Northwest Football Game Notes (PDF)

Game No. 9 - Northeastern State (0-8) at Northwest Missouri State (7-1)
Saturday, Nov. 2 | 1:30 p.m. | Maryville, Mo. | Bearcat Stadium (6,500)

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Radio Play-by-Play: John Coffey
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Radio Sideline: Logan Weber

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THIS WEEK'S GAME
Northwest Missouri State will play host to Northeastern State Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Bearcat Stadium. Saturday will be Military Appreciation Day.

600 BEARCAT VICTORIES
Northwest became the seventh NCAA Division II school to record 600 or more victories in Saturday's 56-9 triumph over Lincoln. Northwest has compiled an all-time record of 600-403-33.
    
NCAA Division II Football Wins
1. Pittsburg State    718
2. Tuskegee    695
3. Hillsdale    644
4. Carson-Newman    638
    Central Oklahoma    638
6. West Chester    634
7. Northwest Mo. St.    600
source: NCAA Football Record Book/Each Institution's SID

ALL-TIME VS. RIVERHAWKS
Northwest is 9-0 all-time vs. Northeastern State. The Bearcats and RiverHawks first met in 1939.
    Northwest has outscored Northeastern State in the series, 445-99. The Bearcats own an average victory margin of 38.8 points per contest vs. the RiverHawks.

THE COACHES
Northwest is led by third-year head coach Rich Wright. Wright was named head coach at Northwest Missouri on Dec. 19, 2016. Wright has posted a 26-7 mark for the Bearcats. Wright arrived at Northwest in 2004 as the defensive line coach and coordinator of special teams. In 2011, Wright was named defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. A native of Hamilton, N.Y., Wright earned his bachelor's degree at Dana College in 1995 and his master's at Northwest in 1996.
    J.J. Eckert is in his first year at Northeastern State's head football coach.  Eckert is Northeastern State's 20th football coach in program history. Eckert has deep roots in Northeastern Oklahoma, as a Tahlequah native, and as a four-year letter winner at Northeastern State (1994-97). Up through the 2018 season, Eckert has served as head coach at Kilgore College since the spring of 2007 and came off a 10-2 season and a national ranking at number-4 (No. 4) in the final NJCAA poll. Eckert went 72-53 with the Rangers, winning SWJCFC Regular Season Championships three times (2007, 2012, and 2018).

BEST RED-ZONE SCORING
Northwest ranks tied for No. 1 in the nation in red zone scoring offense. The Bearcats have scored on 25 of their 26 trips inside the red-zone this season for a 96.2 percent scoring percentage.
    The only time Northwest failed to score this season in the red-zone came on the final play of the Bearcats's 45-35 win at Missouri Western when Northwest took a knee.
    Northwest has posted 19 touchdowns and has made six field goals in its 25 red-zone scores.

NCAA Div. II Red-Zone Scoring
1. Northwest Mo. State    .962
    UNC Pembroke        .962
3. Central Oklahoma        .960
4. Mississippi College        .955
5. Bloomsburg            .952
6. Fort Valley State        .943
7. Fayetteville State        .939
8. Pittsburg State        .935
    Southern Arkansas        .935
10. Catawba            .929

NO. 8 IN SCORING OFFENSE
Northwest ranks No. 8 in the nation in scoring offense at 44.1 points per game.
    Northwest has scored 50 or more points in three games in 2019.

NCAA Div. II Scoring Offense
1. Indianapolis        50.0 ppg
2. Central Missouri    49.0 ppg
    Slippery Rock    49.0 ppg
4. Notre Dame    (Ohio)    45.9 ppg
5. Indiana (Pa.)        45.5 ppg
6. Minnesota State    45.0 ppg
7. Tarleton State    44.9 ppg
8. Northwest Mo. St.    44.1 ppg
9. Lenoir-Rhyne    43.9 ppg
10. Colo. Mines    43.0 ppg

LIMITED POINTS ALLOWED
Northwest ranks first in the MIAA in scoring defense by giving up 21.1 points per game.
    Northwest allowed nine points to Lincoln on Saturday but all nine points came when the Bearcat offense was on the field. Lincoln scored on an interception return and on a safety.

BEARCATS STOP THE RUN
Northwest is tops in the MIAA in rushing defense by giving up only 98.5 yards per game.

