McDaniel coach Tim Keating had a challenge last week trying to motivate his team for yesterday's ECAC Southeast championship. The Green Terror had just lost embarrassingly at Johns Hopkins, ruining its NCAA Division III playoff hopes.
Keating's instructions to his team for yesterday's season finale against Moravian couldn't have been simpler - have fun.
That's exactly what the Green Terror did, using trick plays and capitalizing on Moravian mistakes to defeat the Greyhounds, 21-7, at Bair Stadium in Westminster yesterday.
"Our motto is that there's not enough football games in life," Keating said. "Obviously, we wish we could keep playing, but we can't. I told them to look at this game as a reward for a good season."
Jemel Johnson led all rushers with 76 yards on 15 carries for the Green Terror (9-2). Moravian's season ended at 7-4.
McDaniel wasted little time getting on the board.
On the opening kickoff, Moravian's Jed Warsager fumbled at his 10-yard line, and McDaniel's Tony Braglio fell on the ball. Three plays later, Johnson scored from 2 yards out to give McDaniel a 7-0 lead just 1:39 into the game.
Midway through the second quarter, the Green Terror widened its lead.
After Moravian's Nate Strohl missed a 30-yard field-goal try, the Green Terror put together an eight-minute drive. The big play was a 21-yard run by Johnson to the Greyhounds' 12. Five plays later, reserve quarterback Orion Canine scored from 1 yard out to make it 14-0 with 5:59 left in the half.
The Green Terror put the game away in the third quarter, when Scoots Crowell's 5-yard pass found Joe Ellis in the corner of the end zone with 9:41 left, capping an 11-play, 58-yard drive.
Moravian scored in the final minutes when Keating played his senior defenders.
The win capped an improbable season for Crowell. Originally a running back, he took over as quarterback midway through the season when starter John Luster was benched for disciplinary reasons. Though he has been the primary starter, he has shared time with Canine.
"It's not the way I wanted our season to end, but it still feels good," the senior said. "This is the first time since I've been here that we've ended the season with a win. We are ECAC Southeast champs, and that's good enough for me."
Moravian 0 0 0 7 - 7
McDaniel 7 7 7 0 - 21
First quarter McD-Johnson 2 run (Getchell kick), 13:21 Second quarter McD-Canine 2 run (Getchell kick), 5:59 Third quarter McD-Ellis 5 pass from Crowell (Getchell kick), 9:41 Fourth quarter Mor-Rhinehart 31 pass from Bowden (Strohl kick), 1:14 A-7,576.
Mor McD
First downs 14 17
Rushes-yards 29-63 55-238
Passing 185 50
Comp-Att-Int 11-26-5 8-18-0
Return Yards 74 4
Punts-Avg. 2-26.0 5-33.2
Fumbles-Lost 3-2 3-1
Penalties-Yards 4-20 8-56
Time of Possession 24:07 35:53
Rushing-Moravian, Fick 11-46, Gustafson 11-24, Hawkins 2-11, Bowden 5-(minus 8). McDaniel, Johnson 15-76, Hartman 11-56, Posin 4-28, Crowell 6-23, Maybank 4-22, Canine 6-19, Pope 4-11, Jegede 1-7, Featherston 1-2. Passing-Moravian, Bowden, 11-26-2-185. McDaniel, Canine 4-9-0-29, Crowell 4-7-0-21, Pope 0-1-0-0, Ellis 0-1-0-0. Receiving-Moravian, Hawkins 5-105, Rhinehart 3-56, Kulp 2-14, Opdyke 1-10. McDaniel, Hutsell 2-12, Ellis 2-12, White 1-12, DeBakey 1-7, Unger 1-4, Featherston 1-3.