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By David Boyce

KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Northwest Missouri State scored 47 seconds into the game, sowing the seeds of an impressive 34-7 victory over Shepherd to win the 2015 NCAA Division II national championship.
 
In front of a record-setting crowd of 16,181 fans Saturday evening at Sporting Park, the Bearcats treated their fans to their fifth overall national title and second in three years. Over the last three years, Northwest has compiled a 40-2 record.
 
"It was incredible," said Northwest senior quarterback Brady Bolles, who concluded his stellar career at Northwest by going 20 for 27 for 233 yards and one touchdown.  "Our fans were nuts all game. All season they were incredible. To go out on top my senior year is what you dream about.
 
"It felt like a home game at a different field. Like I've been saying the whole year, we have the best fans in D II hands down."
 
Once again, the Northwest defense showed why it was statistically ranked No. 1 all season. The Bearcats recorded 10 sacks, caused two turnovers and held Shepherd to 97 total yards. Offensively, Northwest gained 462.
 
"It is like a dream right now," said Northwest Missouri coach Adam Dorrel. "I am extremely proud of our seniors. There is no way we could have done this without our senior leadership. Those guys have set a new standard at Northwest Missouri State for the expectation level from a work standpoint.
 
"We were a very unselfish football team this year. I believe the kids played each week for the university and for each other because they loved each other. It really showed late in the playoffs."
 
Reminiscent of the 2013 title run, Northwest outscored its four playoff opponents 164-55. In 2013, it was 174-83.
 
"They are very, very good," said Shepherd coach Monte Cater. "They didn't have to blitz a lot. Their front was very good. We had a lot of trouble blocking them."
 
The eight seniors on the 2015 Bearcats left a legacy that will be tough to duplicate.
 
 "With what we had coming back, we knew we had to step up our level," Bolles said. "I care so much for these guys. These guys are my family, my brothers. We went out on top."
 
The game couldn't have started better for Northwest. Shepherd won the opening toss and elected to take the ball. Northwest loves starting the game on defense.
 
Perhaps because of opening game jitters, Shepherd made a costly mistake on its first play. A high snap over the head of the quarterback turned into a fumble recovery by junior Cass Weitl at Shepherd's four.
 
"It was great, kind of happened, but I don't really remember it," Weitl said. "It was awesome way to start off the game and get the offense a short porch right away."
 
Northwest needed two plays to score on a 1-yard run by sophomore Jordan Grove. The extra point gave the Bearcats a 7-0 lead a mere 47 seconds into the game.
 
"We probably couldn't have started any worse than we did," Cater said. "They got on the board and then we had that unfortunate interception and that got us down quite a bit."
 
Initially, Shepherd appeared unfazed by the quick score. Junior quarterback Jeff Ziemba hit Billy Brown on a 37-yard pass play on the Rams' next offensive play, moving to the Northwest 46.
 
"Our team has been good with momentum all year, normally playing at home," Ziemba said. "It could have been a big play."
 
The Bearcats tightened up on defense and stopped Shepherd, but the Rams flipped field position. Northwest, though, gained a couple of first downs, moved to midfield and then fumbled.
 
Shepherd was unable to take advantage of the miscue. But the Rams had settled down. They were able to get a couple of first downs and prevented Northwest from moving the ball consistently.
 
Midway through the second quarter, Northwest still had a 7-0 lead. The Rams were in pretty good shape to tie the game. They started a drive at Northwest's 39. But a sack by Northwest junior Collin Bevins for a 7-yard loss took the Rams out of field goal range.
 
From that moment on, it was all Northwest. The Bearcats went on a 4-play, 80-yard scoring drive that resulted in a 1-yard touchdown pass from Bolles to Shane Williams with 6:44 left in the second quarter. The big play in the drive was a 74-yard pass from Bolles to sophomore Jordan Grove that took the ball from Northwest 20 to Shepherd's 6.
 
"It was awesome," Grove said. "I should have outrun that guy, but we ended up punching it in. It was an adrenaline rush. It was a good play call and a great ball by Brady."
 
The second touchdown ignited the Bearcats to another level. Thanks to a sack by junior Jacob Vollstedt, Northwest produced a three and out.
 
"It has been a fun year with this defense," Weitl said. "I am going to miss the seniors. They did a heck of a job this year, preparing us and making us get in the film room and holding us to a high expectation."
 
Northwest then went on a 12-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a 30-yard field goal by Simon Mathiesen with 38 seconds left in the second quarter, making it 17-0.
 
The Bearcat dagger came on the next play from scrimmage when senior defensive back Bryce Enyard picked off a pass and raced 59 yards for a touchdown.
 
The second half turned into a coronation of Northwest football and its enthusiastic fans, who filled Sporting Park in record numbers. The previous attendance high was 15,631 in 1993 in Florence, Ala.
 
Early in the third quarter, Northwest must have wanted to add a bit of intrigue for its fans.
 
Northwest Missouri fumbled a punt, giving the ball to the Rams at Northwest's 32. Two plays later, Shepherd was in the end zone on a 21-yard pass play from Ziemba to junior wide receiver Billy Brown, making it 24-7 with 9:49 remaining in the third quarter.
 
The Bearcats answered with a 10-play, 78-yard drive that concluded with a 22-yard field goal by Simon Mathiesen with 4:33 left in the third quarter.
 
Northwest put the game away early in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Grove, making it 34-7 with 8:47 left in the game.
 
Grove scored two touchdowns and also completed a 45-yard halfback pass in the third quarter that led to a field goal.
 
"We practiced it all week," Grove said. "We figured they would be biting on it. Andre (Washington) was wide open. I got it out there and he made a play."
 
Grove was one of many sophomores and freshmen who excelled for Northwest because of the leadership provided by the seniors.
 
"They mean a ton," Grove said. "They are great leaders. They always rally us when we are down. They helped us through workouts in the summer. They are a real testament to what the Bearcat family is about."