NO LAUNDRY ON THE FIELD
Northwest ranks No. 1 in the MIAA in fewest penalties (38), fewest penalties per game (4.75), fewest penalty yards (346) and fewest penalty yards per game (43.25).

EFFICIENT PASS DEFENSE
The numbers don't lie as Northwest ranks No. 1 in the MIAA in team passing efficiency defense (104.15).
    Bearcat opponents have completed a league-low 44.4 percent of their passes.

GETTING PICKY ON DEFENSE
Northwest ranks No. 1 in the MIAA in passes intercepted. The Bearcats have tallied 12 interceptions and eight different players have recorded picks.
    Sophomore cornerback Trey Washington is tied with Central Missouri's Kolesen Crane for the MIAA lead in interceptions with four.
    Washington is tops in the MIAA in passes defensed (14).

FOUR DEFENSIVE SCORES
The Bearcats rank tied for sixth in the nation with four defensive touchdowns in 2019.
    Sam Phillips recorded a fumble return and an interception returns for touchdowns in the season opener at Missouri Western. This past week produced defensive scores from Jerrell Green (INT) and Braden Day (INT) against Missouri Southern.

IMONI HAS RESERVATIONS FOR 6
Junior wide receiver Imoni Donadelle has scored a touchdown in six consecutive games and leads the team in total touchdowns (8).
    Donadelle has scored via receiving (6), rushing (1) and kick return (1).
    Donadelle is the top receiver on the squad with 22 receptions for 474 yards.
    Donadelle is averaging 21.5 yards per catch, 23.0 yards per rush and 42.4 yards per kick return. He has touched the ball 32 times for 801 yards. Donadelle is averaging 25.03 yards per touch in 2019.
    Donadelle ranks No. 14 in the MIAA in all-purpose yards per game (101.1).

SEVEN STRAIGHT MADE FGS
Kicker Parker Sampson's streak of seven straight made field goals is longest active streak for consecutive field goals made in the MIAA.
    Sampson's kicks have come from 45, 35, 53, 41, 27, 41, 36. He also leads the Bearcats in scoring with 67 points.

SAMPSON RANKS 12TH
IN NATION IN SCORING
Junior kicker Parker Sampson ranks No. 12 in the nation in scoring with 75 points.

NCAA Div. II Individual Scoring
1. Jaleel McLaughlin (Notre Dame)    126
2. Duane Brown (Indiana, Pa.)    96
3. Mike Strachan (Charleston)    90
4. Jared Vincent (Pittsburg St.)    85
5. Brockton Brown (Ouachita Bap.)    84
    Zimari Manning (Tarleton St.)    84
    Craig Rucker (Mars Hill)        84
8. Khaleed Exum-Strong (Assumption)    78
    Stevie Green (Fayetteville St.)    78
    Nate Gunn (Minnesota State)    78
    Thuro Reisdorfer (Sioux Falls)    78
12. Parker Sampson (Northwest Mo. St.)    75

PARKER MOVES UP KICKING LISTS
Junior kicker Parker Sampson has made 27 career field goals, which ranks No. 7 among Bearcat kickers in the history of the program.
    Sampson also ranks No. 5 in Bearcat history in extra points made (110).

Career Field Goals Made
1.    Simon Mathiesen (2013-16)    61
2.    David Purnell (1996-99)        52
3.    Tommy Frevert     (2005-08)        41
4.    Todd Adolf (2009-12)        33
5.    Peter Rameh (1985-88)        32
6.    Eddie Ibarra (1999-02)        29
7.    Parker Sampson (2017-pres.)    27
8.    Steve Stokes (1973-77)        19
9.    Shawn Geraghty (1977-79)    18
10.    Luis Berlanga (2002-04)        16

Career Extra Points Made
1.    Todd Adolf (2009-12)        272
2.    Tommy Frevert     (2005-08)        263
3.    David Purnell (1996-99)        241
4.    Simon Mathiesen (2013-16)    237
5.    Parker Sampson (2017-pres.)    110
6.    Eddie Ibarra (1999-02)        94
7.    Peter Rameh (1985-88)        83
8.    Steve Stokes (1973-77)        80
9.    Luis Berlanga (2002-04)        74
10.    Andy Timmerman (2000)        67

SPENCER FOR HIRE
Senior Spencer Phillips leads the MIAA in tackles-for-loss (9). Phillips has posted at least one TFL in seven of the eight games this season.

