|
Tuesday, 19 December 2006 16:43 |
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. ÇƒÏ Junior Kevin Richardson scored all four touchdowns to lead No. 1 Appalachian State University to its second-straight NCAA Division I Football National Championship with a 28-17 triumph over No. 3 Massachusetts last Friday evening at Finley Stadium.
Appalachian finished the season with a 14-game winning streak and a 14-1 overall record, setting school records for wins in a season and consecutive victories. UMass ended its run at 13-2 overall.
The overflow crowd of 22,808, consisting of upwards of 15,000 Black and Gold-clad fans, set a Finley Stadium record and marked the 12th time in 15 games this season that the Mountaineers have played in front of a capacity crowd.
The
Mountaineers rushed for 285 yards, with Richardson tallying 179 yards
of the load. Richardsonës 179 yards were the most given up by the
Minuteman since Nov. 9, 2002.
The
Elizabethtown, N.C., native also set an NCAA Division I Football
Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) single-season record
with 30 rushing touchdowns in 15 games this season.
Rounding out
Richardsonës record-breaking day and season, the Southern Conference
Offensive Player of the year finsihed with 1,676 yards rushing, good
for a new single-season school record. His 1,676 yards top the 1,661
tallied by John Settle in 1986.
Despite
Richardsonës MVP performance, it was UMass runing back Steve Baylark
that set the tone early. On the first series of the game, Baylark ran
for 23 yards, setting up a one-yard touchdown dive by tailback Matt
Lawrence that gave the Minutemen an early 7-0 lead. Baylark went on to
rush for 62 yards on nine carries in the first quarter alone.
Although Baylark
was the performer of the period, Appalachian answered in the final 1:15
of the first quarter with Richardsonës longest run of the night, a
45-yard touchdown scamper that knotted the game at 7-7.
After a nearly
scoreless second quarter, Richardson ran in from six yards out for his
second score of the night to give ASU a 14-7 lead with 49 seconds left
in the first half.
Midway through
the third period, Massachusetts took advantage of Edwardsë only mistake
of the game, an interception deep inside UMass territory.
The Minutemen
took advantage of the miscue, marching 81 yards in 11 plays and tying
the game at 14 on a 17-yard pass from Liam Coen to Bard Listorti with
4:22 to play in the third quarter.
Appalachian took
the lead back for good on its next possession, as Richardson took it in
for the third time a from four yards out, giving the defending champs a
21-14 lead with 13:22 left to play in the contest.
The Minutemen
charged down the field on their next possession, but the Mountaineer
defense buckled down once UMass crossed midfield and the Minutemen had
to settle for a 42-yard field goal, leaving the Apps with a 21-17
advantage with 8:46 left.
Appalachian was
able to melt all but 1:51 off the clock after the UMass field goal with
a 14-play, 80-yard drive, capped by Richardsonës fourth TD, a two-yard
dive that effectively sealed ASUës second-straight national title.
On the ensuing
drive, all-America safety Corey Lynch crushed all hopes of a Minuteman
comeback with his third interception in as many games since returning
28 days following a severe elbow injury.
Two kneel-downs
by backup quarterback Trey Elder set off a wild celebration on the
Finley Stadium turf, as Black and Gold faithful filled the field to
share in the revelry of ASUës second-straight national championship.
|
