Mustangs' season concludes with second round loss

CALDWELL, Idaho — Morningside's season came to an end Saturday in the second round of the NAIA Football Championship Series, as the Mustangs fell to College of Idaho 37-19.

The Mustangs (9-3) totaled 361 yards of offense, with most of that production coming in the final 33 minutes, 40 seconds of play. Morningside got on the board late in the second quarter when Zack Chevalier found Kelynn Jacobsen for a five-yard touchdown with 2:11 remaining in the half.

College of Idaho held Morningside scoreless in the third quarter, but the Mustangs responded with two touchdowns in the fourth. Max Hough, returning from the foot injury that sidelined him for most of the season, capped a 17-play, 75-yard drive with a one-yard score on fourth-and-goal.

The final Mustangs touchdown came with 8:20 remaining, when Chevalier connected with GPAC Offensive Player of the Year Drew Sellon for a 33-yard strike.

Chevalier finished 27-for-45 for 276 yards and two touchdowns. Sellon hauled in 11 receptions for 132 yards, while Lennx Brown added 76 receiving yards. Hough led the ground game with 87 yards on 15 carries.

Defensively, Morningside extended its streak of games with at least one takeaway, as Jack Kratz intercepted a Yotes pass in the first half.

Victor Atupra led the Mustangs with 14 total tackles, including six solo stops. Cade Harriman added 13 tackles. Cale Pittenger, who recorded a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss, finished the year with 9.5 sacks. Landry Phipps (0.5) and Jack Brickhouse also notched tackles for loss.

Morningside closes the season having reached the postseason for the 22nd consecutive year and sharing the GPAC Championship with Dordt. The Mustangs placed 15 players on the All-GPAC teams, including seven first-team selections.