District college football roundup: Slippery Rock falls in Division II playoff opener

Chris Brimm threw three touchdown passes and Idris Lawrence ran 26 times for 164 yards as No. 6 Notre Dame College held off No. 19 Slippery Rock, 33-25, in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday afternoon.

Brimm hit Devana Conliffe for a 40-yard touchdown pass to give Notre Dame (11-1) a 30-10 lead in the final minute of the first half. Slippery Rock (9-3) scored on a 95-yard kickoff return by Cinque Sweeting and a 7-yard run by Tim Smith in the fourth quarter but could not complete the comeback.

NCAA Division III

FDU-Florham 38, Saint Vincent 19 — In the ECAC James Lynah Bowl, Anthony Caserta threw for 220 yards and three touchdowns to lead FDU-Florham (7-4) past Saint Vincent (5-6). Game MVP Connor Perez added eight receptions for 122 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Brady Walker threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns for Saint Vincent, which led 13-7 early in the second quarter before FDU-Florham scored 31 unanswered points. Molayo Irefin caught seven passes for 110 yards and one touchdown for the Bearcats while Phil Harding added three receptions for 95 yards and a TD.

Grove City 49, Utica 7 — Josh Ehst threw for 411 yards and five touchdowns to lead Grove City (8-3) over Utica (6-5) in the ECAC Scotty Whitelaw Bowl. Cody Gustafson caught 13 passes for 232 yards and four touchdowns and Scott Fraser added eight receptions for 149 yards and a touchdown for Grove City, which gained 629 yards. Clayton Parrish ran for 117 yards and a touchdown for the Wolverines while Zach Trusky added 107 yards on the ground. Ryan Fleming recorded three sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for Grove City’s defense, which limited Utica to 127 yards and six first downs.

Hobart 21, Westminster 3 — Tim Denham, Jr. ran for 90 yards and a touchdown as Hobart (9-2) beat Westminster (8-3) in the ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl. Blake Hansen had 12 tackles for Hobart and returned a blocked punt 16 yards for a touchdown. Cole Konieczka threw for 170 yards for Westminster, which recorded its only points on Joshua Byers’ 29-yard field goal in the first quarter.

SUNY-Brockport 20, Washington & Jefferson 7 — Jala Coad ran for 212 yards as SUNY-Brockport (8-3) claimed the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl by defeating Washington & Jefferson (8-3). Lawrence Jenkins recorded two sacks and two forced fumbles for SUNY-Brockport, which held Washington & Jefferson to nine rushing yards and nine first downs. Andrew Wolf caught eight passes for 147 yards and an 80-yard touchdown from Justin Heacock for the Presidents’ only touchdown.

NCAA Division I FCS

Central Connecticut State 24, St. Francis (Pa.) 21 — Joe Zoppi made a 31-yard field goal as time expired to lead Central Connecticut State (4-7) past St. Francis (Pa.) in a Northeast Conference game. Hempfield grad Justin Sliwoski hit on 14 of 20 passes for 254 yards and three touchdowns for St. Francis (5-6), including a 70-yarder to Brandon Lisenby in the second quarter and a 37-yarder to Kahter Summers with 5:30 left to tie the score 21-21.