Nelson turns into Valdosta State's Mr. Utility

FLORENCE - Recruited as a quarterback, Valdosta State freshman Ronnye Nelson didn't mind when coaches approached him about changing positions the first day of fall camp this year.

"I'm willing to do anything to help the team," said the former quarterback, who now lines up mostly at running back and some at wide receiver. "They've been using me as a utility guy, and whatever they decide to do, I just roll with it to help the team."

In Valdosta State's 25-20 win Saturday against Northwest Missouri, Nelson got the opportunity to contribute from his old position, tossing a touchdown pass that gave the Blazers their first lead in nearly three quarters.

Back at quarterback, Nelson, who has run the ball most of the few times he has lined up at the position this season, faked out Northwest Missouri defenders, creating his own play-action with a lunge, and hit tight end Zach Parker with a 14-yard touchdown strike.

That set up a 17-14 lead for Valdosta State with 13:21 left in the game.

"We haved worked on that numerous times in practice, and we run the sweep to set it up," Nelson said. "We knew when everybody saw me in at quarterback, they thought I was going to run. That drew everybody up and Zach was open."

The completion made Nelson 2-for-2 as a college quarterback - not a bad percentage for a freshman.

Time's a wastin'

With Valdosta State creeping closer to the end zone and the clock creeping toward zero late in the fourth quarter, Northwest Missouri coach Mel Tjeerdsma declined to take a timeout.

As part of the Blazers' game-winning eight-play, 3-minute, 39-second scoring drive within the last four minutes of the game, Rashawn Robinson rushed four yards to give Valdosta State a first down at the Bearcats 14.

Two plays later, Miachel Terry rushed five yards to set up first and goal from the 1 with the clock ticking down inside a minute.

Terry was stopped for no gain to burn more clock on the next play before finally punching it in on second down.

"I don't know," Tjeerdsma said when asked why he didn't take a timeout. "I wish I could answer that. That's a good question. I'll have to live with that for a while.

"I was hoping we could hold them to a field goal, either that or they would get in, one or the other. Once you get caught in between, you kind of have to live with what you've done and pay the price for it."

Time expires on Blazers

Valdosta State coaches pointed to the reply screen in protest after the clock expired to end the first half and deny the Blazers a chance at a last-second field goal.

On the final play of the half, Nelson caught a pass from Willie Copeland and ran 17 yards before appearing to hit the turf with one second remaining.

But the clock kept rolling, as the Blazers signaled for their final timeout of the half.

"When I was running, I was looking at the clock, saw we had two seconds and wanted to get it close enough for our kicker to have a chance," Nelson said.

Officials couldn't review the play since rules prohibit review for the sole purpose of setting the game clock.

Boom and bust

Northwest Missouri punter Michael Stadler booted a personal-best 70-yard punt in the first quarter Saturday.

The kick, which would have gone farther if it hadn't bounced into the end zone, was the longest in the 20-year history of the Division II National Championship Game in Florence.

Stadler had another momentous kick in the fourth quarter, this time to Valdosta State's benefit. With the Bearcats leading 20-19 with just more than four minutes left in the game, Stadler shanked a 27-yard punt that gave the Blazers possession at the Northwest Missouri 37.

Eight plays later, Valdosta State's Michael Terry dove in from 1-yard out for the game-winning score.

Peterson produces

With the Valdosta State defense keying in on running back Xavier Omon, Northwest Missouri's Mike Peterson provided somewhat of a spark for the Bearcats.

Peterson led the Bearcats with five catches for 57 yards and a touchdown. The drive in which Peterson scored seemed to magnify the Blazers' focus on Omon.

The senior caught passes on three consecutive plays. The second came when quarterback Joel Osborn faked the handoff to Omon and found Peterson wide open for a 37-yard gain to the Blazers 3-yard line.

Osborn used play action again on the next play for a three-yard touchdown pass to Peterson.

"I know they were kind of locking down on Omon today," Peterson said. "Mostly in the first half, I was finding openings, but after that, they were locking down even more on me."

Peterson was guilty of a holding penalty that wiped out a 12-yard run by Omon, his longest of the game, late in the fourth quarter with the Bearcats clinging to a 20-19 lead.

"It's just an empty feeling again," Peterson said of the Bearcats finishing runners-up for the third straight year. "Day in, day out, we've been working out tails off."

Other stuff

Valdosta State coach David Dean became the second coach to win a Division II title in his first season as head coach Saturday. Dean previously was an assistant for the Blazers, serving as Valdosta State's offensive coordinator for the last seven seasons, including during the program's other title run in 2004.

With Valdosta State's win, the Gulf South Conference can claim nine Division II championships.

Former GSC member Mississippi College won the 1989 championsip but had to vacate the title.

Five former or currnet GSC schools - Troy State (1984, 1987), North Alabama (1993, 1994, 1995), Jacksonville State (1992), Delta State (200) and Valdosta State (2004, 2007) have won it all.

Bryan App can be reached at 740-5730 or bryan.app@timesdaily.com.