Covering UMHB Athletics and the stories behind the score
BALTIMORE — Zachary Wilkinson put it into words best on Saturday afternoon. All of the work, the preparation, the grueling days of boot camp in August, the challenges of playing a double round-robin conference schedule, brought UMHB to this moment. A point, where, under blue skies in Baltimore, Maryland, the Crusader offense reached the red zone, trailing by seven.
BALTIMORE — Despite shutting out Johns Hopkins in the entirety of the second half, UMHB Football’s magical playoff run came to a close in a 17-10 loss on Saturday afternoon in the national quarterfinals.
BELTON — An oak tree. That was the analogy UMHB head coach Larry Harmon used when talking about his hard-nosed, playoff-tested squad on Monday morning. And it was a fitting comparison.
With next Saturday’s national quarterfinal set, here’s a look at The Cru’s opponent, an 11-1 Johns Hopkins team that entered the postseason ranked No. 19 in the nation in D3football.com’s Top 25.
MCMINNVILLE, Oregon — As the fourth quarter unfolded, it seemed the door had opened for a Linfield comeback. Then Da’marion Morris slammed the door shut.
Two fourth-quarter interceptions by the sophomore defensive back on critical Linfield drives helped seal UMHB’s 28-18 third-round playoff win on Saturday afternoon.
BELTON — In the first year of the 40 team playoff field, just two teams from the first round are preparing for a third-round game this week: Bethel (MN) and Mary Hardin-Baylor.
SAN ANTONIO — It has become a familiar trip for head coach Larry Harmon’s team, a drive of 138 miles south from Belton to Trinity University’s home campus. In each of Harmon’s first three years at the helm of UMHB’s program, The Cru has battled the Tigers in San Antonio. Two of those, the second which will come on Saturday, have been playoff matchups.