John Carroll’s Deep NCAA Run Ends One Win Short of Title Game

NAPERVILLE, IL - In the semifinal round of the NCAA Division III Football Championships, No. 9 John Carroll (12-2) fell to top-ranked North Central (14-0), 41-21.

The loss concludes a memorable postseason run for the Blue Streaks, who reached the national semifinals for the first time since 2016. John Carroll finished the season with a 12-2 overall record, highlighted by a perfect 8-0 mark in NCAC play and the 2025 conference championship. With the win, the defending national champion Cardinals advance to face No. 3 UW-River Falls (13-1) in the NCAA title game on Saturday, January 4, at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio.

NORTH CENTRAL (14-0) 41, JOHN CARROLL (12-2) 21
  • North Central set the tone on its opening possessions, striking first midway through the opening quarter. Quarterback Garret Wilson capped an 11-play, 87-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown pass to Grant McAtee at the 8:22 mark, putting the Cardinals ahead 7-0. Just over four minutes later, Wilson connected with Jack Rummell on a 71-yard scoring strike, extending the lead to 14-0 after the first quarter.
  • The Cardinals continued to apply pressure in the second quarter. Wilson again found Rummell, this time on a 31-yard touchdown pass with 12:07 remaining in the half, pushing the margin to 21-0. A late interception return for a touchdown with 19 seconds left before halftime gave North Central a 28-0 advantage heading into the locker room.
  • The John Carroll offense regrouped coming out of halftime and found momentum with a score early in the third quarter. Graduate student quarterback Nick Semptimphelter (Franklin, TN/Battle Ground Academy) ignited the offense with a quick-strike score, hitting wide receiver Tyren Montgomery (Woodlands, TX/The Woodlands College Park) on a 73-yard touchdown pass at the 6:46 mark to put the Blue Streaks on the board. North Central answered later in the quarter, as Wilson scored on a 15-yard touchdown run to restore a commanding lead. A Cardinals field goal earlier in the period helped stretch the advantage to 31-7, and North Central carried a 38-7 edge into the fourth quarter.
  • John Carroll continued to fight in the final frame, putting together a pair of scoring drives. Semptimphelter capped a 12-play, 75-yard march with an 18-yard touchdown pass to graduate student tight end Kenneth Rawls (Nashville, TN/Battle Ground Academy) at the 12:52 mark. Later, with 36 seconds remaining, Semptimphelter found junior wide receiver Shane Lindstrom (North Lima, OH/South Range) for a 21-yard touchdown to close out the scoring for the Blue Streaks.
  • Semptimphelter finished his final collegiate game completing 34-of-47 passes for 307 yards and three touchdowns. Montgomery led all receivers with 10 catches for 136 yards and a score, while Lindstrom added seven receptions for 63 yards and a touchdown. Rawls also recorded a strong performance, hauling in five catches and a score. First-year running back Cohen Klimak (Streetsboro, OH/Streetsboro) contributed across the offense with seven receptions and led the team in rushing.
  • Defensively, senior linebacker Kenny Grobolsek (Sheffield Village, OH/Brookside) paced the Blue Streaks with 10 total tackles, while senior linebacker Mason Rus (Kirtland, OH/Kirtland) and senior defensive back Lamar Thomas (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) added seven stops apiece.

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