(DES MOINES, Iowa, Nov. 14)—The McKendree University football team earned its first berth in the NAIA Football Championship Series since 2005 with a 35-17 victory Saturday at Grand View University in a match-up of NAIA top 20 teams in Des Moines, Iowa.

Sophomore running back Chris Montgomery (Avondale, AZ/Mascoutah) (Avondale, Ariz./Mascoutah) rushed for a career-high 114 yards on nine carries, including a 55-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter, as McKendree wrapped up an undefeated run through the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League championship. The Bearcats, ranked No. 9 in the NAIA, improve to 9-1 overall and finished conference play at 7-0.

By winning the MSFA Midwest League title, McKendree earns the conference's automatic bid to the NAIA playoffs, which begin next Saturday (Nov. 21). First-round pairings and game times will be released Sunday at 1:30 p.m. CT by the NAIA national office. The Bearcats also matched a program record with their ninth consecutive victory this year. McKendree had a nine-game win streak to open the 2002 season.

“This is fun,” said McKendree head coach Carl Poelker after the game. “These guys have progressed so far since the beginning of the season, and their effort really showed on the field today.”

Grand View, ranked No. 17 in the NAIA, slips to 8-3 on the year and 6-1 in the MSFA Midwest League. The Vikings must hope for an at-large bid to make the NAIA post-season field.

Leading 7-3 late in the first half, an interception by junior defensive back Derrick Quals (North Hills, Calif./Chaminade) (North Hills, Calif./Chaminade) set up a touchdown in the final minute to lift McKendree to a 14-3 halftime lead. The Bearcats drove 66 yards in just five plays, as sophomore quarterback Austin Fisher (Washington, IL/Washington) (Washington, Ill./Washington) capped the drive with a 21-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Byron Gettis (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia).

“That was huge,” said Poelker. “(Grand View) was driving, Derrick gets the interception and we go down and score right before the half. That was a big momentum shift.”

The Bearcats continued to ride the momentum and scored on their first two possessions of the second half to build a 28-3 advantage midway through the third quarter. Fisher threw his second TD pass of the day, a 20-yard strike to sophomore wide receiver Myron Hicks (Sauk Village, IL/Bloom Trail) (Sauk Village, Ill./Bloom Trail). On the next drive, Fisher called an audible on a third-and-goal play from the Vikings' one-yard line and scored on a naked bootleg.

“Austin saw the outside guys edging up, and made the call,” said Poelker. “He has been making good reads and making plays like that all year.”

Grand View responded with touchdowns late in the third quarter and early in the fourth to cut its deficit to 28-17. With McKendree facing a third-and-10 from its own 45-yard line, Montgomery bounced off a tackle at the line of scrimmage, and broke two more tackles down the right sideline on his way to a 55-yard score with 4:12 on the clock.

McKendree trailed 3-0 after Grand View kicked a field goal on its opening possession. The Bearcats then scored on their initial possession when senior fullback Joe Beimfohr (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) (Nashville, Ill./Nashville) bulled into the end zone from a yard out. The 7-3 score stood until Gettis' TD reception late in the half.

Fisher completed 11-of-20 pass attempts for 214 yards. Hicks had six receptions for 75 yards, while Gettis caught three passes for 61 yards. Gettis became the Bearcats' single-season reception leader during the victory. He pushed his season total to 26, surpassing the previous mark of 25 set by Brett Gross in 1996.

Junior defensive back Emmitt Harriell (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) (Cahokia, Ill./Cahokia) led the McKendree defense with nine solo tackles. Harriel also registered an interception in the game. Sophomore linebacker Brandon Nigro (New Lenox, IL/Lincoln-Way Central) (New Lenox, Ill./Lincoln-Way Central) and sophomore linebacker Jason Rejfek (Arlington Heights, IL/John Hersey) (Arlington Heights, Ill./John Hersey) each chipped in with six stops.

-McK-