Coach Emery's Postgame Press Conference

BALTIMORE, Md. (November 21, 2015) - The sixth-ranked Johns Hopkins University football team utilized three first-half takeaways to open up a 38-0 halftime lead on its way to an eventual 52-20 victory over No. 19 Western New England University this afternoon in the first round of the NCAA Division III Championship at Homewood Field.
 
Western New England, which was making its second NCAA Championship appearance and first since 2011, sees one of its most successful seasons in program history come to a close at 10-1 (7-0 NEFC). The loss also snaps the Golden Bears' program record 12-game winning streak. Johns Hopkins (11-0, 9-0 CC) advances to the second round to take on Wesley (Del.) College next Saturday.
 
Junior running back Nick Connell (East Marion, N.Y.) powered the Western New England offense, carrying the ball 22 times for 108 yards (4.9 avg.) and eclipsing the 1000-yard mark for the season in the process. Connell is the fourth Golden Bear in program history to rush for over 1000 yards in a single season, joining Kevin Cook (2013, 2014), Marvin Langley (1999, 2000, 2001) and Andy Kaneris (1998).
 
Junior Terrence N'Dabian (Stratford, Conn.) totaled four receptions for 62 yards and a touchdown, all of which led the team, while senior Andy St. Fleur (Norwalk, Conn.) caught three balls for 56 yards.
 
Graduate quarterback Tyler Ward (Wyckoff, N.J.) completed 13-of-22 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns, but he also threw a pair of interceptions and lost a fumble. On the ground, Ward picked up 54 yards and one score on 13 carries.
 
Defensively, sophomore Sam Olsson (Milford, Conn.) totaled a team-high 13 tackles for the Golden Bears, while senior captain Dean Soucie (North Easton, Mass.) finished with 12 and junior Obi Etuka (Middletown, Conn.) added eight to go with two pass breakups. 
 

Junior Jonathan Germano (Hawthorne, N.J.) piloted a Johns Hopkins offense that compiled 535 total yards, completing 17-of-26 passes for 293 yards and four touchdowns. Junior Stuart Walters (Charleston, S.C.) and sophomore Ryan Cary (Marlboro, N.Y.) combined for 115 rushing yards with one touchdown each, while junior receiver Bradley Munday (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) made a game-high eight catches for 132 yards and a pair of scores.
 
Johns Hopkins got off to a fast start, putting the first points of the game on the board with a one-yard plunge by Cary at the 11:27 mark of the first quarter. The Blue Jays' six-play, 65-yard drive lasted just 1:57 and was aided by Munday's 36-yard catch and run on the first play of the possession.
 
The Golden Bears got the ball back and picked up one first down on a nine-yard completion from Ward to St. Fleur, before the drive stalled and they were forced to punt for the second time.
 
Johns Hopkins went up 14-0 on its next possession as Germano connected with Munday for a 14-yard score, and the Blue Jays extended their advantage to 21-0 early in the second quarter on a three-yard touchdown run by Walters.
 
The Golden Bears drove to near midfield on their next possession before a Ward fumble gave the ball back to the Blue Jays. Johns Hopkins took advantage of the Western New England miscue, as Germano found freshman Luke McFadden (Tampa, Fla.) for a 43-yard touchdown on a play-action pass.
 
The Blue Jays tacked on a field goal with 4:31 remaining in the second quarter before capping their 38-point half with a 14-yard touchdown strike from Germano to Munday with 15 seconds on the clock.
 
After Johns Hopkins' opening possession of the second half ended with a missed field goal, Western New England broke through for its first points of the game. Junior Mohamed Camara (New York, N.Y.) got the drive started with a 15-yard rush, and capped it eight plays later by hauling in a seven-yard pass from Ward in the back of the end zone.
 
Johns Hopkins answered late in the quarter with Germano's fourth touchdown of the day, this time a 23-yard toss to Walters on third and ten as the Blue Jays went up 45-6. A two-yard run by freshman quarterback Zack Baker (Alamo, Calif.) with 8:26 remaining in the game wrapped up the scoring for the home team, while N'Dabian and Ward added late touchdowns for the Golden Bears.

Western New England finished with 420 yards of total offense (223 rushing, 197 passing) and converted on two of its eight (25%) third down opportunities. Johns Hopkins was successful on 55% of its third down chances (10-of-18) and posted 535 yards of total offense (176 rushing, 359 passing).