UMD Loses Three Overtime Heartbreaker In Opening Round

Nov 17, 2012

Northland Sports Online

As remarkable a career Chase Vogler has had at the University of Minnesota Duluth, the way it ended couldn’t have been any more heartbreaking.

On his final snap as a collegian, the standout senior quarterback stumbled and fell while rolling out on UMD’s two-point conversion try in the third overtime, and then watched from the ground as No. 9 Missouri Western State University celebrated a 57-55 victory in the opening round of the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday afternoon. But that one bit of misfortune didn’t diminish the superb and gritty performance he put forth in St. Joseph, Mo.

Vogler generated a career-high 379 yards of total offense, ran for a pair of touchdowns and deftly handled the controls of the Bulldog offense — one which amassed 34 first downs, was 13-of-21 on third/fourth down conversions and rang up the highest point total ever in a UMD loss. The numbers, of course, meant nothing to him. Only the outcome did.

“Obviously, it’s a disappointing way to end your season,” said Vogler, who suffered just his sixth setback in 52 lifetime starts with the Bulldogs. “It came down to those small things and just one more thing went there way than it did ours.

“Our goal this year wasn’t just to make the playoffs. Our goal was to win a national championship and now we won’t get that chance.”

Seventh ranked UMD, which hadn’t allowed a first-quarter point since the third week of the season coming into the day, trailed 14-6 after the opening 15 minutes of play with a pair of field goals by freshman placekicker Andrew Brees (from 25 and 27 yards) accounting for the six points. The Bulldogs finally hit pay dirt 9:55 into the second quarter when Vogler slashed his way into the end zone from 15 yards out and then took their first lead of the afternoon (at 20-14) six minutes later on sophomore running back Austin Sikorski’s 12-yard touchdown run.

Missouri Western (11-1 overall), the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion, went back on top on its opening possession of the second half, but Vogler answered again for the Bulldogs (10-2), scoring on a one-yard quarterback sneak at the 7:40 mark of the third quarter.

Missouri Western sandwiched a pair of Travis Partridge scoring runs around Sikorski’s one-yard plunge, creating a 35-35 deadlock with just over five minutes left in half. Vogler and the Bulldogs drove 57 yards on its last series of regulation, but were stopped inches short of a first down on the Griffon 18-yard line, turning the ball over and forcing overtime.

The shootout continued with both clubs trading touchdowns in each of the three overtimes with Sikorski doing the honors for UMD all three times. The last of those scores came after the Griffons went ahead 57-49 following a two-point conversion (which teams are required to attempt by NCAA rule at the start of the third overtime). Sikorski turned in his second 100-yard run outing in as many weeks as he finished the day with 139 yards and five touchdowns — one short of the program single season record — on 26 rushes.

Missouri Western ground up its share of real estate as well, rolling up 225 yards (the most allowed by the Bulldogs this season) with senior running back Michael Hill doing almost all of the damage (187 yards on 24 carries). Partridge added another 319 yards and three scores through the air for the Griffons, who won for the first time in four lifetime NCAA II playoff outings.

Junior strong safety Travis Nordhus recorded a career-high 13 total tackles to lead the Bulldogs defensively while senior free safety Cameron Harper had 10 stops, giving him 282 for his career — the third most in program history. Sophomore linebacker Gavin Grady was credited with one of UMD’s three sacks and their lone interception, a second-quarter red-zone theft which helped give the Bulldogs, then trailing 14-6, a huge shot of momentum.

The two teams combined for 1,147 total yards with UMD holding a slight upper hand (603) in that department.

“Missouri Western is a very good offensive team, yet I thought we gave up too many big plays and too many long runs ,” said head Bob Nielson, who is now 11-4 in the NCAA II playoffs. “We also didn’t make the stops when we needed them in overtime. But I am proud of our guys and the way they left it all out there. And, if there is a better playmaker in Division II football than Chase, I haven’t seen him. He carried us today.”

Vogler, a 2012 All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference North Division selection, moved into fifth place on UMD’s all-time rushing charts with 2,903 yards — just 54 yards behind the No. 4 occupant, UMD Athletic Hall of Famer and former Kansas City Chief running back Ted McKnight, who was one of the 4,149 in attendance at Spratt Stadium.

Vogler, along with fellow seniors Harper, injured defensive end Joe Akey, offensive tackle Jake Bscherer, free safety Cameron Harper, offensive guard Garth Heikkinen, tight end Ben Helmer, strong safety Jordan Hoesktra, linebacker Nick Lloyd, quarterback Jon Lynch, linebacker Blake Rogers, and wide receiver Collin Stinogel all called it a career Saturday. That group has been part of something special since they first collectively hit the field in 2009, winning one NCAA Division II national championship and three NSIC titles (2009-11), making four NCAA II playoff appearances and going an impressive 47-7.

“We don’t lose very much,” said Nielson. “So what happened today is obviously difficult for our guys.”

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