The ninth-ranked Thomas More College football team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship Playoff as it defeated 16th-ranked Washington & Lee University, 51-21, today in a first round game at BB&T Field in Crestview Hills, Kentucky.
With the win, the Saints remain undefeated as they improve to 11-0. The Generals end the season at 10-1.
Thomas More will play Wabash College in a second-round game Saturday in Crawfordsville, Indiana in a second round game of the 2015 NCAA Division III Championship Playoffs. The game will kick-off at 12 p.m. at Hollett Little Giant Stadium.
Tickets will only be available to be purchased on game day starting at 10:30 a.m. at the admission gates, which are located on the south side of the stadium. Ticket pricing (per NCAA guidelines) will be $8 for adults and $4 for students/children. Student pricing is for Wabash and Thomas More students only and they must have a school valid ID. “Return passes” will not be allowed during the game.
Fans leaving the stadium area will not be allowed to re-enter without purchasing a new ticket per NCAA guidelines.
Visiting team tailgating is only allowed in the Fine Arts Center parking lot. A portable restroom facility will be available at the Fine Arts parking lot for the duration of the game. NO alcohol or pets will not be allowed inside Little Giant Stadium.
Thomas More never trailed in the game as it led 14-0 after one quarter, 28-0 at halftime and 42-14 after three quarters.
The Saints took an early 7-0 lead when sophomore running back C.T. Tarrant (Hamilton, Ohio/Hamilton) scored on a one-yard touchdown run and senior kicker Tommy Budke (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain) added the point-after-attempt with 8:19 to play in the first quarter. Thomas More increased the lead to 14-0 with 1:03 to play in the first quarter when sophomore full back Cam Evans (Indianapolis, Ind./Decatur Central) scored on a six-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Jensen Gebhardt (Kings Mills, Ohio/Kings) and Budke added the PAT.
Senior wide receiver Goose Cohorn (Independence, Ky./Dixie Heights) scored on a five-yard touchdown pass from Gebhardt and Budke added the PAT to extend the lead to 21-0 with 7:21 to play in the second quarter. The Saints increased the lead to 28-0 at halftime as sophomore quarterback Brenan Kuntz (Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton) connected on a 44-yard touchdown pass to Cohorn and Budke made the PAT with 1:18 to play in the first half.
Thomas More took a 35-0 lead with 9:46 to play in the third quarter when Gebhardt connected on a 15-yard touchdown pass to senior Michael Bernecker (Cincinnati, Ohio/LaSalle) and Budke made the PAT. The Generals’ Charlie Nelson scored on an 11-yard run and Matt Underhill added the PAT as the lead was cut to 35-7 with 6:42 to play in the third quarter. Gebhardt connected with senior wide receiver Jeremy Duncan (Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) on a 27-yard touchdown pass and Budke added the PAT to increase the lead to 42-7 with 5:15 to play in the third quarter. Washington & Lee cut the lead to 42-14 with 17-seconds to play in the third quarter when Connor Chess scored on a seven-yard run and Underhill added the PAT.
Freshman running back Luke Zajac (Edgewood, Ky./Dixie Heights) scored on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Kuntz and the PAT failed as the Saints increased the lead to 48-14 with 11:49 to play in the fourth quarter. Budke made a 23-yard field goal with 4:15 to play in the game to make the score 51-14. Washington & Lee closed out the scoring with 58-seconds to play in the game when Walker Brand scored on an eight-yard run and Underhill made the PAT for the final score of 51-21.
Thomas More out-gained Washington & Lee 522 yards (306 rushing, 216 passing) to 332 yards (323 rushing, nine passing).
Gebhardt was 15-of-26 passing for 163 yards and four touchdowns, while Kuntz was two-of-two passing for 53 yards and two touchdowns. Tarrant had 26 carries for 145 yards and a touchdown, while Cohorn led the receivers with six catches for 91 yards.
From TMC Athletics