Mountaineers’ Elder earns respect in backup QB role
Backup quarterback Trey Elder scored on a 1-yard run with about 2 minutes left Saturday to give Appalachian State a 29-23 victory over Furman in the Division I-AA football semifinals at Boone, N.C.
Elder replaced injured starter Richie Williams in the first quarter and finished 12 of 17 for 165 yards. He threw for another touchdown to help the Mountaineers (11-3) reach the championship game for the first time. They play Northern Iowa on Friday in Chattanooga, Tenn.
The Paladins (11-3) had one last chance. Quarterback Ingle Martin was hit by defensive end Jason Hunter and fumbled, with Appalachian State’s Omarr Byrom picking up the loose ball and returning it all the way to the 1 with 13 seconds left.
The Mountaineers ran out the clock to avenge a loss earlier this season to Southern Conference rival Furman.
Kevin Richardson rushed for 105 yards and two TDs to lead Appalachian State to 436 yards of total offense. Elder added 69 yards on the ground but fumbled twice, including one at Furman’s 7.
Williams led the Mountaineers to a 7-0 lead before rupturing a tendon in his left ankle on an 11-yard run midway through the first quarter, but Elder came in and threw a 45-yard TD pass to Dexter Jackson on the next play to make it 14-0.
Furman took control the rest of the half behind a punishing ground game and Martin’s play-action passing to build a 23-21 halftime lead. Jerome Felton ran for 105 yards and scored two TDs. Martin was 17 of 28 for 238 yards and rushed eight times for 49 yards, helping the Paladins pile up 507 yards of total offense.
But they failed to score after halftime and were kept out of the end zone from inside the Mountaineers 5 in the third quarter.
Division II championship
Brandon Langston caught a 35-yard TD pass from Cullen Finnerty in the final minutes to lead Grand Valley State (13-0) to a 21-17 victory over Northwest Missouri State (11-4) in the Division II championship game at Florence, Ala.
The Lakers then came up with a key defensive stop after Northwest Missouri moved to the 3-yard line as the game ended. Grand Valley won its third title in four seasons.
Grand Valley also won titles in 2002 and 2003.
Division III semifinals
Nate Kmic had 48 carries for 160 yards and Mount Union (13-1) advanced to the NCAA Division III national championship game with a 19-7 win over Rowan (11-2) at Alliance, Ohio.
The Purple Raiders held the Profs to minus-1 yard rushing, advancing to the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl for the eighth time in the last 10 years. In the title game Saturday at Salem, Va., Mount Union will face Wisconsin-Whitewater, which defeated Wesley 58-6 at Whitewater, Wis.
SWAC championship
Bruce Eugene threw for 473 yards and six TDs to lead Grambling State (11-1) to a 45-6 rout of Alabama A&M (9-3) in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game at Legion Field in Birmingham, Ala.
Eugene set the NCAA Division I record for career TD passes with 140, breaking the record held by Willie Totten of Mississippi Valley State. He was 30 of 47 with no interceptions.