BLAKE LEADS THE WAY
Junior safety Blake Bayer leads Northwest in total tackles (51) and solo tackles (39).

THE TRUFFLE SHUFFLE
Sophomore Zach Howard has posted 5.0 quarterback sacks to rank No. 4 in the MIAA. Howard is known to perform "The Truffle Shuffle" after each sack.

HOHENSEE DOES IT ALL
Redshirt freshman Mike Hohensee is doing everything he can to contribute to the Bearcat football team.
    Hohensee ranks third on the team in rushing yards (222) and is averaging 6.2 yards per carry.
    As a quarteback, Hohensee has completed 11-of-14 passes for 184 yards and five touchdowns.
    Hohensee is averaging 40.7 yards per punt and has had 17 punts downed inside the 20-yard line for the season. He has had seven punts of 50 or more yards, including a long of 64 yards.

RANKIN CARRIES THE LOAD
Senior running back Justin Rankin has rushed for 599 yards on 121 carries and has scored five rushing touchdowns.
    Rankin has totaled 2,174 career rushing yards on 469 carries and has scored 15 rushing touchdowns in 42 collegiate games. Rankin played his previous three seasons at Kent State University.
    Rankin has produced four 100-yard rushing games in his collegiate career.

Rankin's 100-Yard Games
9/8/18 vs. Howard - 147 yds.
10/6/18 vs. Ohio - 123 yds.
9/5/19 at Mo. Western - 130 yds.
9/21/19 at Mo. Southern - 150 yds.

16 DIFFERENT BEARCATS FIND END ZONE
Through eight games, 16 different Northwest players have found the end zone.
    Imoni Donadelle and Justin Rankin are tops on the team with eight touchdowns. Braden Wright has scored six touchdowns. Marqus Andrews and LaTroy Harper have scored four touchdowns. Mike Hohensee has found the end zone three times. Alec Tatum, Isaiah Strayhorn and Sam Phillips each have two touchdowns. Raymond Thomas, Giavonni Guido, Gus Gomez, Kaden Davis, Braden Dey, Jerrell Green and Kyle Raunig have each found the end zone once.

SUPER REGION RANKINGS
Northwest is ranked No. 6 in Super Region Three in the first 2019 Super Region rankings.
    Northwest (7-1 overall) is one of four MIAA teams in the Super Region Three rankings. Central Missouri (8-0) holds down the No. 2 spot. Northwest is No. 6, while Missouri Western (6-2) is No. 8 and Fort Hays State (6-2) is No. 9. Following this week's matchup against Northeastern State, the Bearcats will play at Fort Hays State (Nov. 9) and at home against Central Missouri (Nov. 16).

SUPER REGION ONE
1. Kutztown 8-0
2. Slipper Rock 8-0
3. Notre Dame (Ohio) 8-0
4. Indiana (Pa.) 7-1
5. West Virginia State 6-1
6. West Chester 7-1
7. Urbana 6-2
8. Shepherd 6-2
9. Tiffin 7-1
10. Ohio Dominican 5-2

SUPER REGION TWO
1. Valdosta State 8-0
2. Lenoir-Rhyne 8-0
3. Bowie State 8-0
4. Wingate 8-0
5. West Florida 5-1
6. Carson-Newman 5-2
7. Virginia State 6-1
8. Mississippi College 4-2
9. Virginia Union 5-2
10. Albany State 5-3

SUPER REGION THREE
1. Ferris State 8-0
2. Central Missouri 8-0
3. Indianapolis 7-0
4. Ouachita Baptist 8-0
5. Harding 7-1
6. Northwest Missouri State 7-1
7. Grand Valley State 7-1
8. Missouri Western 6-2
9. Fort Hays State 6-2
10. Henderson State 7-1

SUPER REGION FOUR
1. Tarleton State 6-0
2. Minnesota State 8-0
3. Colorado School of Mines 8-0
4. Colorado State-Pueblo 7-1
5. Angelo State 7-1
6. Texas A&M-Commerce - 5-2
7. Augustana (S.D.) 6-2
8. Sioux Falls 6-2
9. Winona State 6-2
10. West Texas A&M 6-2

TRIO FINDS END ZONE FOR FIRST TIME VS. LINCOLN
The Northwest trio of sophomore  Raymond Thomas, sophomore Gus Gomez and redshirt freshman Giovanni Guido each scored their first career touchdowns in a 56-9 win over Lincoln on Homecoming.
    Thomas caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Mike Hohensee in the second quarter.
    Gomez nabbed a 19-yard score from Braden Wright in the second quarter.
    Guido came in as the fourth string quarterback in the fourth quarter and found the end zone on a 30-yard run.

