Little Rock, Arkansas
Turnovers and defense. Iowa Western used both of those elements to string together 17 straight wins, the program's second such streak and second longest run of wins in program history. On Friday night in Little Rock, the Reivers (10-1) met an opponent that got the better of them in both departments.
New Mexico Military (12-1) forced three Reiver turnovers, converting two into touchdowns, to top Iowa Western, 31-13, in the NJCAA Championship Game.
A dense fog rolled out of War Memorial Stadium in time for kickoff as the Reivers and Broncos met for just the second time in the series history.
The 'Darkside' defense got the best of NMMI's formidable offense on the game's first drive, but normally sure-handed Kaden Wetjen had the ball drag down his left arm after calling for the fair catch and the Broncos' special teams recovered the muffed punt.
Two plays later, NMMI quarterback Diego Pavia rolled left on an option play, pitching to his backfield mate Anthony Grant who rumbled into the endzone, untouched, from 23-yards for a 7-0 Bronco lead.
"It definitely didn't help." Said Reivers' Head Coach Scott Strohmeier referring to their early turnover, "We had them off balance with a couple of good stops and penalties and then all of a sudden we're playing from behind. The momentum swing was noticeable, but there's still a lot of football to play at that point and we never did respond the way we'd have liked."
On their next drive, the Reivers looked to be responding with a first down run by Moses Bryant, but a false start penalty on third and long led to a Reiver punt.
Nine plays later it was another option play by the Broncos, this time Pavia keeping the football and scoring on a 34-yard scamper as the lead grew to 14-0 with just six minutes still remaining in the opening quarter.
The Reivers followed with a 12-play drive that stalled out just inside NMMI's red-zone. A 35-yard field goal by Noah Sauberan was blocked by the Broncos to keep IWCC off the board as the quarter came to a close.
NMMI added a chip-shot field goal by William Testa to extend the lead as the second quarter remained quiet for the Reivers offensively.
The Broncos continued to grind on the ground, converting short third and fourth downs to extend several drives throughout the half, including a 13-play drive that ended just before the midway point of the game.
Pavia hit receiver Terrance Moore as second ranked NMMI lulled the Reivers with a number of running plays with the clock winding down. Moore's catch went for 16 yards and the third Broncos' score of the half as the clock stopped with under 30 seconds remaining.
"Penalties and execution, we've been our own enemy this half," Strohmeier said into the halftime break. "There's thirty minutes left and we've got some work to do, and we'll get it and make some adjustments and get back to work."
Down 24-0, Iowa Western and quarterback Nate Glantz did just that, starting the half with a quick first down. The QB rushed for five yards before hitting running back Milton Sargbah for six more, but on the very next play Champ Jenkins swiped at the football from behind as Glantz rushed to the right, stripping the football and setting NMMI's offense up again in Reiver territory as the Broncos recovered.
Six plays later, Pavia found Grant on a short pass and NMMI took a commanding 31-0 early in the third.
The Reivers would make some noise on the following drive, putting together 10 plays to set themselves up with a first and goal from the Bronco six-yard line. A holding penalty would push the Reivers back and on 2nd and long Glantz's pass to Ty'Shun Jordan was picked off at the goal line by Jayden Oliver.
Both offenses were quiet for the remainder of the third, including a loss of four yards by IWCC to close out the quarter.
The Reivers faced a 2nd and 14 to start the fourth and moved the chains with a nine yard gain by Trey King, Jr. and a Michael Love 11-yard catch. After a short run by King, Glantz found Ryan Flournoy for 32 yards and two plays later the Southeast Missouri commit wrestled two defenders for the Reivers first score of the game after Glantz scrambled from NMMI defenders to keep the play alive. The 33-yard TD pass was Flournoy's fifth of the season and kept the Reivers streak of scoring in every game in program history alive.
After the extra-point by Sauberan, the Reivers went immediately to the onside kick as the freshman from Lincoln tapped the ball off of the outside up man and the ball deflected right back to the Reivers' Dylan Reyes who recovered to set-up another quick possession.
Four plays later Glantz found Flournoy again, this time from 37-yards, out as the Reivers narrowed the deficit to three scores. A two-point conversion to slice it to a two possession game came up short as NMMI's defense stopped Michael Love a yard shy of the goal line.
IWCC came up big again on the Broncos next drive, limiting Pavia and Grant to just seven yards on a pair of gains and forcing a punt.
After a short return by Wetjen, Glantz found Flournoy for 46-yards to the Broncos 11-yard line and nearly found him again in the endzone on first and ten, but the ball went off of number three's fingers and landed on the turf incomplete. A sack and two more incomplete passes ended any realistic shot for IWCC to come back as NMMI took over with the clock on their side.
The Broncos ran out the remainder of the 4th quarter and the celebration commenced with interim Head Coach Kurt Tuafa'asau drenched by the gatorade bucket on the sideline. It was one of the few things that the Broncos didn't do well on the day, needing two attempts to drench the coach in the victory shower. NMMI has finished at the top of the football poll before, but never have finished as a true National Champion on the gridiron until Friday.
"Great atmosphere, well run event and the City of Little Rock, the hotel staff, hats off to them. You know, they've (NMMI) got a great team and they came ready to play tonight," said Strohmeier after the contest. "I feel for the players on this team that sold out and earned the right to be here, they didn't quit, fought 'til the end and had some fourth quarter momentum, but we just made too many mistakes and dug too deep of a hole against a really good team."
IWCC finished 2021 at 17-2 overall, it's only the second time in program history that they've opened and closed a 'year' with a loss, dropping their March 24th contest to Snow in Council Bluffs. The team is now 7-4 all-time in the month of December and 1-2 in National Championship game appearances. It's the first time IWCC has lost as the number one ranked team, dropping to 18-1 all-time as the team at the top of the poll. The victory by NMMI evens the series with the Reivers at one game apiece, both games have been played at a neutral site.
Next up for the Reivers is spring practice. The annual Blue-White game is tentatively slated for the evening of Friday, May 6th at Titan Stadium.
