Mount Union rolls over St. Lawrence

By BRANSON WRIGHT

The Plain Dealer

ALLIANCE

The only thing average about Mount Union’s first-round playoff game on Saturday was the score.

Mount Union averages over 50 points per game when it comes to postseason openers, and the Purple Raiders were right on track in the first round of the Division III playoffs at Mount Union Stadium.

Quarterback Taurice Scott rushed for a career-high 171 yards and passed for 127 yards with three touchdowns to lead the Purple Raiders to a 55-23 victory over St. Lawrence (N.Y.).

The Purple Purple Raiders (11-0) will play Albright (10-1) at noon next Saturday. The site will be announced Sunday.

Albright advanced with a 49-0 victory over Norwich.

The top-ranked Purple Raiders defense continued its grip on the opposition that included four interceptions and a school record 12 sacks.

It was the most sacks since Mount Union collected 10 at Capital on Oct. 2, 2004.

Defensive lineman Tom Lally, the school’s all-time leader in sacks and tackles for loss, had a career-high 3.5 sacks on Saturday.

“We want to lead the defense,” said Lally, about the defensive line. “We’re the main group that keeps the defense rolling. It was the perfect storm.”

Mount Union was so dominant on Saturday, especially in the first two quarters, that it held St. Lawrence (8-3) to 145 yards of total offense (18 yards rushing) in the first half.

The Purple Raiders were so dominant on offense that they collected 170 yards of total offense and scored four touchdowns -- in the first quarter.

It all started on Mount Union’s first drive, where Scott rushed for 19 yards and threw a 9-yard TD pass to Octavion Wilson.

Scott converted Mount Union’s second drive with a 17-yard TD pass to Jordan Hargrove for a 14-0 lead.

The Saints struggled offensively. They had trouble with the Purple Raiders’ rush, and the Purple Raiders’ pressure continued to push the Saints back. The Saints did not help themselves when a catching interference penalty gave the Purple Raiders the ball on the Saints’ 36.

It took only three plays for Mount Union to score. Running back Logan Nemeth, who finished with 130 yards and three touchdowns, scored from the 8-yard line for a 21-0 lead.

An incomplete pass followed by consecutive sacks led to a punt. Two Jamal Johnson runs and Scott’s 23-yard TD pass to Roman Namdar made it 27-0 with less than three minutes left in the first quarter.

In the first quarter alone, Scott was 4-of-5 with 52 yards, three touchdowns and 47 yards rushing.

Scott noticed the holes before the game.

“Watching film [we noticed their defense] left the middle open a lot,” Scott said. “So we noticed from the first day of film that we’d have a chance to run on them.”