Mustangs fall in second round at Indiana Wesleyan

MARION, Ind. – A back-and-forth game from the start, Morningside took the first lead of the game but a touchdown in the fourth quarter gave Indiana Wesleyan a 24-21 win over the Mustangs in the second round of the NAIA Football Championship Series Saturday in Marion, Indiana.

The Wildcats, led by former Morningside offensive coordinator Andrew Rohde, scored a touchdown with 8:06 to go to take the three point lead, and Morningside had a chance to tie the game at the end of regulation, but the field goal try was blocked. 

Ryan Cole got the scoring started midway through the opening quarter, rumbling into the end zone from 16-yards out to give the Mustangs a 7-0 lead. Indiana Wesleyan responded with a 60-yard touchdown pass, but Morningside got the last laugh of the first 15 minutes, scoring on a 10-yard scamper by Lennx Brown.

Morningside was held scoreless in the second and fourth quarters, while Indiana Wesleyan scored 17 of their 24 points in those quarters. In the second quarter, the Wildcats outscored Morningside 10-0 to lead 17-14 at the break.

Lennx Brown and Zach Norton connected for an 18-yard touchdown to give the Mustangs the lead back. That would be the final score until the 8:06 mark of the fourth when Indiana Wesleyan took the lead for good. 

Morningside played two quarterbacks again Saturday with both having shining moments. Zack Chevalier tossed for 140 yards on 12-of-17 passing. Chevalier led the Mustangs down the field in the first quarter before Lennx Brown came in to score his lone rushing score of the game. Chevalier also moved the Mustang offense into field goal range on the final drive of the game.

Brown completed 5-of-10 passes for 75 yards and rushed for 186 yards on 21 carries. 

Cole also had a heavy workload, toting the ball 18 times for 86 yards and a score. Four Mustangs had three or more receptions, with Josh Simmons leading the way at six catches for 100 yards. Norton added four grabs for 78 yards. 

Defensively, GPAC Defensive Player of the Year Lonell Boyd Jr. was all over the field with 11 tackles. Landry Phipps also totalled 11 tackles, including 1.5 tackles-for-loss. 

The Morningside football season comes to a close with a 9-3 record and a 20th straight trip to the NAIA playoffs.