VALDOSTA, Ga.
– North Alabama held a seven-point
lead with just over 11 minutes left in the
game but Valdosta State retuned two punts
for touchdowns and got another quick score
off a turnover as the Blazers downed the
Lions 37-23 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium in the
quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II
Playoffs.
The Blazers,
who had returned a kickoff for a TD in the
first half, used the two punt return TDs to
tie the game, and then take the lead. With
another short three-yard drive, the Blazers
managed three touchdowns within a 2:49
period of the fourth quarter.
North Alabama
took a 23-16 lead with 4:50 remaining in the
third quarter on a 13-yard pass from A.J.
Milwee to Rocky Coleman. The Lions then
stopped VSU on two straight possessions but
were forced to punt both times. On the
second kick, VSU’s Sherard Reynolds took a
Will Batson punt back 65 yards to the end
zone and Zachary Williams PAT tied the game
at 23-23 with 11:21 left to play.
UNA failed to
gain a first down on its following
possession but Batson’s punt was again
returned for a TD as Roger King took the
kick back 80 yards to the end zone. The PAT
gave the Blazers a 30-23 advantage with 9:28
left to play.
The streak of
disaster wasn’t over the Lions, however, as
the ball was jarred loose from Brandenn
Pickett after a short pass and Valdosta
State recovered it at the UNA three. On the
next play, Willie Copeland hit Cedric Jones
with a TD pass and the Blazers led 37-23
with 8:32 to go.
North Alabama
threatened but a VSU interception by
Reynolds in the end zone stopped the drive.
North Alabama
concludes its season at 10-2, while Valdosta
State will advance to the semifinals of the
playoffs to meet California, Pa.
UNA gained 413
total yards, while holding Valdosta State to
306 total and just 214 yards passing. But
the Blazers had 330 yards on nine kickoff
and punt returns.
Milwee
was31-of-45 passing for 318 yards and two
touchdowns and has now thrown at least one
TD pass in his last 17 straight starts.
Jason Messing and Joemal Campbell led UNA’s
receivers with seven catches each and
Branden Pickett rushed for 68 yards on 15
carries.
North Alabama
took the opening kickoff and ground-out a
14-play, 79-yard drive that ended with a
six-yard A.J. Milwee touchdown run. Milwee
was 4-for-5 passing on the drive and also
ran three times. Milwee’s TD run came with
8:22 left in the opening period but Scott
Shurden’s extra-point attempt was wide left
and the Lions led 6-0.
The Lions lead
lasted just 20 seconds as Valdosta State’s
Ronnye Nelson took the ensuing kickoff back
91 yards for a touchdown to make it a 6-6
game. The Blazers’ Williams extra point
attempt missed wide and the game remained
tied with 8:02 left in the opening quarter.
After stopping
North Alabama on its next possession, the
Blazers scored again, going 38 yards in just
four plays. Willie Copeland dumped a pass
into the left flat to Cedric Jones and he
weaved his way 26 yards to the end zone for
a touchdown. Williams’ PAT gave Valdosta
State a 13-6 lead at the 5:13 mark of the
first quarter.
North Alabama
moved the ball 47 yards on its next
possession but the drive stalled at the VSU
six-yard line. Shurden kicked a 23-yard
field goal and UNA closed the gap to four
points at 13-9 with 1:44 left in the first
period.
Valdosta State
moved quickly into scoring position as the
Blazers went to the UNA three before being
stopped on a third-down call as Michael
Johnson broke up a pass at the goalline.
Wlliams came on to attempt a 20-yard field
goal but UNA’s Montrell Craft broke through
and blocked the field goal try. Neal
Mitchell, Jr., picked up the ball and
returned it 14 yards to the UNA 26.
The teams then
traded interceptions as Valdosta State’s
Roger King picked off Milwee at the VSU 41,
but Craft picked off a Copeland pass at the
UNA 38 yard line juts six plays later. North
Alabama cashed in on the turnover this time,
driving 62 yards in 10 plays for a
touchdown. A 15-yard pass to Rocky Colemand
and a 17-yard pass to Joemal Campbell put
UNA in scoring position and Milwee then hit
Ed Gant with a 32-yard TD pass over the
middle. Shurden’s PAT gave UNA a 16-13 lead
with 7:43 left in the half.
Valdosta State
ground out a 15-play drive to tie the game
before intermission, moving to the UNA 16
yard line before stalling. Williams kicked a
33-yard field goal to make it 16-16 with
1:12 left in the half.
UNA is now
24-10 all-time in the Division II playoffs
and it was the Lions first loss in the
post-season to Valdosta State in three
contests.
Printable Game
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