FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[DadofBashWarrior..]

Great Game.....WAF... of course

[Joe Wally]

Incredible Second Half For The Wabash Defense. 

On To Minnesota!

[Li'l Giant]

"Always" means ALWAYS.

I've been watching Wabash football for 20 years and that's the most amazing thing I've ever seen.

Hats of to Thomas More. Y'all were a great team and deserved to win this game. I feel awful for your team especially the seniors. Horrible way to end the season. 

Hope to see y'all again in the playoffs. That was awesome.

[smedindy]

Gimme a minute...I can't breathe....

[nike]

When was Shamir Johnson hurt?
Is he out for the rest of the playoffs?

[bashbrother]

I am still a little dazed by what I saw at the end of that game.....   Wabash had a chance to win it like 3 times,  TMC had a chance to get in field goal position to win it twice....  then to OT.....   and that happened?   Some crazy stuff.

Congrats to Thomas More, they came out and really kicked our butt in the first half.  (Especially in the defensive backfield)   The drive they had for their first TD was "meat and potatoes" run it behind the jumbos and pound.   I thought we might be in trouble after that drive.  Tremendous season to the gents from Kentucky.  Hard way to lose.

Now,Wabash's defense, was certainly the story of the game.....  they have been stepping up all year in the 2nd half,  the fact that they didn't allow a point in the 2nd half,  really tells the story.   Hammer is a genius at being able to make adjustments at the break.   To be able to build a plan to generate that much pressure against that O'line during a short intermission is noteworthy.   After the first couple of hard hits,  TMC's back-up QB, became a different player.   He seemed to be watching the pressure as much as he was looking downfield... plus TMC was made one dimensional in the 2nd half with the way we were stopping their run......   That gave Wabash's hobbling (at best) scoring offense.... an opportunity to catch up and tie the game.   I credit TMC's defense for much of the offensive struggles we had today... fast and talented.

All and all, I will take it.   I still do believe we were the best team out there today, but also I am left with a feeling that we escaped a game that we should have lost.  Many times,  this is a sign of a great team....  you still find a way to win the games when thing are not exactly going your way.

On to St. Thomas!

WAF!

[wally_wabash]

I've just been shaking my head for just over an hour now.  Wow.  What a game, guys.  What.  A.  Game. 

Thomas More's offense was every bit as awesome as advertised.  That outfit put 20 on the board in a half against Wabash, which is incredible.  Just as incredible from the first half- zero Thomas More punts.  That's just not a thing that's supposed to happen.  Also notable in the first half:
- Goose Cohorn went under the hard deck for an 80 yard punt return for a TD
- Wabash twice turned red zone touchdowns into field goals with a drop and a bad pass to an open receiver. 

Special teams scores and leaving points in the red zone are the kinds of things that get you beat in the second round of the tournament, and Wabash was down two touchdowns at halftime.  Big time deficit against a team that moved the ball pretty freely for 30 minutes. 

I'm not sure what happened at halftime.  I think the Gephardt injury hurt Thomas More's offense a bit as Kuntz didn't deal with Wabash's pressure quite as well as the senior had done.  Speaking of pressure, Wabash found some ways to get into the pocket in the second half as well.  And they really controlled Tarrant in the second half.  After 188 yards allowed in the first half, Wabash held TMC to just 69 yards and four first downs in the 3rd and 4th quarters.  That's how you keep yourself in the game.  And that's how you overcome SIX turnovers. 

And what about the end of game sequence?  After weathering a goal line INT to get the ball back with 3:00 to go, Wabash ties the game.  Then all of this:
- TMC rapidly moves the ball near field goal range with two quick pass plays
- Austin Brown jumps an out route with about 20 seconds left and takes it to the house.  Touchdown Wabash.  Ballgame.  But wait...
- Evan Hansen is flagged for a clip on the return.  The ball goes back over midfield with 16 seconds left.  Ok that stinks, but now Wabash has the ball and can get this thing to OT.  Except...
- Rice throws his 4th interception of the game on the first play from scrimmage.  TMC returns the ball deep into Wabash territory, but wait...
- Flags everywhere.  TMC is called for an illegal block on the return.  Wabash gets called for unsportsmanlike (believe a helmet was removed in the field of play).  End result of those mark offs is to pull the ball back out to the Wabash 45.  Phew.  No field goal attempt.  The fourth quarter ends with a harmless throw away.
- In OT, TMC converts one first down, then Kuntz gets pressure, gets sacked, loses the ball, Ethan Buresh picks it up and runs 75 yards for game winner.  The way this game went, it almost seems unfair that TMC didn't get a chance to answer that defensive score by making Wabash play a series of offense.   

