Wednesday, November 25, 2015

It was Humboldt State’s first appearance in a football playoff game in 47 years and it made certain not to waste the opportunity.

The Lumberjacks not only treated a sellout crowd at the Redwood Bowl in Arcata, Calif., to a 45-31 win over Augustana (S.D.), but also provided their fans an afternoon full of records. Humboldt State set GNAC single game records with 707 yards of total offense, 103 total plays and 45 first downs. Wide receiver Chase Kirvashei added a GNAC single game record of his own with 18 catches for 221 yards and three touchdowns.

And then there was Ja’Quan Gardner. The sophomore running back went off got 246 rushing yards on 44 carries and two touchdowns. That allowed Gardner to break the GNAC single season record for rushing. His 2,236 yards to date suprassed the 2,153 set last year by Azusa Pacific’s Terrell Watson. Gardner also broke the GNAC season record 324 carries.

With as impressive of a performance as they put on against Augustana, Humboldt State will have to put up an equally impressive performance to have a chance in its next game. The Lumberjacks will travel to Maryville, Mo., where they will have the No. 1 seed in Super Region 3, Northwest Missouri State.

The Bearcats ended the regular season ranked No. 1 in both the AFCA Division II Coaches Poll and the D2Football.com Top-25 Poll. They boast one of the top defense in Division II, leading the nation by allowing just 11.9 points per game. They have held opponents to 68.7 rushing yards per game, second best in Division II, and 149.9 passing yards per game, 11th fewest in Division II. They have allowed opponents just 144 first downs, fourth fewest in the nation.

Northwest Missouri State earned a first round bye thanks to its No. 1 ranking in the region. The Bearcats are 11-0 entering the game and won the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association title.

LAST WEEK'S PLAYOFF GAME RECAP
AT HUMBOLDT STATE 45, AUGUSTANA (S.D.) 31
ARCATA, Calif. - It’s been 47 years since the Lumberjack football program had a postseason win, and it was worth the wait. No. 11 Humboldt State defeated No. 24 Augustana 45-31 Saturday in Redwood Bowl.

The Green and Gold improved to 10-1 and will advance to face No. 1 seed Northwest Missouri State on Saturday, Nov. 28. The Bearcats will play host after earning a first-round bye.

Despite no first-half offensive touchdowns for the Vikings, the score was knotted 17-17 at the half. HSU dominated the second half and scored 14 points in each quarter to capture the first round victory.

Augustana scored the game’s first points as return man Jason Greenway took the opening kick 99 yards for a touchdown. It was Greenway’s third kickoff return for a score this season.

The Jacks answered with a full-on aerial attack. Quarterback Robert Webber connected with receiver and fellow Corona, Calif., native Chase Krivashei twice in the end zone over the next three offensive possessions.

After a Webber interception, the Vikings went back to work on offense. Kicker Lucas Wainman capped a six-play, 33-yard drive with a 19-yard field goal to pull Augustana within four, 14-10, with under 8 minutes remaining in the half.

On the following drive, HSU was bogged down in its own end and an errant snap went into the end zone. Nate Winter recovered the ball for an Augustana score and the visitors recaptured the lead, 17-14.

The Jacks quickly answered to regain the momentum. Webber orchestrated an eight-play, 65-yard drive that was highlighted by a 31-yard strike to receiver Marquis Deadwiler. Deadwiler finished the game with a season-high nine catches for 166 yards.

If the first half was all about the passing game, then the second half was clinic for the HSU rushing attack. During the Jacks second drive of the half, running back and Harlon Hill Trophy nominee Ja’Quan Gardner broke three long runs of 17, 8 and 9 yards. HSU punctuated the drive with a second touchdown pass to Deadwiler from 37 yards out.

A Ronnie Hicks interception set the Green and Gold offense back in business nine seconds later. Gardner ran for 40 yards on the scoring drive, and Webber hooked up with Krivashei for the third time to put the Jacks ahead 31-17.

Heid and the Vikings were far from throwing in the towel. Augustana scored on the next drive as running back CJ Ham rumbled into the end zone from the 1-yard line.

