Byron's Coble has impact in RCTC win: 5 takeaways as Yellowjackets head into postseason with top seed

Oct. 14—ROCHESTER — Michael Coble finally had a big play that counted on Saturday and it put an exclamation point on Rochester Community and Technical College's 49-18 victory over Minnesota North College-Vermilion in MCAC junior college football.

Coble had two interceptions wiped out be penalty during the game, including one that he returned for a touchdown. But in the fourth quarter, he scooped up a short punt and returned it 45 yards for the final touchdown of the game.

The victory sealed the top seed in the upcoming MCAC state playoffs for the Yellowjackets, who are ranked No. 2 in the nation among NJCAA Division III teams and will take a 6-2 mark into the playoffs. With the top seed, RCTC earns a first-round playoff bye.

Here is a look at five keys for the Yellowjackets, not just from Saturday's win, but also for the upcoming playoffs.

Coble's big play was part of a up-and-down day on special teams for RCTC.

"That one felt really good," Coble said. "I needed to get it back. I was watching it all game, the punts were a little short and I saw one that had a good bounce for us so I just took the risk."

Once Coble scooped up the ball, he had clear sailing down the sideline for an easy touchdown.

Ira Tullous returned the second half kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown for the Yellowjackets to increase RCTC's lead to 35-7.

"After that kick return, I think we got a little too comfortable," Coble said. "We just had to lock back in and finish it off."

RCTC took advantage of several short punts by Vermilion to set itself up with good field position. But RCTC also lost two fumbles on punt returns, one which grazed a Yellowjackets player.

"Those are things we have to clean up and fix," RCTC coach Terrance Isaac Sr. said. "The great thing is those are mistakes that we can control and we can fix so we're excited about that."

RCTC kicker Rodgrio Castaneda made a bid for a school record, but his 62-yard field goal attempt late in the first half was just short.

"He asked for it," Isaac Sr. said. "He said 'Coach, I can get it.' We've seen him do that in practice."

Brady Walsh, a wide receiver from St. Louis Park, was involved in another trick play for RCTC on Saturday. He tossed a 21-yard touchdown pass to Terrance Isaac Jr. for RCTC's first touchdown in the first quarter.

Walsh is now 2-for-2 with two touchdown passes season on a halfback option play. The Yellowjackets are a perfect 3-for-3 on the play as running back Jaylen Gardner is also 1-for-1 with a TD pass.

"We've run that a lot this year," Isaac Sr. said.

Walsh also played a big role as a receiver. He caught four passes for 53 yards and two touchdowns, one each from Devin Watson and Maddux Allen as the Yellowjackets used a number of players in the game. Allen, a backup QB, also had a short TD run in the contest.

"I thought we had some opportunities to get some other guys in and just see what they're able to do," Isaac Sr. said. "We may need these guys later down the road in the playoffs so we wanted to get them some game time."

The Yellowjackets defense shut down Vermilion most of the game. RCTC allowed just 28 yards in the first half and 98 for the game.

Two of Vermilion's three touchdowns came on interception returns.

Plainview-Elgin-Millville grad Victor Martinez-Sosa had an interception for RCTC while Keshawn Johnson halted a drive in the fourth quarter with a fumble recovery at the Yellowjackets 11.

"We were just trying to come out with intensity and not play down to their level," Coble said. "We just did what we had to do the whole game and just kept working it."

RCTC did commit four penalties which gave the Vermilion offense a first down in the second half, however. Two of those penalties negated interceptions by Coble.

"A lot of times we're killing ourselves on drives with silly penalties and things like that," Isaac Sr. admitted.

RCTC had a rough third quarter with turnovers and penalties, but still led 35-18. Running back Micha Hobin was a bit of a forgotten man in the third quarter, without a single carry.

But at the start of the fourth quarter, Hobin got the ball on all eight plays on an 89-yard drive. He ripped off six runs of at least 10 yards in the drive and ended up scoring on a 10-yard run to make the score 42-18.

"It really felt great that the coaches put their trust in me and let me have fun and play my game," Hobin said.

