A Perfect Ten! Cougars Rout Maranatha, Await Sunday's Selection Show

Nov. 10, 2012 - While their berth to the NCAA Division III playoffs was assured with last week's victory, the Concordia University Chicago football team still had some remaining business to take care of with today's game at Maranatha Baptist Bible College. The Cougars looked to clinch sole possession of a Northern Athletics Conference title, wrapping up a perfect 10-0 regular season and get everyone some action in advance of next week's playoff game. On a warm but windy afternoon in Watertown, Wisconsin, all three goals were accomplished as the Cougars soundly defeated Maranatha 62-26.

The Crusaders took the opening kickoff but were stopped on a three-and-out. The Cougars took possession following the punt at the home team's 46 and did not take long to open the scoring. A short pass from Jake Koehler (Belvidere, IL/Rockford Lutheran) to Andrew Maddox (Gainesville, FL/P.K. Yonge) took the ball down to the two-yard line. Two plays later, Koehler tossed to Trent Yancy (Chicago, IL/Simeon) on the right side, and Yancy crossed the goal line for the opening points of the game. Danny Colapietro (Norridge, IL/Maine South) added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Maranatha looked to answer as they picked up a couple of first downs and moved the ball into Concordia's territory. But on fourth down, freshman Bret Behnke (North Prairie, WI/Lake Country Lutheran) broke through the line to sack quarterback Robert McCormick and end the threat.

Late in the quarter, the Cougars increased their lead. Faced with a third-and-eight, Koehler took advantage of some great pass protection and hit Jamal Thomas (Weirsdale, FL/Lake Weir) down the left sideline on a 46-yard fly pattern. Thomas made a good catch despite tight coverage and stepped into the end zone for a 14-0 lead.

Following another defensive stop. the Cougar offense went to work again. As on the previous drive, the Cougars made good on a third-and-long conversion, this one to Yancy at the five. Moments later, Koehler found the end zone on a four-yard scramble to up the lead to 21-0 in the first minute of the second quarter.

Working against a strong south wind, the Cougars put together their longest drive of the day on their next scoring march. Concordia went 75 yards with the help of a 23-yard runs by Maddox and a key fourth-down completion of 22 yards to Thomas. Maddox eventually completed the drive with a nine-yard run off right tackle to stretch the lead to 28.

An interception by C.J. Dear (St. Louis, MO/Lutheran North) put the Cougars' offense back on the field moments later. The Cougars' ground game struck again as Maddox and Koehler made some key runs. Finally, it was Sherman Jones (Pensacola, FL/J.M. Tate) that got the call from 22 yards out, and his score made it a 35-0 game.

The defense got into the act on the next touchdown. Dear stepped in front of a Brandon McCormick pass and returned it 34 yards down the right sideline for the score.

Maranatha reached the scoreboard in the final 27 seconds of the half. Wide receiver Tanner Carrillo got free in a seam on the right side and hauled in a 31-yard pass from McCormick to cap the drive. The extra point missed, making the halftime score Concordia 42, Maranatha 6.

The Crusaders put together two sustained drives in the third quarter. Concordia's defense came up big on the first drive, stopping Maranatha on a fourth-and-goal at the five. However, the Crusaders found the end zone on the second drive of nine plays with McCormick sneaking in behind center from a yard out. The two-point conversion pass failed, leaving the score at Concordia 42, Maranatha 12.

Concordia looked to answer on their next drive, but they were set back by a holding penalty. Maranatha took over again and continued to gain momentum. Kiel Larson made it a run of 19 unanswered points as he slipped through a hole in the line and raced 29 yards to the end zone.

Things began to get a little dramatic as a fumble gave the ball back to Maranatha on Concordia's side of the field. But the Cougars' defense stiffened, and Sam Key (Chicago, IL/Luther South) got his hand on a McCormick pass on fourth down to squelch the threat.

Freshman quarterback Antoine Ward (Glenwood, IL/Homewood-Flossmoor) began the Cougars' possession with a 33-yard scamper into Crusaders' territory. Ward and Kevin Hagens (St. Louis, MO/Lutheran North) continued to move the ball further downfield, and Hagens finally went over on the eighth play of the drive from five yards out to break the hosts' string of points. Colapietro's extra point made it Cougars 49, Crusaders 19 with 10 minutes remaining.

The momentum reversed, Concordia put two more touchdowns on the board over the next seven minutes. Ward scored on a run of 32 yards and later threw to freshman Jared Gosse (Greenleaf, WI/NEW Lutheran) for a 30-yard score after Maranatha lost the ball on downs. The extra point on the latter score was blocked, leaving the score at 62-19, Concordia.

Maranatha added the final points of the game as Carrillo caught a short pass from Josh Davidson, broke a tackle and raced down the right sideline. The entire play covered 53 yards.

Maddox and Ward shared game-high rushing honors with 90 yards each, Maddox on 11 carries and Ward on five. Koehler was 8-18 passing for 124 yards and two scores while Ward was 8-13 for 86 yards and one touchdown. Eleveen different Cougar receovers caught at least one pass with Thomas grabbing three for 76 yards.

Defensively, Tyler May (Peotone, IL/H.S.) recorded a career-high 11 tackles (seven solo) while Marty Beckman (Parma, OH/Lutheran West) added nine including three for 10 yards in losses.

The Cougars will now wait 24 hours to find out their opponent for the first round of the playoffs. The selection show will be shown live in Concordia's main dining hall at 5 p.m. A link to the show will also be provided on Concordia's athletics website at www.cucougars.com.