Kentucky defeated Bowling Green, 57-12, Saturday at SaberCats Stadium in Houston, TX to win a second-straight Division I-AA national title. The Wildcats led 31-0 at halftime and 57-0 before leaking a score. They tallied nine tries in total, with flanker Holden Hahn, prop Jared Monnier and wing Joe Keough leading the way with two each.
Bowling Green’s defense passed the early test, denying an onslaught of Wildcat pick-and-goes before holding up a Kentucky ball carrier in the try zone. Bowling Green kept the defending champs out of the try zone for the opening 10 minutes, but persistent pressure was eventually converted when Keough stepped one defender, fended another and weaved in for the opening try.
Minutes later, Monnier took on a pair of Falcon defenders at the goal line, blasting his way to a second try in quick succession. After 17 minutes, the Wildcats led 14-0.
Bowling Green then made its first foray into the Kentucky end off a break from openside flanker Colton Crabiel, but the Wildcats turned them over in the tackle around the five-meter mark. The Falcons erred again by missing touch on a penalty, allowing Kentucky to relieve the pressure and generate some its own, converting it to a Jack Phillips penalty in the 25th minute.
After some hard charging carries by No. 8 Everett Marret and the Wildcat forwards, Holden Hahn took a sharp angle for a crash ball, leaping through the Falcon defensive line for the third Kentucky try of the half.
Bowling Green managed a threatening stretch of phases right on halftime, but a poach from Marret and a BG high tackle gave Kentucky an attacking lineout, and Hahn knifed through the Falcon line with ease, blowing through three tackle attempts to push the lead to 31-0 going into the break.
Monnier slammed home a second try to start the second half, similar to his first, crashing over a pair of BG tacklers. Kentucky’s pressure defense caused a turnover a few minutes later, and wing Joe Keough scooped up the loose ball deep in the attacking end, stepping one Falcon en route to pay dirt. Phillips slotted both conversions, putting Kentucky up 45-0.
The Wildcats charged down a kick deep in the Bowling Green end, and reserve forward Abelardo Reza slammed home a crash ball off a five-meter penalty on the next play. Then outside center Luke Keough got on the board, chasing down a kick for a try.
Bowling Green avoided the shoutout with a try by reserve Nico LaBianca in the 75th minute, and the Falcons punched over one more before the final whistle. Kentucky second row Michael Punzalan was awarded the final MVP for his work rate around the park, both in defense and attack.
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