The VSU Blazers defeated the Miles College Golden Bears 33-17 to advance to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division ll tournament, improving their record to 11-0 on the season.  

The Blazers were in complete control of the Golden Bears all game and were able to shut down one of the best offenses in Division ll with great ease. The Blazers held the lead the whole game after a first-quarter touchdown reception by Blake Hester, which started the scoring early. 

 At the same time, the Blazers defense was once again dominant, as they forced two turnovers that were both capitalized on. In the final two minutes of the first half, Golden Bears quarterback Kamren Ivory threw an interception to defensive back Rance Connor, which led to the Blazers kicker Austin Mckay to make a 36-yard field goal to extend the lead at 16-3 going into halftime. 

 The other crucial turnover in the game was during the kickoff in the third quarter. When leading 23-3 after another touchdown run by Hester, the Blazers recovered a Bears fumble inside the Bears’ 10-yard line, changing the momentum in favor of the Blazers. 

Despite the Blazers being forced to punt 11 times for 105 yards, they were able to dictate the pace of the game, as the Bears struggled to keep up with the Blazers’ onslaught until it was too late.  

It was another excellent showing for the Blazers’ offense. The Blazers had over 200 yards rushing in the victory, with Hester leading the way with 121 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Sammy Edwards had 178 yards passing, with a touchdown pass and no interceptions. Alfonso Franklin had 79 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.  

The Blazers’ offensive didn’t miss a beat after the first-round bye, proving to be still one of the most potent offenses in the country. While defense Larry Elder had 10 tackles, five for loss and the Blazer’s only sack of the game.  

Following the loss, Miles College season ended despite them playing ten games in a row, including winning their first playoff game in school history. However, the road to a championship stops here. Meanwhile, VSU’s season is still alive. Next Saturday, Dec. 7, the Blazers will play the Virginia Union Panthers for a spot in the semifinals at home at Bazemore Hyder Stadium with the game kicking off at 1pm. 

Written by Christopher Mercer, Sports Editor, . Photo courtesy of  Christopher Mercer