FB's Wartman, defense shine in 34-7 NCAA playoff win

W, 34-7
Coe (M), November 28, 2009

NCAA Division III Football Second-Round

St. Thomas (Minn.) 34, Coe (Iowa) 7  

Junior running back Ben Wartman rushed 34 times for 236 yards and the Tommie defense had seven sacks from seven different players plus three interceptions in Saturday's 34-7 victory over visiting Coe in a second-round Division III football playoff game before 3,950 fans at UST's O'Shaughnessy Stadium.  

The 10th-ranked Tommies (11-1) had their first home postseason victory in school history and will become the first St. Thomas football team to play a December game. UST is in the national quarterfinals for just the second time.

The Tommies will play next Saturday at 11-0 Linfield (Ore.), most likely on the road. Aided by seven turnovers, Linfield used 37 unanswered mid-game points en route to a 53-21 home win over Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas). The game site will be set by the NCAA on Sunday. 

UST, which had nearly a 36-24-minute edge in possession time, scored on all four trips inside the red zone and outgained Coe (10-2) 499-225 in total offensive yards.

The Toms limited the Kohawks to a net two yards rushing once the sacks and other team losses were subtracted. The Tommies have outscored their last five opponents 65-7 in the second half. Brady Ervin had two second-half interceptions for the Tommies.

The Kohawks played without their conference MVP QB Brad Boyle, who was injured in last week's upset win over St. John's. Boyle had only thrown one interception in 365 passes in the first 11 games, and the Kohawks only had seven turnovers on the season entering today. Freshman QB Jared McNutt was picked off three times -- two on tipped passes -- and completed 19-of-31 passes for 219 yards.  

St. Thomas scored the game's final 24 points. The UST defense has shut out playoff foes Monmouth and Coe 23-0 in the second half.  

The Tommies, who improved to 10-1 at home in two seasons under Coach Glenn Caruso, have played 13 consecutive quarters without comitting a turnover.  UST is plus-13 in turnover ratio in its last five games.

Coe, playing its fourth road game in its last five outings over 29 days, pulled within 10-7 with 5:07 left in the first half. Michael Rozum's short run capped a nine-play, 74-yard drive.  

UST answered with a quick TD drive on the clock that covered 63 yards on seven plays to regain a 10-point lead with just 1:46 left until halftime. Jake Friederichs' diving catch to the Coe two-yard-line set up a short TD run by QB Greg Morse.

After a Willy Baregi interception and 20-yard return to the Coe 46-yard line with 46 seconds left in the first half, St. Thomas scored again as Wartman broke the first play for a 46-yard touchdown run and a 24-7 halftime lead.  

Wartman now has surpassed 100 rushing yards in 18 of his last 20 games, and UST is 17-1 when he eclipses that standard. He now has 2,995 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns since moving to running back last season. Wartman's 23 TDs in 12 games this season break Gary Trettel's 19-year-old school record of 22 set in 12 games in 1990.

Morse, who didn't play in the last two games with an injury, made his first start since Oct. 24. Besides his one-yard TD run, he had TD passes of 20 yards to senior Tony Margarit and 44 yards to sophomore Fritz Waldvogel. Morse finished 11-of-16 for 196 yards with no interceptions.  

Waldvogel had 160 all-purpose yards on 13 touches, including six receptions for 123 yards.  

Senior PK Brady Beeson, who converted 2-of-6 field-goal tries in the regular season, is now 5-for-5 in postseason field goals, including a 25- and a 24-yarder here Saturday to go with 4-of-4 PATs. He now has a school record 77 kicking points over 12 games. 

Senior LB Calvin Thomas had nine solo and five assisted tackles for Coe, and Tait Harrison was in on 12 tackles. For UST's defense, Baregi had a sack, an interception ands six tackles, and Bryan Villar had a breakup and seven tackles.

Click here for box score:   http://www.tommiesports.com/ftbl/stats/11-28-fb.htm 

Matt Evans (91) and Zach Sturm (34) lead a defensive surge. (Mike Ekern photo)

Coach Glenn Caruso likes what his offensive line accomplished. (Mike Ekern photo)

QB Greg Morse (22) was sharp after a two-game layoff. (Mike Ekern photo)

Fritz Waldvogel had 160 all-purpose yards. (Mike Ekern photo)

Coach Caruso holds his older son, Cade, as he joins his team in a victory song. (Mike Ekern photo)