SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. -- The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College captured the 2024 Midwest Sprint Football League Championship on Saturday (Oct. 26) with a 36-17 win over visiting Calumet College of St. Joseph at Jay Barrett Field.
The Pomeroys won for the sixth time in a row to improve to 6-0 on the season and earn the No. 1 seed for the Midwest Sprint Football League Playoffs which begin on Saturday, Nov. 2. The top seeded Pomeroys will host No. 4 seed Midway (Ky.) at 2:00 p.m. (ET) in the league playoffs. CCSJ saw their MSFL record 11-game winning streak snapped and fell to 5-1 on the season and will host Bellarmine next Saturday in the other MSFL Semifinal contest.Â
It marks the second MSFL Regular Season Championship for the Pomeroys in the three-year history of the league. SMWC also captured the title back in 2022 -- the league's inaugural season.
SMWC got off to a great start on the opening kickoff when Zaire Davis fumbled the return on a force by
Bryton Suggs and returned 28 yards by
Owen Huff for a touchdown and the quick 7-0 advantage. After taking over on plus territory,
Derron Hazzard ran the ball 38 yards to pay dirt to stretch the lead out to 14-0 with 11:47 remaining in the first quarter.
CCSJ would draw closer with scores on the next two possessions with a six-yard Jamall Warnell rush with 7:08 left in the first quarter and a 32-yard field goal from Jeau Vinatieri early in the second quarter which drew the Crimson Wave within 14-10.
Jeremiah Tosky completed a 67-yard pass to
Marques Reese with 8:40 remaining before the half to make it 20-10. CCSJ would snap the ball over the punters head with 1:33 remaining in the half and through the back of the end zone to make it 22-10 as both teams returned to the lockeroom.
The Crimson Wave scored on a 29-yard touchdown pass with 13:39 remaining in the game to get within a score at 22-17 and needing to keep the ball and leave the Calumet offense off the field with 12:01 remaining the Pomeroys called a timeout. SMWC came back out and spread the field when Tosky found
Corbyn Cleveland streaking down the seam for a 54-yard scoring pass on fourth down to make it 29-17. Tosky then would find Reese for their second connection of the contest for a 51-yard scoring strike with 8:38 remaining to put the game out of reach at 36-17.
Tosky connected on 12-of-17 passing for 292 yards and three touchdowns as Reese was his top target with six catches for 142 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Devron Johnson caught a pair of 61 yards including a long of 61 late in the first half. Cleveland caught three passes for 76 yards and the big fourth quarter touchdown which stretched the lead out to a two possession game.
Hazzard posted 59 rushing yards and a touchdown to lead the offensive attack on the ground. On Senior Day,
Austin Petrillo led the way with 10 receptions and a pass breakup in the victory.
