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CHADRON, Neb.—Northwest running back Xavier Omon ran for a school record 309 yards and scored three touchdowns against the RMAC’s top run defense and lifted the Bearcats to a 26-13 win against Chadron State Saturday at Elliott Field. The win sends Northwest into the semifinals where a rematch with Grand Valley State awaits.

The Bearcat defense forced five turnovers and held 2006 Harlon Hill Award winner Danny Woodhead to 91 yards and no touchdowns. He ends his four-year career two points shy of former Pittsburg State running back Germaine Race’s Division II record for career points scored.

Omon had 204 yards and two scores in the first half. He took the second play of the game 34 yards untouched for a score. His 4-yard touchdown with 45 seconds remaining in the first half gave the Bearcats a 16-0 lead.

Woodhead, who had 16 yards on 16 carries in last year’s game against Northwest, had 10 yards on 10 carries in the first half of this year’s contest. His largest run was a 50-yard dart up the middle in the third quarter, but the drive was ended by a Ryan Jones interception.

Woodhead lost two fumbles in the game and the Bearcats intercepted three passes. Jones, Ike Urum-Eke and Matt Robertson each recorded their first interceptions of the season.

California 58, Shepherd 38

December 1, 2007

CALIFORNIA, Pa. -- Undefeated California (PA) claimed their first NCAA Division II Northeast Region championship with a 58-38 victory against WVIAC champion Shepherd (10-2). The 13-0 Vulcans piled up 535 yards as Daine Williams rushed for 179 and two scores. Windell Brown added 115 yards and three scores on only six rushes.

Shepherd grabbed a 7-0 lead only 13 seconds into the game as Harlon Hill Trophy finalist Dervon Wallace returned the opening kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown. Cal responded with a Williams one-yard scoring plunge. The Vulcans took a 14-7 lead on a 14-yard Joe Ruggiero to Joe Slappy touchdown pass. The Rams closed the first quarter scoring when Bryan Beverage pulled SU within 14-10 with a 31-yard field goal.

Cal pushed the lead to 27-10 late in the second quarter as Tyler Lorenz booted a pair of field goal and Brown rambled 39 yards for his first touchdown. Shepherd cut the lead to 27-17 with a one-yard Wallace rush just before the half.

The Vulcans got a quick third quarter tally as Brown went 11 yards. Lorenz's third field goal of the day made the lead 37-17. Shepherd marched 87 yards on 15 plays to cut the score to 37-24 on a four-yard Ryan Lavin touchdown reception from Tyler Lazear.

The scoring in the wild third quarter wasn't nearly completed. Jermaine Moye made a great catch on a 40-yard bomb from Ruggeiro to make it 44-24 in favor of Cal. Shepherd responded quickly as Wallace turned a short pass from Lazear into a 38-yard touchdown reception with 14 seconds left in the quarter. However, Brown rambled 36 yards for a touchdown and a 51-31 Vulcan edge on the final play of the quarter.

Each team scored once in the final quarter. Williams scored on a one-yard plunge. Shepherd got a 7-yard Lazear to Nikkolai Norrell pass to close the scoring.

Wallace was limited to a season-low 51 yards on 21 carries. The senior did break the WVIAC single season rushing record by pushing his total to 2138 yards on the campaign. He did add 56 receiving yards on five catches and 124 kickoff return yards on four attempts.

Lazear completed 23 of 36 passes for 240 yards to lead the Shepherd offense. Mark Springirth caught eight passes for 80 yards.

California will face either North Alabama or Valdosta State next Sunday in a national semifinal.

NOTES: ---Shepherd is the first WVIAC squad to reach double figures in victories for three straight seasons. ---The Rams tallied the most points by a California opponent in 2007. The Vulcans, which lead D-II in scoring defense, had not allowed more than 14 points in a contest.

Valdosta State 37, North Alabama 23

December 1, 2007

VALDOSTA, Ga. – North Alabama held a seven-point lead with just over 11 minutes left in the game but Valdosta State retuned two punts for touchdowns and got another quick score off a turnover as the Blazers downed the Lions 37-23 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

The Blazers, who had returned a kickoff for a TD in the first half, used the two punt return TDs to tie the game, and then take the lead. With another short three-yard drive, the Blazers managed three touchdowns within a 2:49 period of the fourth quarter.

North Alabama took a 23-16 lead with 4:50 remaining in the third quarter on a 13-yard pass from A.J. Milwee to Rocky Coleman. The Lions then stopped VSU on two straight possessions but were forced to punt both times. On the second kick, VSU’s Sherard Reynolds took a Will Batson punt back 65 yards to the end zone and Zachary Williams PAT tied the game at 23-23 with 11:21 left to play.

UNA failed to gain a first down on its following possession but Batson’s punt was again returned for a TD as Roger King took the kick back 80 yards to the end zone. The PAT gave the Blazers a 30-23 advantage with 9:28 left to play.

