PITTSBURG — Quarterback Jackson Berry connected with wide receiver Kuron Parchmon on a 28-yard scoring pass with 7:34 to play in the game to rally No. 6 ranked Pittsburg State University to a 21-17 victory over No. 22 Chadron State College in the first round of the NCAA Division II football playoffs Saturday (Nov. 22).

The Gorillas (10-2), the No. 4 seed in Super Region Four, will advance to face top-seeded Harding University in second round action next Saturday (Nov. 29) at Searcy, Ark. The No. 2 ranked Bisons (12-0) scored a 38-16 first round win over No. 14 Northwest Missouri State University Saturday.

Pitt State's TyJuan Atkins Jr. returned the opening kickoff of the game 99 yards for a touchdown to stake the Gorillas to a 7-0 lead 12 seconds into the contest.
Chadron State (8-4) countered with a 47-yard field goal from Wilson Yee to trim the margin to 7-3 following its ensuing drive.

The Gorillas got on the board again when running back Cleo Chandler Jr. capped a 14-play, 94-yard drive with a four-yard scoring jaunt with 4:03 to play in the second quarter.

The Eagles clawed their way back into the game with quarterback DJ Ralph tossing a seven-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tommy Thomas at the 3:38 mark of the third quarter. Ralph missed on a 2-point conversion pass attempt to leave Pitt State in front, 14-9.

Chadron pushed in front of Pitt State on Daytuawn Pearson's two-yard touchdown run with 10:10 to play in the game.

The Pitt State offense, limited to 10 plays that netted 43 yards in the third quarter, finally broke loose on the go-ahead scoring drive in the fourth quarter. Zahmari Palode-Gary had runs of 17 and 10 yards and Berry had a key five-yard scramble on a 3^rd-and-4 play to move the sticks. The Gorillas also were aided by a pass interference call to set up Berry's scoring strike to Parchmon.

The Pitt State defense came up with a pair of interceptions on Chadron's final two offensive series to seal the win.

The Eagles attempted a pass off a fake punt with 6:32 to play that was snared by Pitt State's Jackson Young at the CSC 37 yard line. The Gorillas drove to the Eagles 7 yard line, but kicker Austin Schmitt hooked a 24-yard field goal attempt with 1:47 to go. Schmitt also had misses from 36 and 54 yards in the first quarter.

Pitt State safety Jordan Rogers sealed the win with his second interception of the game, hauling in Ralph's errant 4^th-down pass at the Pitt State 26 yard line with 48 ticks left.

Berry completed 17 of 22 passes for 177 yards in the game. Palode-Gary rushed eight times for 59 yards, while Chandler added nine carries for 51 yards. Wide receiver Garyson Holbert made four receptions for 35 yards.

Linebacker Blake Carr paced the Gorillas defense with 10 stops, including two tackles behind the line of scrimmage. Rogers had seven tackles to go with his two interceptions.