Historic playoff runs end for James Mautino/Aurora, Grant Foes/Indiana Wesleyan

All good things have to come to an end and not always the way you want them to.

James Mautino of Spring Valley and Grant Foes of Princeton saw their college team’s historic playoff runs come to an end on Saturday.

Mautino and the Aurora University Spartans’ bowed out with a 45-17 loss at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa on Saturday, making their first appearance in the NCAA Div. III quarterfinals.

The Spartans got off to a fast start with a 10-0 first-quarter lead, but things quickly unraveled.

Wartburg scored 17 unanswered points in the second quarter to take a 21-10 halftime lead and scored midway through the third quarter to go up 28-10.

Aurora (11-2) also scored in the third quarter to make it 28-17, but Wartburg closed with a 17-0 fourth quarter to win going away.

Mautino, who has one more year of eligibility, said this season’s success is something for the Spartans to build on.

“I think this is just the start of something great here at AU. We’re only losing five starting guys so we have another great opportunity to go far next year,” he said.

Mautino, a senior from Hall where he was a BCR Player of the Year, had a team-high six receptions and 44 yards.

“My coaches here have been amazing in developing me as a football player as well as a man. They always put me in positions to make plays both on special teams and offensively,” he said.

Foes and the No. 5 Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcats fell to No. 3 Northwestern College, 38-7, in Orange City, Iowa, on Saturday in the semifinal round of the 2022 NAIA Football Championship Series.

It was IWU’s first semifinals appearance in the program’s six-year history.

The Wildcats earned their highest win total with 11 victories and their first-ever conference championship.

Foes, a sophomore lineman, was excited to participate in the Wildcats’ historic playoff run.

“This year was a great year. I am blessed to be a part of such a great program with great coaches that lead us. This run was special for the university and the program and it was all a great experience, we’re excited to get back to work so we can continue to see success on the field in the future.”

Foes credited this year’s senior for getting the Wildcats where they are.

“This semifinal run was special because all of the work the seniors put into this program finally was able to be shown,” he said. “They were the ones that built this program along with the coaches and I am very thankful that I was able to learn from them and spend time with them.”

Foes was a BCR Player of the Year at Princeton.