digitaldean
12-16-2007, 12:45 AM
Mount Union has won the last 2 D-3 NCAA football titles. Have won by at least 24 all season. Now the Warhawks knocked em off!!
:wave:
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=697135
Never saw it coming
UW-Whitewater pulls off a stunner in Stagg Bowl
By JEFF POTRYKUS
jpotrykus@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Dec. 15, 2007
Salem, Va. - Lance Leipold strode to the awards platform at midfield, flanked by senior tailback Justin Beaver and senior defensive lineman Ryan Ogrizovich.
UW-Whitewater players celebrate their 31-21 victory over Mount Union in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl Division III championship game Saturday.
As they grabbed the NCAA Division III championship trophy and held it aloft Saturday evening at Salem Stadium, they were immediately joined on the platform and surrounded by every member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team.
Meanwhile across the field, the stunned players and coaches from Mount Union, thought to be unbeatable and looking for their third consecutive national title, trudged toward their locker room. The Purple Raiders were enveloped by the sick feeling of defeat, a feeling they hadn't experienced at all this year and not since Week 7 of the 2005 season.
"Somewhere along the line this will sink in," Leipold, in his first season as Whitewater's head coach, said after the Warhawks' stunning 31-21 victory over top-ranked Mount Union in the Stagg Bowl. "But as I've said. . . . It's not about me. It's been about a program and these (players). I'm just the one that was given a great privilege to be in charge of it at this particular time."
At this time the Warhawks (14-1) are the best team in the nation.
"I think they played a great game tonight and they deserved to beat us," said Mount Union coach Larry Kehres, who had guided the Purple Raiders (14-1) to nine of the last 14 national titles before Saturday, including victories in 2005 and '06 against Whitewater. "We played very well in spots, but a few too many mistakes cost us the victory.
"But Whitewater played a great game and deserved to win."
Whitewater beat a team that hadn't won by fewer than 24 points this season and had allowed only 73 total points before Saturday because Beaver, running behind a veteran offensive line, found holes all day against the best defense in the nation and because the Warhawks' underrated defense came up with several critical stops and forced four turnovers.
Beaver, who has played with a fractured rib for more than a month, rushed 31 times for 249 yards and a touchdown, an average of 8.0 yards per carry, and was named the game's most valuable player.
"That just shows you once again the kind of competitor, and the heart and everything he gave this football team," Leipold said.
Mount Union entered the day No. 1 nationally against the run, allowing 24.2 yards per game. Beaver had a 26-yard run on his first carry and showed his mettle by producing two critical runs after losing a fumble that led to a Mount Union touchdown late in the third quarter to bring the Purple Raiders within 17-14.
His 26-yard run to the Mount Union 2 on Whitewater's first possession set up a 1-yard sneak by quarterback Danny Jones, his first of two 1-yard scores, and helped the Warhawks take a 7-0 lead. He ripped off a 45-yard run to set up Jeff Schebler's 32-yard field goal on the next-to-last play of the first half for a 10-0 lead. He carried six times for 43 yards, the last a 13-yard touchdown run, on a seven-play, 50-yard drive to help the Warhawks take a 24-14 lead with 6 minutes, 11 seconds left in the game. He ripped off a 66-yard run to the Mount Union 4 to set up Jones' 1-yard sneak with 1:33 left, a touchdown that secured the victory.
"I've been saying that the O-line is the heart of our offense," Beaver said. "Today they stepped up and played an unreal game."
Whitewater's defense, choreographed beautifully by coordinator Brian Borland and led by junior linebacker Jace Rindahl (16 tackles), frustrated a unit that led the nation in points per game (54.1) and hadn't scored fewer than 35 points this season.
Borland's defense sent a resounding message when Ogrizovich stuffed tailback Nate Kmic (30 carries, 121 yards and three touchdowns) for no gain on fourth and goal from inside the 1 on Mount Union's third possession of the game.
"We knew that at the end of the day if we played the best ball we could we'd come out winners," said Ogrizovich, who had nine tackles.
As the disconsolate Mount Union players sought refuge in their locker room, refuge from the Whitewater celebration at midfield, there was no doubt which team had persevered.
"I've said all along we have an outstanding group of 23 seniors and you saw many of them today play their hearts out," Leipold said. "Our staff did an outstanding job making sure we believed.
