Football punches ticket to fourth straight Stagg Bowl

After rolling through the Division III football playoff bracket, the Cardinals have earned a trip to their fourth straight Stagg Bowl. 

At odds

Despite finishing the regular season undefeated and ranked as the number one team in the nation in the polls, the Cardinals were set as the second seed in their region, with the University of Wisconsin La Crosse earning the top seed with a record of 9-1. As a result, the Cardinals didn’t have home field advantage through the entirety of the playoffs.

Quarterback Luke Lehnen, ‘25, and the Cardinal team were well aware of how being such a dominant team affects how the rest of the Division III football world views you. Lehnen and company know there is a massive target on their back heading into the postseason. 

“I think that having a target on our back is somewhat of a motivator for us. We know that each game we play we are going to get that team’s best effort, no matter who it is that we’re playing,” said Lehnen.

Picking up where they left off

The team didn’t let the actions of the committee get in their way, as the familiar domination from the regular season carried over to the postseason with ease. They opened the first round by hosting the Belhaven Blazers at home. 

They cruised past the Blazers with a score of 65-0. The offense and defense shined, as the offense tallied 575 yards. The defense did their part by allowing only 125 yards in the contest. The running game was the highlight of the day, as Joe Sacco, ‘25, recorded 141 yards on the ground.

In their final home game of the season, the Cardinals played the #4/6 Trinity Tigers in the second round. They remained dominant, as they defeated the Tigers 71-28 to advance to the quarterfinals.

Throughout the game, Lehnen remained efficient; he threw 245 yards and ran for 109 yards. He also threw four touchdowns in the contest. Meanwhile, Deangelo Hardy, ‘24, hauled in seven catches for 98 yards with two scores on the day. Meanwhile, the defense forced four turnovers against a team who only had five all season long.

On the road again

After taking care of business in the first two rounds on home turf, the Cardinals traveled to UW-La Crosse for their quarterfinal matchup. In a thrilling game, the Cardinals emerged victorious by a score of 55-42.

Sacco led the way for the Cardinals on the ground, tallying a career high of 194 yards with a score. In addition, Hardy recorded a return, receiving and passing touchdown in the game while also logging an interception.

In their biggest test of the season, the Cardinals traveled to Waverly, Iowa to play #3 Wartburg. Holding off the Knights in a tightly contested game, the Cardinals bested the Knights 34-27. The Lehnen-Joey Lombardi, ‘24, connection was the difference for the Cardinals on offense, as Lombardi registered 161 yards and two scores on only four catches. 

With only seven minutes remaining and Wartburg holding a one point lead, a 54 yard reception by Lombardi set up a Sacco touchdown run to recapture the lead. The defense remained strong to stop Wartburg short of coming back, with Zack Orr, ‘25, making a massive tackle on fourth down to seal the game for NCC.

Red wave

The Cardinals continue to prove that maybe red is the new power color in Division III football. The wagon that has been the NCC football program over the past couple years has been nothing short of dominant. 

A  culture of excellence and being fully invested in the group of guys around them has helped build this juggernaut. Lehnen believes the team’s winning culture and experience in big games will be a leg up going forward.

 “A winning culture has a huge impact on the team because of the foundation and the standard that is set by our program. The culture we have here is one of the main reasons for the success that we have had. The strong values and beliefs that we live by as members of this program are what set us up for success,” said Lehnen.

The Cardinals are slated to play the #11/13 SUNY Cortland Red Dragons in the 50th Stagg Bowl in Salem, Virginia. The team will look to clear their final hurdle on their path to back-to-back Stagg Bowl wins.