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Box Score

CANTON, Ohio (Dec. 17, 2021) - Turnovers turned the tide in Friday's Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, as the North Central College football team was denied in its quest for a second straight NCAA Division III national championship by the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas), 57-24.

The Cardinals (13-1) saw their progress blunted by four turnovers and were victims of a prolific passing attack which gained 463 yards. The Crusaders scored 41 of the final 48 points of the contest.

The game got off to an electrifying start at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, as DeAngelo Hardy took the opening kickoff 93 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. It is the second kickoff return touchdown of Hardy's career and the longest in the history of the Stagg Bowl. Mary Hardin-Baylor (15-0), however, scored the game's next 16 points to pull in front.

The Crusaders were driving again when Sam Taviani forced a fumble and De'Angelo Roberson recovered the ball at the UMHB 10-yard line. Crusader receiver Brenton Martin was initially ruled down by contact before the fumble, but the play was overturned after further review. The Cardinals drove 90 yards in 14 plays and scored on Ethan Greenfield's one-yard run, cutting the gap to 16-14. North Central's Jake Beesley forced a fumble on the ensuing possession, and Cameron Martin's recovery set the Cardinals up near midfield. A 22-yard field goal by Tanner Rains with 2:05 left in the half gave North Central its first lead of the night at 17-16.

UMHB had just enough time to get a 22-yard field goal of its own from Brandon Cunningham as time expired to regain the lead heading into halftime, 19-17. The Crusaders' Aphonso Thomas rushed for two touchdowns and Cunningham made a 20-yard field goal to leave North Central facing a 36-17 deficit early in the fourth quarter.

The Cardinals ventured into UMHB territory early in the fourth period before aninterception ended the drive. The Crusaders drove 46 yards in five plays and scored on Kenneth Cormier's 11-yard run. North Central got its final score with 7:47 left in the contest, as Luke Lehnen found Blake Williams down the right sideline for a 30-yard TD pass. 

Greenfield finished with 124 rushing yards on 25 carries, marking his fifth straight 100-yard effort. Luke Lehnen finished the game 18 of 27 passes for 202 yards, throwing to Andrew Kamienski eight times for 115 yards. Kamienski is the fourth player in Division III history to accumulate over 5,000 career receiving yards (5,019).

Dakota Cremeens recorded a team-high eight tackles and Beesley broke up three passes, giving him a North Central single-season record 21 passes defended.

The Cardinals established new team single-season records for rushing yards (4,118), rushing touchdowns (66) and pass breakups (76).

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