Delta State Continues to Roll - WLOX.com - The News for South Mississippi

SALISBURY, N.C. (AP) _ Rico McDonald rushed for 186 yards and a touchdown, and Josh Bright had 130 yards and two touchdowns as Delta State beat Catawba 20-14 Saturday in the NCAA Division II playoffs. Delta State (12-1) won despite minus-3 yards passing. The Statesmen had 336 total yards while holding Catawba (11-1) to 172. McDonald scored on a 32-yard run at 8:37 in the first quarter, capping a six-play 90-yard drive. It was the first touchdown Catawba had allowed in the first quarter this season. Bright scored on a 5-yard run in the second quarter and from 2 yards out in the third to put Delta State up 20-6. Joe Hilliard had a one-yard run in the second quarter for Catawba. LaQuane Talley blocked a punt and recovered it in the endzone to pull Catawba within 20-14 with 3:52 left in the game. Catawba's Mitch Ellis, who threw for 380 yards against West Georgia last week, hit just 4 of 13 passes for 47 yards in wet conditions. Delta State will play host to North Dakota State Saturday at noon in a semifinal game. North Dakota St. beat Nebraska-Omaha 43-21.