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Saturday, November 14, 2009 6:11 PM

Ottawa completes undefeated season

By Greg Mast/Herald Sports Editor

WICHITA — The Ottawa University football team was not completely satisfied, but knew the 49-42 victory over Friends Saturday was nothing to sneeze at.

The Braves sealed the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference championship, an NAIA playoff berth and more than likely a home playoff game.

The NAIA playoff pairings will be announced 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

This is the only Ottawa team in the 113-year history to go 10-0.

"It is awesome," senior receiver Zach Schultz said. "Everybody worked hard. It pays off."

Senior linebacker Casey Calhoun said going from 1-9 to 10-0 from his freshman season to his senior season left him speechless.

"I don't know what to say," Calhoun said.

The Ottawa players and coaches believed in each other. Kept leaning from the heartaches. One of those was last year's 46-45 loss to Friends that stung all during the off-season.

Schultz said Ottawa counted down the days since that loss in September of 2008 to Saturday's rematch.

"We were fired up," Schultz said.

Ottawa came out emotionally ready. The Braves jumped on top 28-0 after the first quarter and led 42-0 early in the second quarter.

"We were on cloud nine," Schultz said. "They did not match our intensity level."

Ottawa scored twice on defense and twice on offense in the first six minutes of the game.

"It took them out of the game," Calhoun sad about the early explosion. "That was huge."

Friends made Ottawa sweat a bit with a big second-half rally. The Falcons scored four touchdowns after the Braves led 49-14 to close within 49-42 with 1:25 left.

"We got a little complacent," Calhoun said. "They battled back. We held them off."

Schultz said the players never wavered in their trust during the game.

"Nobody ever doubted we would not win" Schultz said.

Sophomore Clarence Anderson returned to his hometown and left with a special game.

He caught eight passes for 190 yards and scored three touchdowns. He had 102 yards of kickoff returns. He had one kickoff return for a touchdown called back because of a penalty. He also had another 50-yard completion wiped out because of a penalty.

"I try to use my speed to my advantage," Anderson said. "When I see an opening, I hit it ... keep going and not slow down."

Ottawa coach Kent Kessinger said the theme was "remember the play." The play was last year's improbable 2-point conversion to win last year's game.

"Remember what it felt like at the end of last year," he said.

Calhoun said the celebration was tempered because of Friends' late rally.

"We are not done," he said.

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