BEMIDJI, Minn. – The Central Washington Wildcat football team (9-3) will be playing in a regional final for the first time since 2009 after defeating the Bemidji State Beavers (9-3) on the road in the second round of the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs by a 21-17 score in which the Wildcats had 21 unanswered points in the victory. 
 
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"I'm just proud of our guys and the way they handled the day," CWU Head Football Coach Chris Fisk said. "We came out with really, a slow start. Bemidji was moving up and down the field and to just watch our guys utilize that resiliency that they've had all year to not panic, not stress, and to just keep their heads down and to keep grinding and working and to find a way to come up with big interceptions by number 44, I've lost count on the season. Key turnovers kept us in it, and really what our offense was able to do in the second half, coming out right out of the half and going and getting a, I think, 95-yard touchdown drive. I thought the time of possession in the second half was key in just the way that our guys finished the game on the drive. I think the guys started on a minus two-yard line and to drive it down and run the clock out into the victory formation, it's a tough thing to do. I'm really proud of the way our guys got that and accomplished it, what a great feeling, man, survive and advance, all the classic football sayings are there. I just couldn't be prouder of this team." 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 

• The Beavers came out of the gate and moved down the field capping the drive off with a 10-yard rushing touchdown, converting the point after touchdown to put BSU up 7-0 with 12:42 left in the first quarter. 
• The Wildcats mustered to get just into the Bemidji side of the field before punting it for the Beavers to take over at their own 12-yard line. 
• BSU marched down the field once again but settling this time for a 25-yard field goal, putting the Beavers up 10-0 with 5:49 left in the first quarter. 
• The Wildcats took back over going three and out giving the ball back to the Beavers at their own 23-yard line. 
• The Beavers hit the copy and paste button from their first drive, maneuvering down the field for the touchdown to make it 17-0 with 2:27 left in the first quarter. 
• The Wildcats managed to get into the BSU side of the field before punting, giving the ball back to BSU at their own 26-yard line getting a six-yard rush off to end the first quarter. 
• BSU opened the second quarter with an incomplete pass before Tanner Volk made his 13^th interception of the season and returned the ball to the BSU 16-yard line. 
• Cameron Daniels made a three-yard rush before Kennedy McGill made a 10-yard rush to set the 'Cats up at the BSU three-yard line. 
• McGill found Darrien Gaines for a three-yard reception and to put the Wildcats on the board with Josh Jones converting the PAT to make it 17-7 in favor of BSU. 
• The Wildcat defense stiffened up to force the Beavers to punt the ball back giving the ball back to CWU at the Wildcat 35-yard line. 
• CWU was unfortunately not able to make anything happen on the drive punting the ball back to BSU at their own 30-yard line. 
• The very first play of the BSU drive ended up being a fumble by the Beaver rusher, forced by Patrick Rogers and recovered by Brett McCalla to give the Wildcats the ball back at the Beavers 44-yard line. 
• The Wildcats immediately got a first down with a 12-yard reception from McGill to Gaines to put the Wildcats at the BSU 32-yard line.
• McGill got a 20-yard rush followed by a Daniels eight-yard rush to put the Wildcats in the the Beaver redzone. 
• A few rush attempts later and McGill busted through the goal line to give the Wildcats their second touchdown of the game and with Jones converting the PAT, the Beavers lead was slashed to three, 17-14. 
• The Wildcats responded by forcing the Beavers into a three and out with 1:54 left in the second quarter. 
• The Wildcats marched down the field but the field goal attempt to tie the game at halftime was no good giving the Beavers the 17-14 lead at halftime. 
• CWU opened the second half with the ball and marched down the field, led by an 18-yard rush from McGill and a 27-yard reception from McGill to DeMonte Horton before Justice Taylor punched in the ball with a 20-yard rush to give the 'Cats the lead and with the PAT from Jones, the 'Cats lead was 21-17. 
• Both teams exchanged a couple possessions with the Beavers getting the ball back with seven seconds left in the third quarter.
• BSU got four yards on a rush but ended the quarter with CWU leading 21-17. 
• The Beavers opened the fourth quarter marching down the field but the Wildcat defense set them up with a fourth and seven at the Wildcat 11-yard line. 
• BSU decided to go for it on fourth down but Johnny Navarro hurried the BSU quarterback which helped Josh Flowers intercept the ball at the two-yard line to give the 'Cats the ball back with 12:48 left in the game.
• The Wildcats milked the time while marching down the field, finding themselves at a fourth and one at the BSU 27-yard line. 
• The Wildcats decided to go for it with 1:30 left in the game and it paid off as McGill got the needed yardage to set the Wildcats up with a first down and the victory as the Wildcats finished the game in victory formation cementing the 21-17 comeback victory for CWU. 

 
STATS FROM THE GAME
 

• McGill finished the game completing 16 of his 24 for 135 yards and one passing touchdown while leading the 'Cats in rushing yards with 88 and one rushing touchdown. 
• Daniels finished the game with 76 rushing yards while Taylor added on 46 with one rushing touchdown. 
• Gaines led the receiving corps with 56 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. 
• Horton and Daniels had 27 and 20 receiving yards.
• Volk had seven tackles, one tackle for loss, and one interception. 
• Rogers finished with six tackles and one forced fumble while McCalla had five tackles, one fumble recovery, and one pass breakup. 
• Bridger Feldmann and Brett Accimus each had four tackles while Dominic Wieburg and Jaylen Clay each had a 0.5 tackle for loss with Clay also having a pass breakup. 
• Jalen Owens had a forced fumble while Josiah Cochran had a pass breakup and Navarro had two quarterback hurries. 
• Dan Stewart had six punts for 213 yards for an average of 35.5 yards per punt with two landing in the Beavers 20-yard line and one landing in the endzone for a touchback. 
• Josh Jones made all three of his PAT attempts and had four kickoffs for 220 yards and an average of 55 yards per kick. 

 
UP NEXT
 

• The Wildcats will maintain their road warrior status as they look towards the Super Region Four Final of the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs and will head to Golden, Colo. next Saturday, Dec. 2^nd, to take on the number one team in the country, the Colorado School of Mines Orediggers (12-0) with a time to be determined.