Eagles Get Revenge on Knights to Advance to Quarterfinals

By Mike DeVader, Reinhardt Director of Athletic Communications & Media

Photo Courtesy of Greg Spell/G-RoxPhotos.com

WALESKA, Ga. – Timely plays and hard-nosed defense helped No. 8 Reinhardt advance to the quarterfinal round of the NAIA Football Championship Series (FCS) after the team went on a 20-0 run in the second and third quarters to take down the Knights of Marian (Ind.), 40-29, Saturday at home.

The game seemed to be getting out of hand for the visitors from Indianapolis, Ind., but a quarterback change late in the contest sparked some momentum for the Knights en route to winning the fourth period in wild fashion, 27-20, to get the postseason battle within two scores.

The 20-2 cushion for the Eagles (9-0) was enough to advance to the next round after Marian started to find a rhythm towards the end of the afternoon.

"What a victory today… Great team win against a really good football team," head coach James Miller said. First off, I want to commend our defensive coaches; we had some secondary guys out and had to fill in with some backups and they did a phenomenal job: Devin Harris, Markel Sutton, David Wingfield… All three did a phenomenal job in the back end. None of those guys had really played significant time for us and all stepped up. I'm super proud of them, as well as Coach Williams, Coach Blue, Coach Peoples and Coach Jackson.

"Offensively, I thought we handled the game upfront and I thought we were physical. I thought our running backs were physical against a team that was only giving up 89 yards rushing a game. Billy continues to play at a high level along with Navarie Solomon. Our kicker stepped up huge today with two big field goals and we did a great job on special teams. All in all, it was an outstanding performance against a perennial power in the NAIA. It's time to put that one to bed and go hunting for the next one. I love this football team, love our staff and love everything about them."

It was a battle of defenses in the open quarter as Tylan Oglesby picked off a pass at his own three-yard-line to prevent a Marian score early. The next play, however, the Knights got a safety for a 2-0 advantage.

On the ensuing drive, a big sack by Kenneth Lowery helped force a short field goal (28 yards), which was missed to the right. Another fourth-down stop late in the first quarter helped the Eagles get on the right track to scoring their first points of the day.

A fourth-and-two play helped Reinhardt take the lead for good after Billy Hall found Logan Garner on a 15-yard touchdown. Marian would try to respond and go deep down field, but Jalen Everett grabbed a tipped ball for another pick.

There would be no points off that turnover, but Reinhardt would come through right before half with another score – a Navarie Solomon 24-yard catch and run – for a 14-2 cushion at the intermission.

Solomon finished with 82 yards on four catches.

The defense would rise to the occasion once more and intercept Frankie Young for the third time, but this time Jon Perry had reservations for six after a 26-yard run to the end zone. After stopping the visitors again on fourth down, the Eagles went 65 yards in 11 plays for a 27-2 advantage after a Devyn Collins 1-yarder on fourth themselves.

Marian would make a switch at quarterback, and it would immediately pay dividends. The Knights got a 35-yard score to get within, 27-9, but James Hardy would hit two field goals (42, 35) to up the lead to 33-9.

The second field goal occurred because of a Teon Burroughs strip sack on first down.

Marian would get back-to-back touchdown drives to get the score within 11 tallies at 33-22, but Isaiah Blake would essentially put the NAIA slugfest to rest with a 1-yard plunge.

One more Knight touchdown, from 57 yards away, got them back within 11 points. This time, however, the Eagles were able to run out the clock and advance to the next round.

Hall was the Offensive Player of the Game after going 12-for-19 in the air with 118 yards and two scores. He also ran 12 times for 92 yards.

As a group, the hosts racked up 307 total yards and 189 coming on the ground.

Defensively, the Player of the Game was Perry after his seven total tackles and the interception return. Burroughs was also credited with five total stops and 1.5 sacks for a unit that forced four turnovers in the victory.

A trip to fourth-seeded Keiser (Fla.) next Saturday is on deck in the NAIA FCS Quarterfinals.

Game time will be announced soon.

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