WAVERLY, Iowa-- The No. 3/3 Wartburg football team (13-1 overall) narrowly fell to No. 1/1 North Central (14-0) 34-27 in an NCAA Playoff Semifinal Saturday. After trailing 20-0 early in the second quarter, the Orange and Black later took the lead at 27-26 with 12:17 left in the fourth quarter. This was the first time the Cardinals had trailed all season. 

Two possessions later, North Central capitalized on an interception and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 5:40 to play. 

On a fourth-and-one from North Central's five-yard line, the Orange and Black were unable to convert to turn the ball over on downs with 0:24 to go.

This was the first time in program history the Knights had been selected to host this round. 

Top performers:

• Hunter Clasen: 131 yards, 2 TDs
• Nile McLaughlin: 27-49, 234 yards, 2 TDs
• Carter Henry: 83 yards
• Owen Grover: 11 tackles
• Drake George: 50 yards
• Jake Walker: 2.0 TFLs, 1.0 sack

Notes/streaks:

• The 27-26 Knights lead in the fourth quarter was the first time North Central trailed all season
• The Knights held North Central off the scoreboard in the third quarter, it was only the second quarter this season the Cardinals did not score
• Clasen scored a touchdown in 30 of his last 32 career games
• Clasen scored a touchdown in every career playoff game
• It was Clasen's 19^th career 100- yard game
• Owen Grover tied a career high in solo tackles with 10, matching the Mount Union game from last year
• Nile McLaughlin's 49 pass attempts were a career high
• It was Wartburg's first loss at Walston-Hoover Stadium since September 29^th, 2018, a 37-36 loss to Simpson in overtime
• It was Wartburg's first loss at home in regulation since November 2^nd, 2014, a 24-10 loss to Coe
• Carter Henry's eight catches tied a career high (10/29/22 vs Buena Vista)
• Drew Wyffels' six tackles matched a career high (vs Whitworth this year) 
• Hunter Clasen broke his own season record for rushing yards, as he finished with 1,654 yards
• Wartburg set the season record in pass completions with 286. The Knights broke the old mark of 262 set last season.
• Clasen also broke the season school records for total TD's in a season with 28 (non-QB), rushing TD's in a season (24) and total points scored in a season (168)
• McLaughlin set the single-season record for both completions (273) and attempts (444)
• Cael O'Neill broke the individual single-season record for PATs (65).

Post game press conferences
Wartburg


North Central


Press clippings
Highlights from CBS2. 
Recap from Waverly Newspaper.
Recap from Waterloo Courier. 
Highlights from KWWL.
Highlights from KCRG.

A full season recap to follow at a later date.