QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy University football team capped off their season with a bang on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 16). The Hawks racked up over 680 yards of total offense and scored with twenty seconds left in the game to earn a 47-42 win over the Cardinals of William Jewell on Senior Day. 

1st Half
As Saturday's game began, senior quarterback Andrew Rund needed just 37 yards to pass Robbie Kelley for the QU single-season passing yards record. Things did not start ideally for the four-year QB. On Quincy's opening drive, the Cardinals picked off Rund on the sixth play from scrimmage. 

William Jewell took full advantage and drove 55 yards in six plays to go in front 7-0 with 9:45 left to play in the first quarter. 

Rund stepped up his game the remainder of the way. On the ensuing QU drive, the play-caller from St. Louis, Missouri connected with Carlton Stamp for 22 yards which allowed Rund to surpass 2,701 yards on the season and become the new single-season passing leader in Quincy history. 

The job was not done as Rund found fellow senior Brandon Gaston for a 30-yard touchdown on the very next play from scrimmage. QU tied the score 7-7 after the point after by senior Nathan Kewney. 

On the next Cardinal drive, the Hawks defense got a stop on third down and ten in their own territory to force a field goal attempt. Jewell's attempt was good from 39 yards to make the score 10-7 Cardinals with 6:07 left in the first. 

In Quincy's next drive, Rund connected with Gaston for 19 yards, completed another chunk play of 13 yards to Stamp, and hit his tight end Briar Hancock for 12 yards to keep the Hawks moving. The drive was capped off by a four-yard touchdown pass from Rund to Gaston. It was Gaston's second of the game. Quincy moved ahead 14-10 with under three minutes left in the first quarter. 

At the start of the second quarter, QU's defense once again made a third down stand to bring out the field goal unit for WJC. The Cardinals attempted a fake field goal, but the Hawks sniffed it out all the way for a turnover on downs. 

The Hawks let the momentum carry them on their next drive. Rund hit Paul Sullivan in the slot for a 26-yard gain to get the drive started. Oscee Calhoun ripped off a 12-yard run followed by a 15-yard rush by Andrew Rund. 

Jalen Griffin capped off the drive with a 13-yard touchdown scamper that allowed the Hawks to move ahead 21-10 as 13:10 remained in the second quarter. 

Quincy's defense stood firm on Jewell's next possession. The Hawks got off the field when an incomplete pass on third and twelve forced WJC to punt. 

An unsportsmanlike conduct on the Cardinals started off the drive for QU. Quincy was able to get just inside the red zone before turning the ball over on downs after coming up short on a fourth down and six. There was eight minutes left in the quarter. 

William Jewell was unable to get going and was forced to punt yet again. The Hawks were also forced to punt as the offensive fireworks slowed after a rapid start. 

Just as the action slowed, William Jewell was able to score after just five plays on their next possession. This brought the score to 21-17 QU. 

With under a minute and a half on the clock, the fast-paced Quincy offense marched down the field in the two-minute drill situation. Rund completed a 21-yard pass to Marlin Washington to put QU in Cardinal territory. 

As the half neared, senior wide receiver Brandon Gaston cashed in for a third time. The wide out from Chicago, Illinois caught his third touchdown of the game on a 20-yard strike from Andrew Rund. This gave the Hawks a 27-17 lead. 

On the point after try, the Cardinals blocked the kick and returned it all the way back for two points. Quincy's lead was now 27-19. 

After a 34-yard kick return by Jewell, the Cardinals were able to add a field goal as time expired in the first half. 

Both teams went to the locker room in a 27-22 dog fight. 

2nd Half
The Cardinals received the second half kick off after the intermission. The visitors ran just five plays before the Quincy defense got a key turnover. Cornerback Andrew Houston intercepted a pass to give the Hawks the ball on their own 31-yard line. It was Houston's fourth interception of the season. 

QU was unable to take advantage of the turnover as they turned the ball over on downs. Jewell also failed to gain any traction as they followed with a three-and-out. 

Quincy's offense came back alive after the quick stop by the defense. After a 22-yard run by Rund was negated due to a crack-back block, the senior quarterback found La'Darius Burrows for a 24-yard completion. 

On the very next play, Rund found Chris Poindexter down the seam for a 31-yard touchdown strike which gave the Hawks a 34-22 lead with 4:50 left in the third quarter. 

The Cardinals had an answer by going 57 yards in just six plays. A touchdown by WJC made the score 34-28 as the point after was missed. 

Quincy had a promising start to their next drive as Oscee Calhoun ripped off a 38-yard run. A personal foul, late hit penalty tacked on an extra fifteen yards. After getting inside Jewell's 10-yard line, Andrew Rund threw his second pick of the game trying to find a receiver on the opposite side of the field. 

Jewell took over on their own 1-yard line, but they also made a costly mistake. The Cardinal quarterback muffed the snap on second down leading to a fumble near the goal line. Senior Bryce Johnson came out with the ball at the bottom of the pile in the end zone for a QU touchdown. Johnson's fumble recovery pushed QU's lead to 41-28 with under a minute left in the third quarter. 

Going into the fourth quarter, the Hawks clung to a 13-point lead. Despite the late deficit, the visiting Cardinals did not go down without a fight. 

William Jewell punched in a 1-yard touchdown on their first drive after the goal line fumble. The extra point was good making it a 41-35 game. 

Quincy's next drive stalled at the Jewell 19-yard line, and the Hawks turned it over on downs. With 7:36 to play, the Cardinals came all the way back. 

WJC drove for ten plays and used up five minutes of clock during their late-game scoring drive. It was capped off by a 6-yard touchdown run on fourth down and goal with only 2:35 remaining in the contest. 

As the Hawks trailed 42-41, the offense needed a two-minute scoring drive led by their senior quarterback Andrew Rund. 

QU got things started with an eight yard connection to Gaston and a 16-yard gash play to Marlin Washington.

After an incomplete pass and a holding penalty, the Hawks found themselves behind the chains with limited options. Rund was sacked on second down, and an incomplete pass brought up a fourth down and over twenty yards. 

Three defensive backs and William Jewell's tight end guarded the line to gain as QU came down to their last prayer. Unbelievably, Rund heaved a pass down the middle of the field and Brandon Gaston made a contested leaping catch for a QU first down. 

The first down completion put the Hawks in Jewell territory with under a minute to go, but the Rund-to-Gaston magic was not yet finished. Rund found Gaston down the far sideline for a 29-yard completion. This put Quincy inside William Jewell's 10-yard line. 

An incompletion and a short run brought up third and goal. Rund tried to hit Paul Sullivan on a crossing route near the goal line, but Sullivan was grabbed from behind before the ball got to him. A pass interference call was made and QU had first and goal from the 2-yard line. 

Oscee Calhoun ran it in for the go-ahead touchdown with only 21 seconds to play. Quincy tried to make it a seven-point game by going for two, but the conversion was no good. 

The Cardinals had one last drive, but Quincy's defense put the final stamp on the senior day "W". On the first play of the drive, Andrew Houston caught the game-sealing interception on the sideline. This allowed QU to win the final game of the 2019 season 47-42. 

Stat Leaders
Andrew Rund - 35-61, 486 yards, 4 TD, 2 INT, 34 rush yards
Brandon Gaston - 9 catches, 148 yards, 3 TD
Oscee Calhoun & Jalen Griffin - 14 attempts, 84 yards, TD each

Keenan Stegall - 11 total tackles, 1.5 TFL, PBU
Sam Mock - 11 total tackles, 2 TFL, PBU

QU's Record
5-6, 2-5 GLVC