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Wesley College and Johns Hopkins meet again in NCAA playoffs

Wesley College is on the road for the second round of the NCAA Division III football playoffs, traveling to face a familiar foe.

The 9-1 Wolverines head to Baltimore Saturday to tangle with undefeated Johns Hopkins in a battle of prolific offenses.

Both teams are ranked in the top 10 of Division III in scoring and average over 45 points per contest.

But Wesley head coach Mike Drass says what makes the 11-0 Blue Jays especially dangerous is the number of different ways they can move the ball effectively.

“[They're] balanced in more ways than one, as far as run and pass. [They use] a number of different formations and motions, but run the same plays.  And they’re a team that can attack you throwing the curl flat or they can attack you by throwing something vertical on the post-corner," said Drass. "So, I think they’re versatility lies in more than just being able to run the ball efficiently and throw the ball.”

This is the third time in seven years these two schools will meet in the playoffs.  In 2009, Wesley edged Hopkins 12-nothing in an NCAA quarterfinal in Dover.  Two years ago, The Wolverines used a 33-yard TD pass with 33 seconds left to pull out a 29-24 first round win in Baltimore. 

Drass expects another hard fought contest this time, but not because of the past history between the two squads.

“The motivating factor is to advance, to get to the next round.  This started with a field of 32 and everyone’s trying to get to that national championship game," said Drass. "If you start focusing on what happened in the past, you’re going to lose sight on what’s happening in the here and now.”

Drass adds the Blue Jays appear to be a confident squad – and they have reason to be.  He says that balanced offense includes a big, physical offensive line, and is paired with an experienced defense.

Both teams advanced to the second round with easy first round victories.  Wesley topped Framingham State 42-22, while Johns Hopkins trounced Western New England 52-20.

The Wolverines and Blue Jays kick-off at noon Saturday at Homewood Field on the Johns Hopkins campus.

Tom Byrne has been a fixture covering news in Delaware for three decades. He joined Delaware Public Media in 2010 as our first news director and has guided the news team ever since. When he's not covering the news, he can be found reading history or pursuing his love of all things athletic.
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