MARQUS FINDS END ZONE
Senior tight end Marqus Andrews caught three first-half touchdown passes to lead Northwest to a 38-17 win over Pittsburg State at Arrowhead Stadium. For his performance, Andrews was named the MIAA Offensive Player of the Week.
    Andrews had three total receptions for 61 yards against the Gorillas. Andrews also rushed once for eight yards. Andrews returned two kickoffs for 25 yards including a long of 17.
    Andrews's first touchdown game on a six-yard shovel pass from Braden Wright that leveled the game at 7-7 with 8:33 left in the first quarter.
    His second score came on a 20-yard pass from Mike Hohensee with 5:08 left in the first quarter to give Northwest a 14-7 advantage.
    His final catch of the day came on a fourth down at the Gorilla 35-yard line. The Bearcats lined up to kick a field goal, then shifted into a potential punting formation. Andrews leaked out down the middle of the field and Hohensee hit him for a 35-yard touchdown strike that gave Northwest a commanding 28-7 lead with 6:21 left in the second quarter.

2ND MIAA HONOR FOR SAM
Sophomore linebacker Sam Phillips earned his second MIAA Defensive Player of the Week honor for his play against Pittsburg State.
    Phillips totaled a team-high 11 tackles (eight solos) and a tackle-for-loss in Northwest's 38-17 win over Pittsburg State at Arrowhead Stadium. Pittsburg State entered the game having averaged 204.4 yards per game - Phillips and the Bearcat defense limited the Gorillas to 87 net rushing yards on 35 attempts.
    Pitt State had 12 rushing touchdowns on the season but did not have a rushing score on Saturday against the Bearcats.

CAREER RUSHING MARK FOR BRADEN
Quarterback Braden Wright rushed for a career-high 172 yards and a touchdown in leading Northwest to a 38-17 win over previously unbeaten Pittsburg State at Arrowhead Stadium.
    Wright averaged 10.1 yards per carry and scored the final touchdown of the game on a 48-yard keeper.
    It's the second 100-plus rushing game of Wright's career. He rushed for 118 yards against Washburn on Sept. 6, 2018.

STINGY DEFENSE
Northwest locked up a 34-23 road victory with a stifling defensive performance. After Northwest took a 25-23 lead, Emporia State ran 25 plays and was limited to five yards of total offense. ESU was held to one first down in the final 22:12 of game time.

SAMPSON NAMED MIAA SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF WEEK
Junior Parker Sampson was named the MIAA's football special teams player of the week.
    Sampson was a perfect 4-for-4 on field goals, including a career-long 53-yarder in a 34-23 win at Emporia State. The 53-yarder is the longest made field goal this season in the MIAA.
    Sampson had made 8- of-11 field goals and 30-of-31 extra points in 2019.
    
53-YARDER RANKS SECOND IN BEARCAT HISTORY
Parker Sampson's 53-yard field goal ties for the second-longest field goal in Bearcat football history. Pat Johnson booted a 54-yard field goal vs. Washburn on Sept. 23, 1987.
    It is the second 50-yard or plus field goal in Sampson's collegiate career. Sampson made a 50-yard field goal at Northeastern State on Oct. 27, 2018.

Longest Field Goal Made (Game)
1.    Pat Johnson vs. Washburn (9/23/87)    54
2.    Shawn Geraghty at William Jewell (9/17/77)    53
    Parker Sampson at Emporia St. (10/5/19)    53
4.    Peter Rameh at Mo. Western (9/19/87)    52
    Peter Rameh vs. Mo. Western (9/17/88)    52
6.    Peter Rameh vs. Washburn (9/10/88)    51
    Luis Berlanga vs. Texas A&M-Kingsville (11/20/04)    51
    Luis Berlanga at Pittsburg St. (11/27/04)    51

FOUR FIELD GOALS MADE
Parker Sampson's four field goals made in a game ranks tied for the second-best mark in program history.
    Simon Mathiesen made five field goals vs. Harding on Dec. 3, 2016.
    Mathiesene also made four in a game along with Coreye Paetznick, Tommy Frevert and Sampson.

