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Football

Eagles come from behind to beat Malone in NCCAA Victory Bowl

Box Score

MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 21, 2008) – Northwestern College and Malone University made it a National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Victory Bowl to remember, posting a combined 93 points as the Eagles from Northwestern claimed a 49-44 win in the H.H.H. Metrodome. Not until under a minute remaining was the game's outcome decided, as the teams were neck and neck throughout the entire contest. Malone held a 28-14 lead midway through the second quarter. But after that, the point differential remained within seven points or less until Northwestern's Ty Crabtree (Fergus Falls, MN/Hillcrest Academy) (Fergus Falls, Minn./Hillcrest Lutheran Academy) ran an interception 50 yards for the Eagles' final score of the game.

NWC, who yielded two interceptions in the red zone in its first three possessions, was jumpstarted by its defense. After Malone's Joseph Peters scored on a 13-yard touchdown run, the Eagles' Noah Hadro (Northfield, Minn./Northfield) (Northfield, Minn./Northfield) picked off a pass by Billy Bob Orsagh and returned it 34 yards for pay dirt to tie the game at 7-7.

Northwestern's Ryan Long (Dassel, Minn./Dassel-Cokato) (Dassel, Minn./Dassel-Cokato) caught a Zach Tarter (Crystal Falls, Mich./Forest Park High School) (Crystal Falls, Mich./Forest Park) touchdown pass to put the Eagles up 14-7 30 seconds into the second quarter. Malone ensued with three touchdowns within a total of three minutes, posting a 28-14 lead with 8:19 to play in the half. Peters added to his touchdown total, rushing for an 11-yard score before catching a 17-yard TD pass from Orsagh.

The Eagles' Tarter led an effective two minute drill to close out the half, as the host team scored on a one-yard quarterback keeper to come within seven points at 28-21.

Tarter started the second half where he left off in the first, overcoming the two first quarter interceptions with two straight touchdown passes to Jake Rusinkovich (San Clemente, Calif./San Clement High School) (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) and Cody Crum (Rushville, Ill./Rushville Industry) (Rushville, Ill./Rushville-Industry) as NWC took a 35-28 lead.

If anyone counted Malone out, they would have been wrong, as the 22nd-ranked (NAIA) team in the nation posted back-to-back scores of their own. Derek Deardorff caught a three-yard pass from Orsagh to tie the game before Nick Allison's 20-yard field goal with 11:14 to play in the game gave the Pioneers a 38-35 lead.

Tarter, who was later named the game's offensive MVP, commanded a drive that lasted eight minutes and 16 seconds in the Eagles' next possession, resulting in another Rusinkovich touchdown reception to move Northwestern back in front 42-38. On the Pioneers' next drive, Crabtree's interception return for a touchdown with 57 seconds remaining in the game all but sealed the victory for NWC. Josh Settlemire caught a 19-yard pass from Orsagh in a last-ditch effort by Malone, but an unsuccessful onside kick gave Northwestern the 49-44 victory.

In addition to the massive amount of scoring, Northwestern and Malone combined for just under 900 yards of total offense. The Pioneers held a 151-148 rushing advantage while Northwestern owned a 310-272 advantage in the passing category.

Both quarterbacks threw for four touchdowns apiece. Tarter was 26 of 35 for 295 yards for Northwestern, while Orsagh finished 21 of 35 for 272 yards. Northwestern fans in attendance witnessed a rarity on Northwestern's second possession of the game, when wide receiver Kyle Thomforde (Northfield, Minn./Northfield High School) (Northfield, Minn./Northfield) threw a 15-yard pass to Tarter that nearly resulted in a touchdown. Instead, Tarter was intercepted by the Pioneers' Dennis Thornton two plays later to end the Eagles' drive.

The junior, who was named the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Offensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive year on Thursday, broke several team records in the game, most of which he already held from previous seasons. As the team concludes the 2008 season, Tarter is first all-time in program history for passing completions in a career (431), passing yards in a season (2,492), passing completions in a season (176) and passing touchdowns in a season (27).

Malone running back Peters kept Northwestern off balance for most of the game, especially in the first half.   Peters ran 21 times for 150 yards and two scores. The junior also caught two passes, one of which was for a touchdown. Long, Peters' counterpart in a purple jersey, tallied 17 rushing attempts for 68 net yards.

Thomforde caught nine passes for 127 yards, while Deardorff was easily Orsagh's favorite target. The 6-4 senior caught 13 passes, recording 187 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, Luke Delain (Denmark, Wis./Denmark) (Denmark, Wis./Denmark) and David Kleiner (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville) led Northwestern with 11 tackles. Malone's Wesley Kauffman was the game's leading tackler, recording 13 tackles, including 2.5 for a loss to earn the sophomore defensive MVP honors. Kauffman's teammate Andy Bartell added 12 tackles in the Pioneers' defensive effort.

2008 marks the second Victory Bowl championship for Northwestern (9-2), who has been a participant in the game five times. Malone (6-4), a competitor in the last three Victory Bowls, is 1-2 in NCCAA postseason play.

The Eagles have won 70 percent or more of their games in six of Kirk Talley's eight seasons as head coach. 2008 marks only the second time in Northwestern history that the team has won nine games in a season. Both nine-win seasons have come on Talley's watch.
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