CLINTON, MS - The Mississippi College Choctaws (9-2) defeated Huntingdon College (8-3) 56-35 in the First Round of the NCAA Division III Championship Playoffs Saturday and will advance to play Wesley College (Delaware) next weekend in a second round game.

Senior quarterback Adam Shaffer passed for 343 yards and four touchdowns by completing 20-30 passes in the win. Shaffer set a new single season passing touchdown mark at MC with 33 this season, breaking his old record of 31. Junior tailback Steven Knight went over the 100-yard mark for the 8th straight game finishing with 125 yards on 24 carries and three scores. Knight has 1,308 yards on the ground this year.

The Choctaws quickly jumped on the Hawks building a 28-7 first quarter lead behind three touchdowns passes from quarterback Shaffer and a fumble return for a touchdown from nose guard Larry Walker. Shaffer threw a 21-yard touchdown to tight end Renard Ellis on the opening possession and later found tight end Cody Goss from 29 yards on the second drive.

Huntingdon answered with a 14-yard  touchdown pass to Willie McDowell from quarterback Justin Ridgeway to pull within 14-7. After a Huntingdon stop, freshman safety Tramichael Dale forced a fumble for the Choctaws that Walker picked up and carried 16 yards into the endzone. Dale also picked off a pass on the next possession setting up a 9-yard Shaffer scoring toss to Wesley Boudreaux to cap the first quarter scoring.

A 25-yard touchdown pass from Ridgeway to Trevor Manuel pulled the Hawks to within 28-14, before MC tailback Knight answered with 26-yard touchdown reception from Shaffer. A late Huntingdon touchdown sent the game into halftime with MC holding a 35-21 lead.

In the second half the Choctaws rolled building a 56-28 lead with less than 5:00 minutes remaining. Knight added two more touchdown runs and Tommy Reyer scored on a 2-yard run for the Choctaws. A Hawk score with 2:14 remaining ended the scoring 56-35.