Most Field Goals Made (Game)
1.    Simon Mathiesen vs. Harding (12/3/16)    5
2.    Corey Paetznick vs. Mo. Southern (10/11/03)    4
    Tommy Frevert vs. Bloomsburg (12/10/16)    4
    Simon Mathiesen vs. Humboldt St. (11/25/15)    4
    Parker Sampson at Emporia St. (10/5/19)    4
6.    14 times    3

MIKE HAS A BOOT
Mike Hohensee punted six times for a 50.3 average in Northwest's 34-23 win at Emporia State.
    Five of his six punts were downed inside the 20-yard line. Hohensee's punts went 64 (downed at 1), 52 (downed at 12), 52 (downed at 14), 62 (downed at 5), 40 (downed at 13), 32 (downed at 48).

BAYER LEADS THE CHARGE
Junior safety Blake Bayer logged 11 tackles, including an MIAA-season best 4.0 tackles-for-loss in Northwest's 34-23 win at Emporia State.
    His 4.0 tackles-for-loss ties for the 8th-best single-game total in Bearcat history.
    Bayer notched 10 solo stops to go along with his four tackles for loss that netted seven yards lost.

50 OR MORE POINTS
Northwest eclipsed the 50-point mark for the second time this season in its 59-10 win over Central Oklahoma.
    It's the second straight week that Northwest scored 50 or more points - marking the first time since the 2016 season that Northwest has scored 50 or more points in back to back games. Northwest scored a 56-10 win at Central Oklahoma (10/8/16) and followed that up with a 74-29 victory over Northeastern State (10/15/16).
    Northwest has scored 50 or more points 48 times in school history. Northwest has scored between 50-59 points (21 times), 60-69 points (19 times) and 70 or more eight times).

DONADELLE NAMED MIAA SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF WEEK
Junior returner/receiver Imoni Donadelle has been named the MIAA's football special teams player of the week presented by Mammoth Turf. It marks the fourth consecutive week that the Bearcat football team has had a player earn one of the league's weekly honors.
    Donadelle (Youngstown, Ohio) set a Northwest single-game record with 174 kick return yards against Central Oklahoma. The previous mark of 170 was set by E.J. Falkner vs. Pittsburg State (10/29/05). Donadelle set the tone for a Bearcat victory by returning the game's opening kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Donadelle added returns of 52 and 23 yards as he tallied 174 kick return yards against the Bronchos. Donadelle caught two passes for 17 yards and totaled a team-best 191 all-purpose yards on the day.

Northwest's Kickoff Returns Yards (Game)
1. Imoni Donadelle vs. UCO (9/28/19)    174
2. E.J. Falkner vs. Pitt St. (10/29/05)    170
3. Kendall Wright vs. Mo. West. (9/13/08)    152

WRIGHT'S FIRST 300+ GAME
Sophomore quarterback Braden Wright posted his first collegiate 300-yard passing game in a 59-10 win over Central Oklahoma.
     Wright passed for a career-high 305 yards (all in the first half), threw for four touchdowns and rushed for another in the Family Weekend victory.
    Wright rushed for 33 yards on five carries. Wright connected with Justin Rankin on a 48-yard touchdown pass on Northwest's first offensive play of the game for his first score of the day.
    With 1:55 left in the first quarter, Wright scampered 12 yards for a touchdown to give the Bearcats a 24-7 advantage. Wrights efficiency took off in the second quarter as he completed 7-of-9 passes for 204 yards and three scores. Wright hit LaTroy Harper for touchdown passes of 64 and 53 yards before connecting again with Rankin for a 29-yard score with 50 seconds left in the half that gave the Bearcats a commanding 52-7 lead.
    Wright led the charge as the Bearcats rolled up 568 yards of total offense in the game, that included 409 yards in the first half.

THE WRIGHT STUFF
Sophomore quarterback Braden Wright set a career-high in passing yards on each of the last three Saturdays in September.
    Wright passed for 278 yards and two scores in a 38-17 win over Washburn.
    Wright tossed for 289 yards and three touchdowns in a 66-34 victory at Missouri Southern.
    Wright threw for a career-high 305 yards and four scores in a 59-10 triumph over Central Oklahoma.

