KansasCity.com

Bearcats drub Abilene Christian to move on to quarterfinals

MARYVILLE, Mo. | Northwest Missouri’s scenario from last year repeated itself: Lose the season opener. Meet again in the playoffs, then send Abilene Christian home. The Bearcats even repeated their turnover woes from last year’s game. But it hardly affected Northwest in its 35-10 win over Abilene. Now the Bearcats hope their victory will kick start a playoff run that could lead them to the NCAA Division II championship game for the fifth straight year. After clinching their eleventh playoff opening victory in their last 12 played, the Bearcats, 11-1, will play Central Washington in the quarterfinals at 2 p.m. Saturday in Ellensburg, Wash.