Kevin Richardson rushed for 131 yards and four touchdowns and defending national champion Appalachian State beat Montana State 38-17 in Boone, N.C., yesterday to reach the semifinals of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
Appalachian State, which has won 26 straight at home, will face Youngstown State at home Saturday in the semifinals. Youngstown State (11-2) beat visiting Illinois State (9-4) 28-21.
Host Montana (12-1) beat Southern Illinois 20-3 for its 12th straight win to set up a home semifinal game Saturday against Massachusetts. Host Massachusetts (12-1), which trailed 17-14 at halftime, beat New Hampshire 24-17 for its 10th straight win.
Community colleges
Palomar QB Tyler Lorenzen, Grossmont safety Terry Mixon and Saddleback running back PT Gates were named to the 47th annual J.C. Grid-Wire All-America first team.
Lorenzen, a 6-foot-5 sophomore transfer from Iowa State, was 229-for-332 passing for 2,960 yards and 26 touchdowns, with only three interceptions. He also rushed for 836 yards and eight touchdowns.
Mixon, who accepted a scholarship to Arizona State, intercepted four passes and returned two kickoffs for touchdowns for the 10-2 Griffins.
Gates, a graduate of Marian Catholic, was the first Saddleback rusher to gain 1,000 yards in a season since 1992.
Named to the second team were Palomar offensive lineman Una Smiley and Southwestern safety Travis Crawford (Chula Vista), who led the Foothill Conference with 10 interceptions.
Third-team All-Americans included WR Justin Johnson (St. Augustine) and OL Cody Gocke (El Capitan) of Grossmont and P Jeff Ruiz (Otay Ranch) of Southwestern.
– BILL DICKENS