Just an absolutely insane end to the game, but it's fitting that the defense got the final word in this one because they really stepped up and locked this thing down in the second half.  That was an ELITE offense that could not make first downs after halftime.  And it had to be that way for Wabash to have a chance to win in the fourth quarter. 

A dozen hat tips to Thomas More and their fans and their team.  That's a helluva team that played at Wabash today.  I don't want to take away from the Wabash second half effort by saying this was a total Houdini job, but you're not supposed to win games in the second round of this tournament with 6 turnovers and somehow Wabash found a way.  And that's not Wabash-gave-it-up-six-times turnovers.  That's Thomas More playing great defense turnovers.  Those were earned.  The Saints are a damn good team and worth every bit of that #9 ranking, if not one or two spots more. 

One more noteworthy item- Zurek went for 183 today (plus a ridiculous 31 yard TD catch), and passed Chris Morris on the career rushing list at Wabash.  Basically I think that nails down every major rush record at Wabash for Zurek (although I think Billy Kaiser's single game carries record will be safe).  I think Z is the best we've ever had.  I think we can really say that now. 

[wally_wabash]

When was Shamir Johnson hurt?
Is he out for the rest of the playoffs?

Leg fracture in the Denison game.  Not sure of the prognosis as we headed deeper into the playoffs.

I think Shamir's legs are fine, but I don't think we'll see him next week. 

I don't like the injury stuff out here on the board, but if you're going to do it, let's effort to get it right.   

[bashbrother]

One more noteworthy item- Zurek went for 183 today (plus a ridiculous 31 yard TD catch), and passed Chris Morris on the career rushing list at Wabash.  Basically I think that nails down every major rush record at Wabash for Zurek (although I think Billy Kaiser's single game carries record will be safe).  I think Z is the best we've ever had.  I think we can really say that now.

He is....  "The Beast".   Great players play the best in the biggest games....  Mason now has 800 rushing yards  in the past 3 games. (and a 31 yard TD reception)   Monon Bell and 1st and 2nd rounds of the playoffs.... doesn't get much bigger than those games.

The Wabash Offensive line is a major part of everything Z is doing this year...  Mason would be the first one to make sure everyone knows this.

He has the chance to go over 2,000 yards rushing next week.......crazy good.

[Schwami]

Just an absolutely insane end to the game, but it's fitting that the defense got the final word in this one because they really stepped up and locked this thing down in the second half.  That was an ELITE offense that could not make first downs after halftime.  And it had to be that way for Wabash to have a chance to win in the fourth quarter. 

Incredible performance by the Wabash Defense in the second half --- unreal.

Also, huge game for Tutsie, 4/4 on FG attempts, including the final one to tie the game with a minute left.  Ice!

[SaintsFAN]

The blocked XPT loomed very large in this one.  I'll be back with some thoughts later tonight. 

Best of luck to Wabash.

[bashbrother]

Crazy ending...   

https://northcoast.prestosports.com/sports/fball/2015-16/videos/Buresh_Game-Winning_Return_over_Thomas_More

[Craft_Beermeister]

Great come back and win for Wabash.  I know a lot of the folks in the Mount Union Dom Capers press box were pulling for them.

[formerd3db]

Congratulations to all my Wabash friends (and, of course, the players and coaching staff) for a great win today and not giving up.  On the reverse side, sorry to my friend SaintsFAN as it is always tough to lose a game like that.  However, congrats to your alma mater for a very fine season. 

BTW, in a sidelite, I agree with you Wally that injury information should really not be discussed on the boards (as that is, in reality, private and protected personal information), UNLESS, it has been made public by the player/his family or the school's staff/administration and/or both.  Otherwise, too much room for speculation and/or "the rumor mill". At the same time, I do understand nike's question in just inquiring in general if a player is going to be ready for upcoming games.

I hope the decent weather will continue for next weekend.  Looks like early week rain and/or some snow, but preliminary long-term report looks okay so far.  However, we all know that could change by the end of the week.   Anyway, I will look forward to the comments and thoughts on this board during the next week.

[Jack Parkman]

Crazy ending...   

https://northcoast.prestosports.com/sports/fball/2015-16/videos/Buresh_Game-Winning_Return_over_Thomas_More

Gaaahhh!!!  Make sure you turn the volume down before watching