It was over before it began

With no offense intended toward the vocaloist who performed an excellent rendetion of the National Anthem, Saturday’s NCAA Division II National Championship at Sporting Park in Kansas City was basically over before it began.

Just as the popular colloquialism says, “It ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings,” this football game was done as soon as they rolled the big flag up, at least so far as Shepherd University was concerned.

And if that were not indication enough, the officals could have called it as soon as Shepherd won the coin toss — and elected to receive the opening kick, putting Northwest Missouri State University’s vaunted defensive into the fray early on.

The Bearcats forced a first-play turnover, which set the offense up to score just two plays later, and went on to limit the Rams to fewer than 100 yards in total offense, minus 37 on the ground, in rolling to a 34-7 victory that brought a fifth national championship trophy home to Maryville.

The entire football team certainly derserves tremendous amounts of credit for winning its second title in three years, but the community of local fans and alumni who set a championship game attendance record certainly also deserve a fair share of credit. The immense show of support was a united effort that would turn any organization green with envy.

The football team and its coaches and support staff, obviously; the Bearcat Marching Band; the cheerleaders; the Bearcat Steppers; Bobby Bearcat; every student and alum; every supporter, young and old, who donned their colors and represented the university during one of its finest hours, demonstrated to an internationally televised audience what Northwest is all about.

It was the proud Bearcat Nation at its finest.

We salute each and every one who had any part in Saturday’s success. Thank you.

And — Go Bearcats!