The streak of disaster wasn’t over the Lions, however, as the ball was jarred loose from Brandenn Pickett after a short pass and Valdosta State recovered it at the UNA three. On the next play, Willie Copeland hit Cedric Jones with a TD pass and the Blazers led 37-23 with 8:32 to go.

North Alabama threatened but a VSU interception by Reynolds in the end zone stopped the drive.

North Alabama concludes its season at 10-2, while Valdosta State will advance to the semifinals of the playoffs to meet California, Pa.

UNA gained 413 total yards, while holding Valdosta State to 306 total and just 214 yards passing. But the Blazers had 330 yards on nine kickoff and punt returns.

Milwee was 31-of-45 passing for 318 yards and two touchdowns and has now thrown at least one TD pass in his last 17 straight starts. Jason Messing and Joemal Campbell led UNA’s receivers with seven catches each and Branden Pickett rushed for 68 yards on 15 carries.

North Alabama took the opening kickoff and ground-out a 14-play, 79-yard drive that ended with a six-yard A.J. Milwee touchdown run. Milwee was 4-for-5 passing on the drive and also ran three times. Milwee’s TD run came with 8:22 left in the opening period but Scott Shurden’s extra-point attempt was wide left and the Lions led 6-0.

The Lions lead lasted just 20 seconds as Valdosta State’s Ronnye Nelson took the ensuing kickoff back 91 yards for a touchdown to make it a 6-6 game. The Blazers’ Williams extra point attempt missed wide and the game remained tied with 8:02 left in the opening quarter.

After stopping North Alabama on its next possession, the Blazers scored again, going 38 yards in just four plays. Willie Copeland dumped a pass into the left flat to Cedric Jones and he weaved his way 26 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. Williams’ PAT gave Valdosta State a 13-6 lead at the 5:13 mark of the first quarter.

North Alabama moved the ball 47 yards on its next possession but the drive stalled at the VSU six-yard line. Shurden kicked a 23-yard field goal and UNA closed the gap to four points at 13-9 with 1:44 left in the first period.

Valdosta State moved quickly into scoring position as the Blazers went to the UNA three before being stopped on a third-down call as Michael Johnson broke up a pass at the goalline. Wlliams came on to attempt a 20-yard field goal but UNA’s Montrell Craft broke through and blocked the field goal try. Neal Mitchell, Jr., picked up the ball and returned it 14 yards to the UNA 26.

The teams then traded interceptions as Valdosta State’s Roger King picked off Milwee at the VSU 41, but Craft picked off a Copeland pass at the UNA 38 yard line juts six plays later. North Alabama cashed in on the turnover this time, driving 62 yards in 10 plays for a touchdown. A 15-yard pass to Rocky Colemand and a 17-yard pass to Joemal Campbell put UNA in scoring position and Milwee then hit Ed Gant with a 32-yard TD pass over the middle. Shurden’s PAT gave UNA a 16-13 lead with 7:43 left in the half.

Valdosta State ground out a 15-play drive to tie the game before intermission, moving to the UNA 16 yard line before stalling. Williams kicked a 33-yard field goal to make it 16-16 with 1:12 left in the half.

UNA is now 24-10 all-time in the Division II playoffs and it was the Lions first loss in the post-season to Valdosta State in three contests.

Grand Valley State 41, Central Washington 21

December 1, 2007

ALLENDALE, Mich. (AP) — Quarterback Brad Iciek ran for four touchdowns and passed for two others to lead Grand Valley State past Central Washington 41-21 Saturday in an NCAA Division II quarterfinal.

The Lakers (12-0) extended their Division II record for consecutive wins to 40. Grand Valley State, the two-time defending national champions, will play either next Saturday or Sunday in the semifinals.

Iciek ran for three touchdowns and passed for one in the first half for a 27-0 lead. Grand Valley had 175 yards rushing and held Central Washington (10-3) to 13, and had a 306-46 advantage in total yards in the half.

Blake Smolen led the Lakers' rushing attack with 200 yards. Iciek had 176 yards on 14 completions and 30 yards on seven carries.

The Wildcats hurt themselves with three turnovers in the first seven minutes of the game.

Central Washington scored on its first drive of the second half on a 17-yard pass from Mike Reilly to Johnny Spevak. Iciek countered with a 20-yard scoring pass to Mike Koster, giving the Lakers a 34-7 lead going into the fourth.

Reilly passed to Brandon Stout for a 9-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter for the Wildcats. Iciek scored his fourth rushing touchdown from five yards for Grand Valley's final score.

Reilly, who finished with 27 completions for 275 yards, threw a 22-yard scoring pass to Charles Smith late in the game.

Notes:@ Temperature at Lubbers Stadium was 22 degrees at game time. ... It was the first football meeting between Central Washington and a team from Michigan.