PHILIPPI, W.Va. – In the final game of the regular season, Notre Dame College took on Alderson Broaddus University. The Falcons struggled to get the offense going in the first half, but scored 24 second half points to put the Battlers away, 27-3. The win guarantees that the Mountain East Conference trophy will be exclusively in South Euclid for another year.
 
On a cold day in Philippi with constant rain, both teams struggled to find the grip on the ball. Uncharacteristically, on NDC's first drive of the game, Chris Brimm threw an interception across the middle of the field. However, Alderson Broaddus could not take advantage as quarterback Levi Gullion threw a ball that was about five yards short of his intended receiver and Notre Dame's Cael Bright was there to intercept his fourth pass of the year.
 
Punts and turnovers continued for both teams until the game reached the middle of the second quarter. A two and-a-half minute drive for Alderson Broaddus went 40 yards down the field and set up a 37-yard field goal for Joao Lima. That gave AB the lead with 4:50 to go before halftime.
 
On senior day, the Battlers were playing inspired and held the lead until NDC's final drive of the second half. Knowing they would receive the ball to start the second half, the Falcons were looking to score and grab momentum. Notre Dame put together a 50-yard drive, and a Brimm to Jeremy Hamilton pass-and-catch for 29 yards was the highlight of the possession. With two seconds left in the half, Cameron Shirkey launched a 35-yard field goal through the uprights to tie the game.
 
To start the second half, Jay Sharp put his mark on the game, by returning the opening kickoff 56 yards to set up his offense on AB's 34-yard line. Brimm found Michael Solomon for 18 yards though the air and then Idris Lawrence took the handoff and ran to the left, finding the holes and getting past the goal line with a 22-yard run.
 
Lawrence ran for 83 yards in the game.
 
"I'm proud of how our guys came out in the second half and made the adjustments we did," said head coach Garrett Mack. "Obviously, the elements of the weather played a part in some of our struggles early in the game. We weren't able to pass the ball with the rain and we were getting a heavy box [from Alderson Broaddus], making the run difficult."
 
After forcing an Alderson Broaddus punt, the offense went back to work. Lawrence moved the ball with runs of nine yards, four yards and 10 yards. Tyris Dickerson pushed the ball past midfield with an 11-yard run and then the Falcons went back to the air. After two short passes, Brimm threw to the right side of the field, finding Andre Allen Jr. on a screen play. Allen used his speed to go 27 yards for a touchdown and NDC led 17-3.
 
Not only did the offense step up in the second half, but the defense was stellar, again. In the final 30 minutes of the game, Notre Dame had three interceptions.
 
On Alderson Broaddus' first drive of the fourth quarter, Gullion was sacked by Lavell Gibson before DeMarcus Rankin intercepted the next pass. That would lead to a short 19-yard drive for the Falcons, resulting in a six-yard TD run by Brimm.
 
And another AB possession, with the same result. On the very next drive, Jacalyn Morrison stepped in to intercept a pass on the Battlers' 13-yard line.
 
Notre Dame continued to turn the turnovers into points, when Shirkey came on to score on a 25-yard field goal to give NDC a 27-3 lead, with 7:31 to go in the fourth.

"Our defense continued to stay strong in the first half to allow our offense to make the adjustments at half time and, in the second half, we came out and played together offensively, defensively and on special teams," Mack said.
 
On the defensive side of the ball, Gibson, Nathan Moore and Zion Hawkins all had five tackles to lead the team. Moore, Gibson and Teddy Tiokeng all recorded a sack. Tavon Hooks, Bright, Rankin and Morrison had the interceptions.
 
After the game, NDC took a photo in front of the scoreboard, as they have done every year since 2018. The Falcons are the first team in MEC history to win five conference trophies.
 
"We're excited to take a trophy home to South Euclid for our fifth straight conference title and we look forward to the playoffs," Mack mentioned.
 
The Falcons will watch the Selection Show, tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. on NCAA.com, to see who they will play next weekend in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs.