Reivers Jump On Early Takeaways For Ticket To Fifth Straight NJCAA D1 Final

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA

NJCAA No. 2 Iowa Western rode a blistering first quarter and a stubborn red-zone defense to a 41–29 win over #3 and previously unbeaten Tyler Junior College (11-1) on a frigid Friday night at Titan Stadium, sending the Reivers back to the NJCAA Division I National Championship game for the fifth straight season.

The Reivers (11–1) turned four takeaways and a 223–55 rushing advantage into another December home playoff victory.

After both teams traded punts on their opening series, Iowa Western seized control in a six-minute burst late in the first quarter. Starting near midfield, the Reivers finally cracked Tyler's front when quarterback Malachi Marshall hit receiver Corey Washington for 12 yards into Apache territory. On the next snap, running back Jamari Ford bounced outside on a sweep, made one devistating move to shake a defender and sprinted 28 yards back up the middle for the game's first score and a 7–0 lead with 5:34 left in the quarter.

The defense immediately set up another short field. Safety Dax Noles jumped a route on Tyler's next possession, picking off Tyler Quarterback Tre Guerra at the Tyler 45 and returning it to the 24. Two plays later, after a Marshall keeper and a Tyler penalty moved the ball inside the 10, receiver Jaivyn Moore motioned across the formation, took the handoff and sliced in off the edge for his first rushing score of the year, a physical 7-yard punch to the end zone, to put IW up 14-0.

The knockout play of the opening period came less than a minute later. With Tyler trying to answer, Guerra floated another pass, this time into the hands of cornerback Tim Roberson. The sophomore jumped the route at the Tyler 40 and raced untouched to the end zone for the fifth pick six of the season for the 'Darkside', stretching the margin to 21–0 with over three minutes still on the first-quarter clock.

Tyler finally grabbed some momentum early in the second quarter. After the two teams exchanged fumbles Marshall was intercepted by defensvie back King White, the Apache was beaten on the play, but was in the perfect position for a deflection off of the Reivers' Cyrus Courtney, King reversed field and raced 78 yards down the Tyler sideline for a touchdown, finally putting the Apaches on the board.

Iowa Western relied on the defense again for an answer. Backed up inside its own 10 after a 70-yard punt by Jake Kracl, Tyler tried to throw out of the shadow of its goal line. Roberson read Guerra again, stepping in front of a checkdown and returning it to the Tyler 3. Following a false start, running back Daniel Swinney sprinted in from eight yards out on the next snap, restoring a three-score cushion at 28–7 with 9:16 left in the half.

Tyler pieced together its best drive of the half on the ensuing possession. Guerra hit a couple of short throws, and Bryce Burgess ripped off a 29-yard burst to the Reiver 20 before Iowa Western's front tightened. A third-down sack forced a 39-yard field goal from Daniel Matthys, trimming the deficit to 28–10 at the 7:14 mark.

The Reivers closed the half with a methodical, clock-chewing march. Starting at their own 41, Swinney carried the ball seven times on a 13-play drive while Marshall hit Jimmy Trilla twice to convert a pair of third downs. The drive stalled at the Tyler 25 after a sack on third-and-long, but Gus Bashore drilled a 40-yard field goal with 1:48 left, sending Iowa Western to the locker room with a 31–10 lead. A late Reiver drive reached the edge of field-goal range again in the final seconds, but a 42-yard try pushed wide right as the half expired.

Tyler's offense threatened to flip the game in the third quarter, but the Reivers' defense refused to break. The Apaches opened the half with a 12-play, 69-yard drive, converting a fourth-and-one near midfield and riding Ashton Haynes and quarterback Luke Ullrich all the way to a first-and-goal at the Iowa Western 1. It appeared that Ullrich scored on the play, but official review showed Ullrich's right knee touched before the backup quarterback crossed the goal line. From there, the Reivers stacked four straight snaps inside the 5, with Andy Burburija, Santana Miller and Asa Locks leading a goal-line stand that ended in a fourth-down stop at the 2 and preserved the 31–10 lead.

