For the first time since 2004 three GPAC teams are perparing themselves for the NAIA Football Championship Series.  Top ranked Sioux Falls (11-0), seventh ranked Morningside (9-1), and 13th ranked Hastings (9-2) are ready to take to the field as part of the 16 team field.  B. Lynn Fouts breaks down the matchups in the NAIA FCS First Round/College Fanz Preview this week.

#14 Minot State (8-2) at #1 Sioux Falls (11-0) - 1PM

  Minot State enters the post-season for the first time since 2002 and is awarded a game with the defending champs. The Beavers are a balanced attack on offense, rushing for 176 yards and throwing for another 213 per game. The QB is Sr. Jon Meier, 6-4 and 220 who completes 60% of his throws. Meier's main target is Johnny Lester, also 6-4 with 800 yards receiving and 9 touchdowns. Tyson Schatz a soph took over the run game late in the year and grabbed 159 yards against Jamestown in the season finale. Linebackers Martel Pope, 5-11 255 and Tommy Weidler 6' 210 anchor the defense. Weidler also led the team in sacks and tackles for loss. The Cougars are led by GPAC Offensive POY Lorenzo Brown who tossed 33 scoring passes with just 2 picks. Wr Jon Ryan latched onto 15 of those 33 touchdown tosses, three coming in last week's win to capture the conference crown. Ryan Lowmiller rambled for 925 yards and crossed the goal-line 15 times. The defense is headed up by Defensive POY Trevor Holleman at safety and all-league linemen, Mike Hartley and Brandon Koolstra. While Minot State has played well in the Dakota Athletic Conference, it's doubtful they've seen a team with Sioux Falls overall speed. Look for the Cougars to open things up early and enjoy another win Saturday.

 

#11 Missouri Valley (8-2) at #7 Morningside (9-1) - 1PM

  The Vikings are familiar to some GPAC fans from the 2006 and 2007 semifinals when they pushed Sioux Falls before dropping a couple nail-biters. This however, is a new team led on offense by Qb Chris White, 6-2 238 who tossed for 2,165 yards and 27 scores. His top targets were Darrell Madry and Jacob Cahill with 8 and 6 touchdowns respectively. The run game was by-committee with 4 backs with over 240 yards apiece, led by Sterling Hardin's 560 yds and 9 scores. Linebackers Jesse Putnam and Colin Smith led the Vikings in tackles for losses, combining for 17. Merlin Bennefield handled the up front duties and led the team in sacks with 4.5. Qb Tim Richard, GPAC leader in passing with 245 ypg and 27 touchdowns, has Beau Kildow, the school's recording holder in numerous receiving categories to throw to. Jake Peterson, league leader in rushing at 146 ypg and scoring with 23 touchdowns and Joe Don Hunter 539 yards and 9 scores, compliment each other in the backfield. The defense is manned by all-league performers; Ryan Haugen up front, Bret Nickolite and Justin Taylor at linebacker and Mike Buckley at safety. Morningside will need to shake off the disappointing loss to USF as this is a quality opponent from the Heart of America Conference. If the turnovers don't get out of hand, the Mustangs should advance.

 

#13 Hastings (9-2) at #5 Ottawa (10-0) - 4PM

  The Broncos re-enter the post-season for the first time since 2004 when they handed a conference champion an opening round loss, (Lindenwood, 17-14). Hastings has Maurice Mansfield, an all-leaguer who scored 13 times via the run, catch and return. He also finished 3^rd in all-purpose yardage with 168 per game. Nick Grummert added almost 400 more yards on the ground. Qb Troy Huebert was 5^th in league passing and 4^th in total offense and tossed 12 td passes. D-lineman Pete Boykin, 6' 280, Lb Mackenzie Hemje 6-1 220 and Db Jeff Klug 5-9 183 all made the GPAC 1^st team defense. The only two missteps by the Broncos this fall were against USF and Morningside. Ottawa last made the post-season in 2003 with a team led by now-NFL runner Derrick Ward. They lost a tight tussle with Northwestern, 36-33 in the opening round. Qb Ethan Haller leads the NAIA with over 400 yards passing a game on a 62% completion rate. He's connected for 42 scoring passes, with 5 touchdowns in 5 different games this fall. His targets are Clarence Anderson 17 td, Corey Schultz, 8 td's and Taylor Burnnett with another 7 scores. Anderson and Schultz are tied with 1,314 yards apiece. Andy Otto has galloped for 600 yards and 6 scores on the ground. Defensively, the Braves have stolen 16 passes and returned 6 for scores, Anthony Giambona leading both categories with 3 picks and 2 td. Linebackers Seth Homolka, Ross Diehl and Josh Hojje each have over 6 sacks each, placing big time pressure on the opposing quarterback. Hastings' defense will be tested through an aerial bombardment by Haller and company. The Broncos offense must help keep the Braves' offense off the field by controlling the ball and the clock. If they can, this one could go right down to the wire.