GREEN COLLECTS MIAA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF WEEK
Senior defensive back Jerrell Green has been named the MIAA's football defensive player of the week for his play in a 66-34 win at Missouri Southern (9/21).
    Green (Sun City, Arizona/Phoenix College) recorded two of Northwest's six interceptions and returned one for a touchdown in a 66-34 victory over the Lions.
    Green's first interception came with 1:49 left in the first half. Green picked off Missouri Southern's Jacob Park and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown to give Northwest a 38-14 lead.
    His second pick came on MSSU's next possession with 53 seconds left in the half. Green's interception came at the Northwest 9-yard line and thwarted a MSSU red-zone scoring attempt.

TIED MIAA PICK-SIX MARK
Northwest tied the MIAA record for interception returns for a touchdown in a single game with two against Missouri Southern.
    Jerrell Green returned an interception 11 yards for a score in the second quarter. Braden Dey returned a pick 17 yards for the final score of the day in Northwest's 66-34 victory at Missouri Southern.
19 PASS DEFENSES VS LIONS
Northwest is tied with Assumption for the nation's lead in total passes defensed in a game (19). Northwest recorded 13 pass breakups and six interceptions in a 66-34 win at Missouri Southern.

600-PLUS YARDS OF OFFENSE
Northwest eclipsed 600 yards of total offense (633 yards) in its 66-34 win at Missouri Southern.
    It's the most yards of total offense since the Bearcats produced 651 yards vs. Missouri Southern (Sept. 23, 2017).

WRIGHT NAMED MIAA OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Sophomore quarterback Braden Wright was named the MIAA's football offensive player of the week.
    Wright passed for a career-high 278 yards and accounted for three touchdowns in leading Northwest to a 38-17 win over Washburn. Wright was 20-29 passing, while rushing six times for 47 yards and a score.
    Wright has accounted for six of Northwest's nine offensive touchdowns in 2019. Wright has passed for four scores and rushed for two others.
    Last season as a redshirt freshman, Wright ranked No. 1 in the nation among freshmen in points responsible for (210). Wright rushed for 11 touchdowns and threw for 24 scores in 2018.

RIDING RANKIN
Senior running back Justin Rankin rushed for seven first downs, including five in the fourth quarter of the Bearcats's 45-35 win at Missouri Western.
    Rankin rushed for a game-high 130 yards on 20 carries. Rankin posted a team-best 143 all-purpose yards.
    
4TH QTR LOCKDOWN
The Northwest defense put up a wall in Missouri Western's final three possessions last week.
    After Missouri Western took a 38-35 lead, the Griffons ran eight total plays for minus-15 yards. Included in those eight plays were two sacks and an interception.

TWO DEFENSIVE SCORES
Sophomore linebacker Sam Phillips scored two defensive touchdowns (fumble, interception) in Northwest's 45-35 win at Missouri Western and was named the MIAA defensive player of the week.
    His brother, Spencer, scooped up an errant shotgun snap by the Griffons and then lateraled the ball to Sam for a 43-yard fumble return for a touchdown for the first score of the game.
    Prior to Phillips fumble return for a touchdown, the last Bearcat to score on an opponents' fumble came when Brandon Yost recovered a fumble for a touchdown at Pittsburg State (Oct. 17, 2015).
    Phillips then added a 29-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter to give the Bearcats a 28-7 lead over the Griffons.
    Phillips finished the game with six tackles to go along with his two defensive touchdowns.

TREY MAKES BIG PLAYS
Sophomore cornerback Trey Washington had a huge impact on the outcome of Northwest's 45-35 win at Missouri Western.
    With Northwest clinging to a 38-35 lead and Missouri Western facing a 3rd-and-5 at the Griffon 35-yard line, Washington blitzed off the corner and sacked quarterback Wyatt Steigerwald forcing MWSU to punt with 7:20 to play in the contest.
    On Western's next possession, Washington stepped in front of a Steigerwald pass and picked him off with 5:21 left in the fourth quarter.

DONADELLE DOES DAMAGE
Junior wide receiver Imoni Donadelle touched the ball three times against Missouri Western and averaged 34.7 yards per touch.
    Donadelle's first touch came on a 60-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter.
    Donadelle also rushed two times for 16 yards and 28 yards (44 total rushing yards).
    His three touches accounted for 104 all-purpose yards in Northwest's 45-35 win at Missouri Western.