Iowa Western's offense couldn't cash that momentum right away, punting after a short series, but the defense delivered again. On Tyler's next drive near midfield, Jeremy Lewis came screaming off the edge, sacking Ullrich for a 19-yard loss and forcing a fumble that pushed the Apaches out of scoring range. Another three-and-out later in the quarter kept Tyler off the board and set up the drive that would effectively put the game away.

That march began late in the third quarter at the Iowa Western 25 and showcased Swinney's patience and Marshall's legs. Swinney converted a third-and-eight with a 12-yard run and added several more tough gains between the tackles. Marshall picked up another first down on a 14-yard scramble, and Ford chipped in a pair of runs to move the ball to the Tyler 21 as the quarter expired.

On the first play of the fourth, Moore again provided the spark. Lined up in the slot, he took a jet sweep around the right edge, turned the corner and outran the defense for a 21-yard touchdown — his second rushing score of the night — pushing the lead to 38–10 with 14:53 remaining.

Tyler didn't go quietly. Ullrich finally found rhythm through the air. After an 8-play, 66-yard drive highlighted by a fourth-down conversion and a 40-yard strike to Jamari Evans, the Apaches cut the deficit to 38–17 with 12:18 to play. They immediately stole another possession with a successful onside kick, then cashed that in as Ullrich hit Amari Henry on a 6-yard touchdown pass to pull Tyler within 38–23 at the 10:31 mark.

Needing an answer, the Reivers turned to the ground game one more time. D'Angelo Barkue returned to the line-up and ripped off runs of 15 and 36 yards on an 8-play drive that marched Iowa Western to the Tyler 19. When the drive stalled, Bashore calmly converted a 42-yard field goal, stretching the lead to 41–23 with 5:50 left and effectively putting the game out of reach.

Tyler added a late score on a 5-play, 75-yard hurry-up drive capped by a 13-yard touchdown pass from Ullrich to Evans with 1:45 remaining. The two-point conversion attempt failed, and after Iowa Western covered the ensuing onside kick, the Reivers ran out the clock to secure their 10th straight win and their fifth straight NJCAA Semifinal victory.

Swinney led the Reiver rushing attack with 62 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, while Barkue (55 yards), Ford (43 yards and a score) and Moore (28 yards and two touchdowns) helped Iowa Western pound out 223 rushing yards on 52 attempts. Marshall finished 9-for-23 for 80 yards through the air but added 18 yards on the ground and kept multiple drives alive with his legs.

Defensively, Iowa Western intercepted three passes — two by Roberson and one by Noles — and piled up five sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Lewis and Blake Hawkins each recorded key sacks, and Burburija and Jemir Hall were disruptive in the backfield throughout the second half. The Reivers limited Tyler to 3.5 yards per play and just 55 rushing yards on 33 attempts, despite the Apaches' late surge through the air.

Swinney and Moore added to their impressive career totals as Swinney's touchdown moved him into sole possession for third all-time with 21. Moore's pair of scores moved him to sixth on the list, tied with running back Milton Sargbah's 17 career scores.

Roberson's interception return for a score gives the defense six on the season (five interceptions, one fumble), the most in a season since 2013's team also recorded six defensive scores. 2012's National Championship squad scored nine times (seven interceptions, two fumbles) and they also hold the mark for most non-offensive scores with 12 (nine defensive, three special teams) while this year's team has eight with one game to play.

Next up, another date with Hutchinson in the NJCAA D1 Football National Championship Game. The Blue Dragons beat Northwest Mississippi, 27-0, on Saturday night to secure their spot in the title game. It will be third time in the last four seasons the two teams meet for the championship with each winning a title. #1 Hutchinson used a blocked PAT return to beat the Reivers in this season's regular season match-up, 30-27.

This year's game is scheduled for Wednesday, December 17th at Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium in Canyon, Texas with kickoff coming just after 6:00 pm CST with the Reiver Sports Network crew calling the game on 89.7 The River or at 897TheRiver.com and the 'booth cam' at GoReivers. ESPNU will broadcast the video of the game from Bain-Schaeffer Buffalo Stadium. Ticketing information will be released this week and can be found in the Championship Game preview article that will be posted later this week.