Hobin finished with a career-high 142 yards on 12 carries. RCTC had 232 yards rushing on 32 carries, 7.3 yards per attempt. Hobin averaged a lusty 11.8 yards per carry.

"It felt great to pound the rock," Hobin said. "And of course my O-line doing what they had to do made it easy for me."

The Yellowjackets have gone to a ground game by committee since Christian Parrish suffered a season-ending injury in the third game of the season.

"Him going down was a big loss for us," Hobin said. "But the coaches are putting their trust in a few of us to just to fill in the gap."

RCTC (6-2) will get a week off before playing in the MCAC state semifinals at home on Sunday, Oct. 29. The game is currently scheduled for 5 p.m.

"The positive is we got out healthy, that was the main thing," Isaac Sr. said. "We have a lot of guys banged up so now getting the bye week is great."

The Yellowjackets get a bye in the quarterfinals of the seven-team state tournament. They need just two wins to win a state championship and could play for a Division III national title if they secure a state title.

"We think we have the target on our backs so every day in practice we just have to keep the intensity up and try to get better every day," Coble said.

RCTC has not advanced to a state championship game since the 2016 season.

"The regular season is great, of course, but the job's not over," Hobin said. "We just have to finish."

RCTC 49, Vermilion 18

Vermilion 6-0-12-0 — 18

RCTC 9-19-7-14 — 49

FIRST QUARTER

Vermilion — Kristian Alexander 31 interception return (kick failed), 12:46.

RCTC — Terrance Isaac Jr. 21 pass from Brady Walsh (kick failed), 9:29.

RCTC — Rodrigo Castaneda 39 field goal, 4:03.

SECOND QUARTER

RCTC — Walsh 6 pass from Devin Watson (Castaneda kick), 11:27.

RCTC — Maddux Allen 5 run (kick failed), 6:20.

RCTC — Walsh 16 pass from Allen 5 run (run failed), 0:04.

THIRD QUARTER

RCTC — Ira Tullous 89 kick return (Noah Garrison kick), 14:50.

Vermilion — Cameron McBride 99 interception return (pass failed), 13:05.

Vermilion — Marcuson Taylor 33 pass from Yusef Farah (pass failed), 8:29.

FOURTH QUARTER

RCTC — Micha Hobin 10 run (Castaneda kick), 9:58.

RCTC — Michael Coble 45 punt return (Rashdan Tebyasa kick), 5:26.

TEAM STATISTICS

Vermilion — RCTC

First downs 8 — 21

Total net yards 98 — 423

Rushing yards 20-(-9) — 32-232

Passing yards 107 — 191

Pass att-comp.-int. 14-30-1 — 15-25-3

Fumbles lost 3-1 — 3-2

Penalties yards 7-50 — 9-84

Punts/ave. 7-20.3 — 1-32.0

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing

Vermilion — Cornell Banks 13-19, Marcuson Taylor 2-(-6), Yusef Farah 5-(-22). RCTC — Micha Hobin 12-142, Brae'ton Vann 7-45, Santos Aguirre 4-22, Sy Christie 1-11, Devin Watson 4-10, Williams Emory 1-0, Team 1-(-2).

Passing

Vermilion — Yusef Farah 14 completions, 30 attempts, 1 interception, 1 touchdown, 107 yards. RCTC — Devin Watson 7-12-1-1, 105 yards; Maddux Allen 4-7-1-1, 39 yards; Sy Christie 3-5-1-0, 26 yards; Brady Walsh 1-1-0-1, 21 yards.

Receiving

Vermilion — Marcuson Taylor 6-63, Josh Gutierrez 3-38, Brennan Bondhus 2-15, Cornell Banks 3-(-9). RCTC — Brady Walsh 4-53, Micha Hobin 3-32, Terrence Isaac Jr. 2-28, Jairrus Nicholson 2-19, Jakson Hart 1-26, Graham Nielsen 1-19, Cole Hermesch 1-12, Jaylen Gardner 1-4.

Missed field goals: RCTC, Rodrigo Castaneda 66 SH.