RAUNIG MAKES IT COUNT
Senior tight end Kyle Raunig made his first career catch count.  Raunig latched on to a four-yard touchdown reception from Braden Wright to close out Northwest's 45-35 win at Missouri Western.

PROGRAM OF THE DECADE
Northwest is the winningest NCAA Div. II program of this decade from 2010-2018. Northwest is 113-17 for an .869 winning percentage since 2010. The Bearcats have been ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Div. II Top 25 poll 38 times since the start of the 2010 season.

ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICANS
It's not easy to get on the Academic All-America list. The Bearcats do a pretty good job of filling it up though, placing 17 players on the list, including 16 since 2003. In 2016, Kyle Zimmerman (QB) took home the top honor – Academic All-American of the Year – something no Bearcat had ever done. Last season, Northwest had Marqus Andrews and Ryan Spelhaug each named first-team Academic All-Americans.

DIVISION II'S ELITE PROGRAM
Northwest has reached the NCAA Division II national championship game 10 times. Northwest owns six national championships (1998, 1999, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016).
    The Bearcats are 48-17 all-time in the playoffs, which marks the most victories in Division II playoff history.
    The Bearcats (.738) also rank No. 1 in highest winning percentage in the Division II playoffs.

Most Division II Playoff Victories
Northwest Missouri    48-16 (23 years)
Grand Valley State    35-15 (19 years)
North Alabama    35-18 (21 years)

PLAYOFF EXPERIENCE
Northwest earned its 15th straight bid and 23rd overall appearance in the Division II playoffs in 2018.
    Northwest ranks No. 1 all-time in Division II in playoff appearances.

Most Div. II Playoff Appearances
Northwest Missouri    23
North Alabama    21
Grand Valley State    19
Indiana (Pa.)    18
Pittsburg State    18
UC Davis    18

SIX-TIME NATIONAL CHAMPS
Northwest has captured six NCAA Div. II national championship – the most national titles by any Division II program. Northwest won national championships in 1998, 1999, 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2016.
    The Bearcat have played in the NCAA Div. II national championship game 10 times in the last 21 years. Northwest has played for the crown in 1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015 and 2016.

MIAA CHAMPS
Northwest earned a share of the program's 29th MIAA regular season title in 2018. The Bearcats have claimed five of the last six MIAA crowns.

MEASURE UP WITH BEARCATS
Northwest owns an NCAA Division II playoff record 48 victories. The other current members of the MIAA have won a combined 39 playoff games.

MIAA Playoff Records
Northwest Missouri    48-17 (23 years)
Pittsburg State    25-16 (18 years)
Central Oklahoma    3-4 (4 years)
Emporia State    3-4 (4 years)
Northeastern St.    2-2 (2 years)
Central Missouri    2-3 (3 years)
Missouri Western    2-4 (4 years)
Washburn    1-3 (3 years)
Nebraska-Kearney    1-4 (4 years)
Fort Hays State    0-4 (4 years)
Missouri Southern    0-1 (1 year)

FOR OPENERS
The Bearcats have won nine consecutive season openers. Northwest last lost its opening game of the season on Sept. 2, 2010, in a 16-7 setback vs. No. 14-ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Last Eight Season-Opening Contests
9/5/18        W, 45-35 at Missouri Western
8/30/18    W, 28-6 vs. Missouri Western
8/31/17    W, 34-0 vs. No. 4 Emporia State
9/1/16        W, 41-14 at No. 24 Emporia State
9/3/15        W, 31-0 at Nebraska-Kearney
9/14/14    W, 31-7 vs. Nebraska-Kearney
9/15/13    W, 45-24 vs. No. 22 Saginaw Valley
8/30/12    W, 33-3 vs. East Central
9/1/11        W, 65-3 at Truman State

BEARCATS AT ARROWHEAD
Arrowhead Stadium, the home of the National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs, played host to 12 annual meetings between the Bearcats and the Gorillas from 2002-2013. Northwest is 12-3 all-time at Arrowhead having also defeated Central Missouri in both 2016 and 2017.
    In the 14 contests at Arrowhead, the Bearcats have averaged more than 30 points per game and have drawn seven crowds of more than 20,000 fans.