Gardner went to work on the subsequent possession. He ran for 48 yards on seven carries, including a 13-yard touchdown scamper. With 12:25 remaining in the game HSU held a 38-24 advantage.

Augustana found the end zone eight plays later. Heid fired an 8-yard touchdown pass to CJ Ham to pull the Vikings within one score.
Another Gardner touchdown run and a Cameron Buell interception in the closing minutes sealed the victory for HSU.

Gardner shattered the Great Northwest Athletic Conference single-season rushing record held by Terrell Watson with his 246-yard rushing performance. The Ceres, Calif., native has compiled 2,242 rushing yards this season, 89 yards more than the previous mark.

Saturday’s win made history in more ways than one. HSU broke GNAC records for total yards (707), total plays (103) and first downs (45).
Webber completed 34-of-43 passes for 460 yards and four touchdowns in the win.

Krivashei broke the Redwood Bowl single-game record held by Dustin Creager since 2004 for with 18 receptions. He finished the game with a season-high 221 receiving yards and three touchdowns. (Courtesy Humboldt State Athletic Communications)

AROUND THE GNAC
A RECORD AFTERNOON: In their return to the playoffs after 47-year absence, Humboldt State made certain that the final score will not be the only thing remembered. In the 45-31 win over Augustana (S.D.), the Lumberjacks set a GNAC record with 707 yards of total offense. That snapped the previous record of 696 yards set by Central Washington in 2002 and equalled by Western Oregon in 2012. Humboldt also set a record with 103 total plays, just eclipsing the previous record of 102 set by Dixie State in 2012 and had 45 first downs to break the record of 41 set by Simon Fraser in 2011.

Receiver Chase Krivashei also set a single game record of his own, catching 18 passes in the win over the Augies. That eclipsed the previous reocrd mark of 15 set by Humboldt State’s Dustin Creager in 2004 and equalled by Central Washington’s Bryan Potueck in 2005.

RECORD RUSHER: Ja’Quan Gardner secured his spot in the record book on Saturday. The sophomore running back finished with 246 rushing yards on 44 carries in the win over Augustana (S.D.), giving him 2,236 on the season. That is enough to break GNAC single season record of 2.153 yards set by Azusa Pacific’s Tyrell Watson last year. Gardner also broke Watson’s record for carries with 324 and counting.

Gardner enters the game with Northwest Missouri State leading Division II with 2.236 rushing yards, an average of 203.8 rushing yards per game, 25 rushing touchdowns and an average of 213.27 all-purpose yards per game. Gardner has nine games this season with 150 rushing yards or more and five of 200 yards or more, led by a 305-yard performance against Azusa Pacific on Oct. 10. He tied GNAC single game records for rushing touchdowns (5) and scoring (30) against South Dakota Mines on Oct. 2.

In addition to the total rushing yardage record, Gardner is on pace to break Watson’s records of 195.7 rushing yards per game and 6.7 yards per rush.

A LONG AWAITED RETURN: It has been six years since the GNAC has been represented in the NCAA Division II Playoffs. This year is the fourth time in the conference’s 15-year history that the GNAC has been represented in the playoffs, and it is the first year that the league representive hasn’t been Central Washington. The Wildcats have have appeared as the GNAC representative each of those previous three years, going 1-3. The Wildcats had the GNAC’s only playoff win in 2009, beating Tarleton State 27-6 in a game played in Ellensburg, Wash.
Central Washington also made the postseason in 2007, advancing that year to the quarterfinals. The GNAC’s football programs played in 2006 and 2007 as members of the North Central Conference.

Humboldt State, is making their playoff appearance in football since 1968, when the Lumberjacks beat Fresno State 29-14 in the Camelia Bowl to win the NCAA Pacific Coast Championship. Humboldt hosted a NAIA playoff game in 1960, beating Whitworth 13-7 to advance to the NAIA Championship game in St. Petersburg, Fla., where they lost 15-14 in Lenoir Rhyne in the  Holiday Bowl (no relation to the game of the same name currently played in San Diego).

