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St. John's  24    Mount Union  6

                                                                     by Ric Brienza

Johnnies stun Raiders in title game to end longest winning streak in college football history

     St. John's defeated Mount Union 24-6 in the 31st Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl to win the university's second Division III national championship and first since 1976.  The loss ended the Purple Raiders 55-game winning streak, the longest consecutive win streak in the history of college football, and marked the first time in eight trips to the championship game the Raiders did not hoist the trophy.

     This year's senior class at Mount Union finished their careers with a 55-1 record, three national championships and four Ohio Athletic Conference titles.  The 55-game victory streak came on the heals of a 54-game win streak from 1996 to 1999, as the Mount Union football program has won 109 of the last 111 games it's played dating back to the start of the 1996 season.       

     A Salem Stadium crowd of 5,073 braved the 32-degree temperatures and 18 mph winds as Mount Union took the opening kickoff and drove 40 yards in eight plays before missing on a fourth and two pass at the Johnnies' 30-yard line.  The missed opportunity would turn out to be a huge play as the game progressed.

     The two teams exchanged punts before the Purple Raiders began its third possession on it's own 26-yard line with six minutes remaining in the quarter, in what would turn out to be its only scoring march of the afternoon. 

     Mount Union ended the first quarter at the St. John's goal line.  The Purple Raiders held an advantage of 109 total yards to just 19 for the Johnnies, and had the ball for nearly 12 of the 15 minutes played, although neither team dented the scoreboard.  It was the first time all season Mount Union was held scoreless in the first quarter.

First Quarter Score:  Mount Union 0, St. John's 0

     Junior running back Ricky Ciccone gave Mount Union the lead on a one-yard plunge on the first play of the second quarter.  The run capped a 13-play, 74-yard drive but the Raiders settled for just a 6-0 lead as junior place kicker George Wilders' extra point attempt was blocked.

     St. John's then put together its best drive of the game to this point, moving the ball to the Mount Union 16-yard line before senior outside linebacker Tony Buckler sacked Johnnies' quarterback Ryan Keating, causing a fumble that was recovered by St. John's, but after a loss of 19 yards, forcing a punt.

     After the teams traded punts, the Raiders moved to the Johnnies' 39 before a sack slowed the drive and then junior quarterback Zac Bruney was intercepted by Jeremy Goltz at the 27 to end the threat.  It was the first of four Mount Union turnovers in the contest.

     St. John's used the remaining four minutes in the half by moving 73 yards in 14 plays on a drive that included one two-yard scamper by Keating on fourth and one, and a 14-yard touchdown pass from Keating to Jake Theis with no time left on the clock.  Brandon Keller's extra point gave the Johnnies a 7-6 lead at intermission. 

     The St. John's score marked the first time the Mount Union defense surrendered a touchdown in the second quarter this season.  The Purple Raiders led in total yards through the first half 143 to 128, with all but 55 of the Johnnies total coming on the final drive.

Halftime Score:  St. John's 7, Mount Union 6

     St. John's Head Coach John Gagliardi hasn't won 413 games without making odd decisions so few questioned when he decided to take the wind in the third quarter, giving Mount Union the ball to start each half.  The kickoff marked the first time all year the Purple Raiders trailed in the second half.

     Neither team could do much with the football until the Johnnies began a drive on its own 17-yard line midway through the third period.  The 14-play, 78-yard march included a 15-yard completion from Keating to 2003 Gagliardi Trophy winner Blake Elliott to convert a fourth and 12 situation.  Elliott, a senior wide receiver, also lined up in the backfield and took numerous handoffs, and showed why he was named Division III football's best player with a terrific second half.

     St. John's had to settle for a 22-yard field goal attempt after Elliot lost a yard at the five on third and goal and Keller nailed the kick to give his squad a four-point lead with two minutes to play in the third quarter.

     Mount Union's ensuing drive lasted only 30 seconds as the Purple & White failed to get a first down and St. John's began its second touchdown march of the game as the quarter ran out.  Through three quarters the Johnnies had 218 total yards to the Raiders 188 as St. John's started to take control of the game.

Third Quarter Score:  St. John's 10, Mount Union 6

     The Johnnies' scoring march started slow as it took four plays to move 13 yards, but the fifth play of the drive was the biggest of the game to this point.  Elliott, lining up in the backfield, took the handoff, bounced off one would-be Mount Union tackler, and raced up the middle 51 yards, diving into the endzone to give his team a two-score lead.  The extra point made it 17-6 with 13:31 remaining in the game.

     Senior cornerback Mike Miller brought the Mount Union faithful to its feet with an electrifying 43-yard kickoff return, as he reversed his field and took the ball all the way to the St. John's 43-yard line.

     Following the return, the Purple Raiders moved swiftly to the one-yard line, converting a fourth and three at the five along the way, but could not get across the goal line on its first two tries, bringing up what would turn out to be the biggest play of the game. 

     On third down senior quarterback Jesse Burghardt tried to connect with his senior wide receiver Randell Knapp in the endzone but cornerback Mike Zauhar stepped in front of the pass and returned it the other way 100 yards to give St. John's a three score lead. 

     With nine minutes to play Mount Union picked up the pace offensively, but its last two possession ended in interceptions as the Purple Raiders finished minus four in turnover margin in the game.

Final Score: St. John's 24, Mount Union 6

     St. John's Blake Elliott was named the game's Most Valuable Player as the senior had 51 receiving yards to go along with 110 rushing yards and one touchdown.

     For Mount Union, senior wide receiver Nick Sirianni had a solid day, catching eight passes for 106 yards, but it wasn't enough as Mount Union fell for the first time in a championship contest.

     St. John's finished with 338 total yards to Mount Union's 286, as the Johnnies held the Raiders to just 91 rushing yards.

     The 18-point loss was the worst suffered by a Mount Union football team since 1989 when John Carroll defeated the Purple Raiders 31-7.  The six points scored were the fewest since a 6-3 win over Wooster in 1982.


Ric Brienza