"And while many didn't think we had a chance to be here at this point in the day, here we are. I can't say how proud I am of our program."
:wave:
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=697135
Never saw it coming
UW-Whitewater pulls off a stunner in Stagg Bowl
By JEFF POTRYKUS
jpotrykus@journalsentinel.com
Posted: Dec. 15, 2007
Salem, Va. - Lance Leipold strode to the awards platform at midfield, flanked by senior tailback Justin Beaver and senior defensive lineman Ryan Ogrizovich.
UW-Whitewater players celebrate their 31-21 victory over Mount Union in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl Division III championship game Saturday.
As they grabbed the NCAA Division III championship trophy and held it aloft Saturday evening at Salem Stadium, they were immediately joined on the platform and surrounded by every member of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater football team.
Meanwhile across the field, the stunned players and coaches from Mount Union, thought to be unbeatable and looking for their third consecutive national title, trudged toward their locker room. The Purple Raiders were enveloped by the sick feeling of defeat, a feeling they hadn't experienced at all this year and not since Week 7 of the 2005 season.
"Somewhere along the line this will sink in," Leipold, in his first season as Whitewater's head coach, said after the Warhawks' stunning 31-21 victory over top-ranked Mount Union in the Stagg Bowl. "But as I've said. . . . It's not about me. It's been about a program and these (players). I'm just the one that was given a great privilege to be in charge of it at this particular time."
At this time the Warhawks (14-1) are the best team in the nation.
"I think they played a great game tonight and they deserved to beat us," said Mount Union coach Larry Kehres, who had guided the Purple Raiders (14-1) to nine of the last 14 national titles before Saturday, including victories in 2005 and '06 against Whitewater. "We played very well in spots, but a few too many mistakes cost us the victory.
"But Whitewater played a great game and deserved to win."
Whitewater beat a team that hadn't won by fewer than 24 points this season and had allowed only 73 total points before Saturday because Beaver, running behind a veteran offensive line, found holes all day against the best defense in the nation and because the Warhawks' underrated defense came up with several critical stops and forced four turnovers.
Beaver, who has played with a fractured rib for more than a month, rushed 31 times for 249 yards and a touchdown, an average of 8.0 yards per carry, and was named the game's most valuable player.
"That just shows you once again the kind of competitor, and the heart and everything he gave this football team," Leipold said.
Mount Union entered the day No. 1 nationally against the run, allowing 24.2 yards per game. Beaver had a 26-yard run on his first carry and showed his mettle by producing two critical runs after losing a fumble that led to a Mount Union touchdown late in the third quarter to bring the Purple Raiders within 17-14.
His 26-yard run to the Mount Union 2 on Whitewater's first possession set up a 1-yard sneak by quarterback Danny Jones, his first of two 1-yard scores, and helped the Warhawks take a 7-0 lead. He ripped off a 45-yard run to set up Jeff Schebler's 32-yard field goal on the next-to-last play of the first half for a 10-0 lead. He carried six times for 43 yards, the last a 13-yard touchdown run, on a seven-play, 50-yard drive to help the Warhawks take a 24-14 lead with 6 minutes, 11 seconds left in the game. He ripped off a 66-yard run to the Mount Union 4 to set up Jones' 1-yard sneak with 1:33 left, a touchdown that secured the victory.
"I've been saying that the O-line is the heart of our offense," Beaver said. "Today they stepped up and played an unreal game."
Whitewater's defense, choreographed beautifully by coordinator Brian Borland and led by junior linebacker Jace Rindahl (16 tackles), frustrated a unit that led the nation in points per game (54.1) and hadn't scored fewer than 35 points this season.
Borland's defense sent a resounding message when Ogrizovich stuffed tailback Nate Kmic (30 carries, 121 yards and three touchdowns) for no gain on fourth and goal from inside the 1 on Mount Union's third possession of the game.
"We knew that at the end of the day if we played the best ball we could we'd come out winners," said Ogrizovich, who had nine tackles.
As the disconsolate Mount Union players sought refuge in their locker room, refuge from the Whitewater celebration at midfield, there was no doubt which team had persevered.
"I've said all along we have an outstanding group of 23 seniors and you saw many of them today play their hearts out," Leipold said. "Our staff did an outstanding job making sure we believed.
"And while many didn't think we had a chance to be here at this point in the day, here we are. I can't say how proud I am of our program."