Jon Wallin|Sports Information Director, UMHB

BELTON, Texas – The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor football team took advantage of short fields to build a big early lead and the Cru never looked back in a 75-9 victory over Berry College in an NCAA Second Round Playoff Game Saturday in Belton. UMHB improves to 12-0 with the win and moves on to a National Quarterfinal game. The loss ends Berry’s season at 10-2.

The Cru forced a punt on the opening possession and marched 39 yards in five plays as DeNerian Thomas hit T.J. Josey with a 13-yard touchdown pass. Jase Hammack hit K.J. Miller with a 34-yard scoring strike on the next UMHB drive to push it to 14-0. Markeith Miller ran for three first half touchdowns, Marquis Duncan added a TD run and Thomas scored from two yards out as the Cru built a 48-0 halftime lead. The Vikings had a chance to score following a UMHB fumble, but the Cru blocked a Berry field goal try. Thomas opened the second half scoring with a 46-yard touchdown strike to Jonel Reed, Jalen Martin intercepted a Berry pass and lateraled to Keith Gipson for a 42-yard TD return and Duncan added a two-yard scoring run to make it 69-0. Tate Adcock hit Mason Kinsey with a 36-yard touchdown pass and Berry scored a safety when UMHB mishandled the ensuing kickoff to cut it to 69-9. Duncan’s two-yard TD run in the fourth quarter closed out the scoring.

The Cru rolled up 575 yards of total offense with 354 of those coming on the ground. UMHB held Berry to 205 yards of total offense in the game. Both teams turned the ball over twice, but the Vikings were held to 76 yards of total offense and two first downs in the opening half.

Miller ran for 118 yards and three touchdowns for UMHB and broke the ASC career rushing yardage record held by former Cru standout Quincy Daniels in the game. Duncan added 80 yards and three scores. Hammack was 3-3 for 68 yards and a TD and Thomas went 5-7 through the air for 112 yards and two touchdowns while adding 55 yards and a score on the ground. Josey caught five passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. De Jackson added a game-high 10 tackles for the UMHB defense.

Adcock was 8-21 passing for 81 yards and a touchdown for Berry. Kinsey caught four passes for 62 yards and a score and Joey Connors led the running game with 72 yards on 21 carries. A.M. Harris had a team-best eight tackles for the Vikings.

Berry was playing in the Second Round of the postseason for the second straight year in just the program’s sixth year of existence. UMHB was making its 15th consecutive appearance in the Second Round.

UMHB will now advance to the NCAA Division III National Quarterfinals next Saturday to face St. John’s (MN). The Johnnies advanced with a 45-24 victory over Whitworth on Saturday. It will be the second consecutive season the Cru has faced a team from the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in the National Quarterfinals. The location for Saturday’s game will be announced on Sunday.

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