Tommies rally to advance in Division III playoffs

For the second week in a row, it took a while for the St. Thomas football team to find a rhythm.

And just like last week, the Tommies kept their composure until they found it.

On Saturday at O'Shaugnessy Stadium, the Tommies rallied from a 14-point first-quarter deficit for a 24-17 victory over Elmhurst in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.

"We want to come out fast," St. Thomas coach Glenn Caruso said. "[Today] we weren't able to get into much of a rhythm until the second quarter. But we didn't panic or overreact.

"Our coaching staff and our players have done a phenomenal job of seeing what [our opponent] is doing in two or three drives and making adjustments."

With the victory the Tommies advanced to the national quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive season.

The Tommies (12-0), who were scoreless in the first quarter of their 48-17 first-round victory over St. Norbert, will host Hobart next Saturday. Hobart defeated Wittenberg 35-10 on Saturday.

After blocking a field-goal attempt on the Tommies' first drive, the Bluejays (10-2) went 75 yards in six plays -- capped by a 16-yard run by Scottie Williams -- to take a 7-0 lead.

On the Tommies' second play of the ensuing possession, Elmhurst's Dan Vicari recovered a fumble at the Tommies 34. Seven plays later, Joe Furco scored on a 12-yard run.

The Tommies' comeback began on their ensuing possession with a 76-yard, seven-play drive. It opened with a 51-yard run by quarterback Matt O'Connell and was capped by Brenton Braddock's 1-yard touchdown run.

Early in the second quarter, O'Connell connected with Matt Misiewicz for an 88-yard TD pass.

Elmhurst responded by driving to a first-and-goal at the Tommies 8 before Ayo Idowu picked up an Elmhurst fumble and rumbled 86 yards for a touchdown, putting St. Thomas ahead 21-14 at halftime.

The teams traded field goals in the third quarter. In the scoreless fourth quarter, the Tommies' defense stopped the Bluejays on fourth down three times -- twice in St. Thomas territory.

"The game came down to a couple of plays," Elmhurst coach Tim Lester said. "They're a well-coached team. Both defenses played well."