CLEAN MACHINES: Not only can GNAC teams play football well, but do well within the rules. Five of the GNAC’s seven teams rank in the NCAA top-100 in fewest penalty yards per game. South Dakota Mines took the fewest flags in the league, ranking 13th with 54 penalties assessed and 41.73 penalty yards per game. Simon Fraser took the fewest total penalty yards, ranking eighth with 414.

WHAT’S NEXT: The winner of Saturday’s game will face the winner of the game between Emporia State and Henderson State, which will be played on Saturday at Arkadelphia, Ark. In the event that Humboldt State beats Northwest Missouri State, the site of their next game will be determined by the outcome. A win for Henderson State, the No. 3 seed, would host. A win for Emporia State, the No. 7 seed, would mean a return for the Lumberjacks to the Redwood Bowl.

HARDROCKERS, RED STORM BID FAREWELL: With last weekend’s games, the GNAC bids farewell to affiliate members South Dakota Mines and Dixie State. The Hardrockers played the last two seasons in the GNAC while the Red Storm had been a football-only member of the GNAC since 2008. Both programs will compete in football in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Confertence beginning in 2016.

GARDNER, HERDMAN LEAD ALL-GNAC TEAM: For the second straight season, the Great Northwest Athletic Conference’s top offensive player is one of the most dynamic running backs in the nation. And for the second straight year, the top defensive players comes from north of the border.

Humboldt State sophomore running back Ja’Quan Gardner was the unanimous selection of conference coaches as the GNAC Offensive Player of the Year while Simon Fraser junior linebacker Jordan Herdman was the unanimous repeat selection as the league’s Defensive Player of the Year. The two headline the selections to the 2015 GNAC Football All-Conference Team, released on Nov. 18.

Gardner was the prime mover in Humboldt State’s run to the GNAC championship and the Lumberjacks’ first postseason appearance since 1968. The sophomore finished the regular season leading Division II with 209.1 all-purpose yards per game, 1,996 rushing yards, 199.6 rushing yards per game and 13.8 points per game. He finished with 200-plus yard rushing performances in five games, topped by a 305-yard effort against Azusa Pacific on Oct. 10.

Herdman was the coaches’ selection for Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. The junior led the GNAC and finished the regular season ranked fifth in Division II with an average of 14.8 tackles per game. He also led the league in tackles for loss and was ranked third in Division II with eight solo tackles per game. Herdman’s season was capped by a 26-tackle performance against Humboldt State on Oct. 31, one short of his own GNAC single game record. He set a conference record with 17 solo tackles in that contest.

The Lumberjacks, the first GNAC squad to appear in the NCAA Division II Playoffs since 2009, claimed 15 spots on the first and second teams and all but two of the conference’s special awards. Sophomore Alex Cappa was the unanimous choice for Offensive Lineman of the Year, winning the award for the second straight season. Senior Dillon Huffman was named the league’s Defensive Lineman of the Year and junior defensive back Chris Hannible was named the Newcomer of the Year.

Cappa led a stellar Humboldt State offensive line that allowed just 0.9 sacks per game, eighth best in Division II, and allowed the offense an average of 493.1 yards per game, sixth best in Division II. Huffman and Hannible anchored a Lumberjacks’ defense that finished 25th in Division II with 8.1 tackles for loss per game and held teams to 17.3 points per game, 13th best in the nation. Hannible led the GNAC with six interceptions and finished sixth in Division II with 0.8 interceptions per game.

Humboldt State’s Rob Smith was named the GNAC Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. He shared the honors with Azusa Pacific’s Victor Santa Cruz in 2014. Smith has now won six GNAC Coach of the Year honors, four at Humboldt State (2010, 2011, 2014 & 2015) and two at Western Washington (2001 & 2003).

Azusa Pacific running back Kurt Scoby was named the GNAC Freshman of the Year. Scoby finished second to Gardner in the GNAC and ranked 27th in Division II in rushing, averaging 110.3 yards per game. Scoby also finished the season ranked 32nd in Division with a total of 1,108 rushing yards.

This year’s GNAC All-Conference Team features 29 unanimous selections, including all but one player on the defensive first team. Eighteen players are repeat selections to the squad.