchup being outgained 434-237. Jake Baptiste (So., Salt Lake City, Utah, Psychology) was the top Statesmen defender with 11 tackles.
Saturday marks the end of the collegiate playing careers of 26 seniors, including Cameron Colbert (Jenks, Okla., Business Management), Hunter Collins (Jenks, Okla., Mechanical Engineering), Austin Cosgrove (Moravia, Iowa, Elementary Education), J.T. Dotson (Jenks, Okla., Business Management), Kalob Gist (Oskaloosa, Iowa, Business Management), Tyler Goble (Des Moines, Iowa, Secondary Education), Hafner, Jacob Kerr (Wapello, Iowa, Secondary Education), Connor Menown (Springfield, Mo., Physical Education), Keegan Murphy (Ark City, Kan., Physical Education), Zach Myers (Oskaloosa, Iowa, Physical Education), Kyle Nitz (Broken Arrow, Okla., Biology), Osborne, Kramer Patterson (Ozark, Mo., Secondary Education), Patrick Poetsch (Remsheid, Germany, Sociology) Jarrett Rogers (Ozark, Mo., Business Management), Samek, Sergio Segura (El Paso, Texas, Industrial Technology), Kevin Shrauger (Nixa, Mo., Physical Education), Stewart, Clayton Temaat (Alba, Mo., Industrial Technology), Hea Tuifua (Salt Lake City, Utah, Industrial Technology), Nathan Tvedt (Oskaloosa, Iowa, Business Management), Devin Verwers (Norwalk, Iowa, Industrial Technology), Ryan Westmoreland (Bolivar, Mo., Secondary Education), and Taylan Ybarra (Wellington, Kan., Education).
