Fulton, Missouri – The Crown football team went on the road on Saturday for their season finale against Westminster College and came out on top, 26-22.  The Polars led 14-0 after three quarters before an explosive fourth quarter that saw 34 combined points and a come-from-behind win by Crown.

A pair of Josh Wallace touchdown runs staked the Polars to a two-score lead through three quarters before the frantic fourth quarter. 

The final period of the season began with a Blue Jay touchdown and 2-point conversion to make the score 14-8. 

On the first play of the ensuing drive, Wallace fumbled and Westminster recovered giving them a short field and breathing new life into the game. 

The Crown defense nearly held, but on fourth and ten, the Blue Jays converted and then some, scoring on a 30 yard touchdown pass.  The extra point failed and the score was suddenly tied, 14-14.

That score wouldn't last long as Crown answered back immediately as Malek Folston returned the following kickoff 76 yards for a Crown touchdown.  The Polar defensive back, who also had an interception in the game, fielded the squib kick and exploded through a seam and went the length of the field untouched to restore Crown's lead. 

With the game in full shootout-mode, Westminster drove down the field and took their first lead of the game, scoring on a 20-yard touchdown pass and then converting the 2-pont try to take a 22-20 lead. 
Crown took over with 8:43 remaining and for the first time on the day, facing a deficit on the scoreboard. 

Three straight penalties, including offsetting personal fouls, set up a 2^nd and ten for the Polars.  Diego Narezo completed a pair of passes for a first down and Crown was on their way. 

Crown's first-year quarterback would complete five more throws, taking the Polars to the 1-yard line where Wallace would plunge in out of the wildcat formation for his third score of the day, restoring Crown's lead 26-22. 

Westminster regained possession with 4:08 remaining and completed one pass before Folston's interception and 35 yard return ended that threat and set the Polars up with a chance to ice the game.  Folston undercut a crossing route that the Blue Jays had hit on one play before to come up with the huge takeaway. 

It was on opportunity that Crown wouldn't be able to take advantage of, however, as Narezo was intercepted on a third and ten play with 2:29 remaining when the ball slipped out of his hand and into the arms of a defensive lineman.

With 74 yards to travel for the Blue Jays with under two and a half minutes remaining it was up to the Polars defense to hold the line.  After an eight-yard rush and three short completions, Noe Urrea came up with a big sack, forcing Westminster to use their final timeout with just 49 seconds remaining. 

After the stoppage, Westminster looked for a deep corner route, but Logan Disabella tipped the pass out of the hands of the intended receiver and Rudy Criner collected the interception on the tip-drill to seal the Crown victory. 

Defense and special teams were big in this one as Crown used two interceptions and the kick-return touchdown in the fourth quarter to clinch the victory.  The Polar defense added five sacks and a fumble recovery and held the Blue Jays to just 97 yards on the ground.  

Criner had a team-high 12 tackles to go along with his interception and Urrea and Millicent Grear each had 1.5 sacks. 

Offensively, Narezo threw for 171 yards on 19-34 passing with three interceptions.  Wallace led the way for the Polars with 124 yards on the ground and three touchdowns.
Isaiah Anfield paced the team with seven receptions for 71 yards. 

The win moves Crown's record to 3-7 on the season and a solid 3-3 in UMAC play as the young Polar roster will enter this offseason feeling as though they can compete at the very top of the conference next fall.