BELTON, Texas (AP) -Jeff Donovan threw for three touchdowns to lead defending national champion Wisconsin-Whitewater past Mary Hardin-Baylor 39-13 in the NCAA Division III semifinals Saturday.
The Warhawks (13-1) reached the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the fourth consecutive year and will face Mount Union for the Division III title in Salem, Va., next Saturday.
Donovan’s 3-yard scoring pass to Nick Slupski with 26 seconds left in the first half put Wisconsin-Whitewater ahead for good at 12-10. Donovan then put the Warhawks in control with two third-quarter touchdown passes – a 24-yarder to Danny Benson and an 8-yarder to Slupski for a 25-10 lead.
Donovan was 16-of-25 for 220 yards with no interceptions and had completions to eight different receivers, led by Aaron Rusch with four catches for 59 yards. Antwan Anderson had 106 rushing yards, including a 38-yard run for the game’s final score.
The Crusaders (12-2) were held to 236 yards total offense and started their first possession on their 2-yard line after a botched kickoff return. On the first play, they recovered their own fumble in the end zone for a Wisconsin-Whitewater safety.
Quarterback Josh Saenz’s 1-yard TD plunge put Mary Hardin-Baylor ahead 7-5 early in the second quarter, and the Crusaders extended the lead to 10-5 on Alan Munoz’s 38-yard field goal with 4:11 left in the first half.
The Warhawks answered with an 11-play, 80-yard drive capped by Donovan’s first scoring pass to Slupski, who had three catches for 22 yards. Donovan was 6-of-6 for 77 yards on the drive.
Munoz’s second-half kickoff got caught in a stiff wind and didn’t travel the necessary 10 yards, hitting instead at the Mary Hardin-Baylor 39 and bouncing backward toward the Crusaders’ goal line. Munoz fell on the ball at the 24, but the Warhawks were awarded possession on an illegal touching penalty.
On the first play after that strange sequence, Donovan hit Benson for an 18-10 lead.
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