By George Kopf (@GeorgeKopf19) & Matt Reynolds (@MattRey30)
Thanksgiving leftovers have been eaten, the Christmas decorations are all put up, but the football playoffs are in full swing. Basketball is heading into its second month of action and a few Peak schools still remain in the hunt for a national championship on the gridiron. An action packed vol. 14 of the Peak Sports Weekly Recap is here to get you caught up on the sights and sounds of the busy holiday weekend.
A Peak Playoff Party
The playoff Peak Bowl certainly lived up to its billing. Ferris State scored just enough to beat undefeated Pittsburg State 17-14 in their second round meeting of the Division II Playoffs. The defenses put on a show, with Bulldog defensive end Caleb Murphy being the main act and receiving Athlete of the Week (see below). The Gorillas climbed back into the game after trailing 14-0, but missed a field goal as time expired to potentially send the game to overtime. An incredible season comes to a close for Pittsburg State, while the Bulldogs (11-1) continue their quest for back-to-back national titles. The journey continues with the fourth postseason version of the Anchor-Bone Classic against top-ranked Grand Valley State. This quarterfinal matchup could be heated, as the Lakers handed Ferris State their only loss in an incredibly close matchup earlier this season in October.
Survive and Advance
The FCS Playoffs started with an absolute thriller. Southeastern Louisiana held on for an outstanding win on Saturday, beating Idaho 45-42 to advance to the second round. The Lions (9-3) overcame a 21-10 deficit, ran a few trick plays, and survived a missed field goal attempt in the waning seconds to secure the win. SLU looks to continue to keep the train rolling as the 6-seed Samford Bulldogs are up next, and the Lions will look to show up big in Birmingham, AL.
Vikings Do It Again!
The in-state rivalry between Portland State and Oregon State has been extremely one-sided this season, as the Vikings knocked off the Beavers 83-71 on a neutral court. For the second time in eight days, Portland State's offense overpowered Oregon State's as junior Jarell Saterfield led the way with 26 points. The Vikings (3-4) controlled the game from the tip with six other players reaching double digits in Sunday's finale at the Phil Knight Legacy tournament. After never beating the rival Beavers to beating them twice this season, the Vikings will play their remaining opponents tough and should be a contender for the Big Sky Conference title. Keep an eye out for these guys.
Demons Outlast Bears in Overtime
Northwestern State took the first basketball Peak Bowl of the season defeating Central Arkansas 74-66 in overtime. First-year head coach Corey Gipson has the Demons (5-2) rolling, having knocked off ranked TCU and amidst a three game win streak. The trio of star transfers Isaac Haney, Demarcus Sharp, and Ja'Monta Black have emerged early as key contributors, each averaging over 10 points per game. However, the story of Saturday's road win over the Bears was the scoring from the Demons' bench. The Demon reserves totaled 34 points in the game and certainly played a huge part in their season-opening success. Watch out for Northwestern State this season, as they look to get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013.
Scores from Peak Football Action
Arkansas Pine-Bluff 19, Alabama State 14 (Thursday)
#2 Ferris State 17, #3 Pittsburg State 14 (DII Playoffs)
Southeastern Louisiana 45, Idaho 42 (FCS Playoffs)
Peak Sports Athlete of the Week
Week 13: DE Caleb Murphy, Ferris State
A record-setting accomplishment almost always guarantees recognition. What Caleb Murphy did on Saturday deserves more than that. The senior defensive end had himself a day, racking up ten total tackles, one tackle-for-loss, a pass breakup, two quarterback hurries, and the stat of the day: six sacks. Murphy broke the Ferris State single-season sack record with 24.5 sacks and still has at least one more game to add to that total. His stats ensured the Bulldogs would beat Pittsburg State 17-14 and advance to the quarterfinal round.