Arrowhead Matchups vs. PSU
W, 29-7 (Oct. 17, 2002)
W, 20-19 (Nov. 15, 2003)
L, 21-17 (Nov. 6, 2004)
L, 56-35 (Oct. 29, 2005)
W, 41-14 (Nov. 4, 2006)
W, 37-34 OT (Oct. 6, 2007)
W, 35-10 (Oct. 4, 2008)
W, 30-10 (Sept. 12, 2009)
W, 22-16 (Nov. 13, 2010)
L, 38-35 (Oct. 1, 2011)
W, 31-21 (Oct. 13, 2012)
W, 24-15 (Oct. 19, 2013)
W, 38-17 (Oct. 12, 2019)

Arrowhead Matchups vs. UCM
W, 42-17 (Oct. 1, 2016)
W, 24-20 (Sept. 30, 2017)


SHUTOUTS UNDER WRIGHT
Northwest has recorded seven shutouts under the direction of head coach Rich Wright, including two consecutive blankings of Emporia State in 2017 and 2018.The Bearcats posted five shutouts in 2017 and added two more in 2018.

PRESEASON FAVORITES
Northwest was picked as the preseason favorite by media to win the 2019 MIAA football title. Northwest received 32 first-place votes and 471 points. Fort Hays State was picked second with seven first-place votes and 433 points.
    Fort Hays State was tabbed as the favorite in the preseason coaches poll. The Tigers notched six first-place votes and 114 points, while the Bearcats posted five first-place votes and 112 points.

SIX CAPTAINS
Head coach Rich Wright has designated six captains for the 2019 football season. Wright has named tight end Marqus Andrews (Blue Springs, Mo.), defensive back Jacob Gassman (Kearney, Mo.), linebacker Andy Hessler (Hartland, Wis.), offensive lineman Tanner Owen (Kearney, Mo.), defensive lineman Spencer Phillips (Glenwood, Iowa) and offensive lineman Ryan Spelhaug (Bettendorf, Iowa).

GPA DECALS
Every Northwest football player with a 3.0 or higher grade point average will have a special decal on their helmet with their GPA, major and advisor. Student-athletes with a 4.0 GPA will have a gold decal on their helmet.

HUGHES FAMILY FIELDHOUSE
Located just northwest of College Park and Bearcat Stadium on the Northwest campus, the Carl & Cheryl Hughes Fieldhouse will serve as a host site for a wide range of University and community activities. The project represents the single largest public-private partnership in Northwest's 112-year history – and one of the largest public-private partnerships ever in the region.

The Hughes Fieldhouse features:
• 137,250 square-foot recreation and multipurpose facility featuring recreation and exhibition space,
• indoor flooring system,
• 90-yard practice turf,
• 300-meter indoor track,
• spectator seating and
• tiered meeting rooms
    The Hughes Fieldhouse is an estimated $20 million project with multiple financing sources, including commitments from the University, private support and community support. The facility is named for the Carl and Cheryl Hughes family, who committed a significant gift to the project through the Hughes Family Foundation.

VICIS ZERO1 HELMET
Northwest Missouri State will outfit the football team with VICIS ZERO1 Helmets.
    "The VICIS ZERO1 is a game-changer and is delivering a completely new approach to player safety," head coach Rich Wright said. "We've been extremely impressed with the research we've seen on the ZERO1, and we're excited to have our players wearing the helmet this year."
"Northwest Missouri State University is a powerhouse program, winning six NCAA Division II titles in the last two decades," VICIS CEO and co-founder Dave Marver said. "We're honored to protect them in their pursuit for number seven."
Ranked as the best helmet in the National Football League and surpassing all expectations of the NFL Players Association helmet performance tests, VICIS ZERO1 Helmets are currently equipping athletes on over 400 high school teams. Additionally, more than 110 professional and collegiate teams have committed to the ZERO1 Helmet coming into the 2018 season.
"Our team has worked hard to bring the ZERO1's breakthrough protective technology to players across the country," says Marver.
VICIS designs the ZERO1 with a unique structure compared to other helmets on the market. A deformable outer shell and columnar layer slows and reduces impact forces in a similar function to the bumper of a car. The helmet is also priced to be accessible to college and high school programs.

BEARCATS IN THE NFL
Northwest was represented in the National Football League in 2019 training camps by wide receiver Shawn Bane Jr. (Atlanta Falcons) and running back Josh Caldwell (Chicago Bears).