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December 2006 News

Posted by Ric 12/24/06

From my family to yours... Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  And let's not forget the reason for the season! 

Posted by Ric 12/23/06

I've added a number of pictures taken by Gayle Stickley from the sidelines as Mount Union won its ninth national championship to our game story, which you can see here,  and to the game story from the Alliance Review written by Jack Weber, which you can read here.

Gayle's help with game photos has been wonderful the past two seasons and we will miss her just about as much as we will miss her son, Justen, reeking havoc on opponent's quarterbacks.

Posted by Ric 12/21/06

Here is a video highlight file of Mount Union's 35-16 victory over Wis-Whitewater in Stagg Bowl XXXIV.  The video is 7:45 in length and was put together by the webmaster of catdomealumni.com.  You can see it here.

Posted by Ric 12/20/06

I've added some audio highlights from Mount Union's national championship victory over Wis-Whitewater in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.  You can hear them here.

Posted by Ric 12/19/06

The final AFCA Division III Coaches' Poll was released today with Mount Union finishing the season where it began, as the number one Division III football team in the nation!  Capital finished third in the final poll, while Baldwin-Wallace received votes.  You can see the entire poll here.

Posted by Ric 12/18/06

Mount Union is the unanimous number one team in the nation in the final D3football.com Top 25.  Capital finished third in the final poll, while Baldwin-Wallace, Ohio Northern and Marietta each received votes.  You can see the entire final D3football.com Top 25 poll here.

Posted by Ric 12/17/06

I've added our game story of Mount Union's national championship victory over Wis-Whitewater in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.  You can read it here.

In addition, seven Purple Raiders highlight the D3football.com All-American Team, which was announced prior to the game yesterday.  The website tabbed sophomore running back Nate Kmic its Offensive Player of the Year, while Larry Kehres was named Coach of the Year.

Joining Kmic on the first-team are senior defensive end Justen Stickley, senior offensive tackle Jason Lewis, junor offensive guard Derek Blanchard and junior wide receiver Pierre Garcon.  Junior safety Matt Kostelnik and junior center Eric Safran earned Second-Team honors.

Posted by Ric 12/16/06

Mount Union scored three second half touchdowns to open up a one-point halftime lead in defeating Wis-Whitewater 35-16 before 6,051 fans, most of them Raider backers, at Salem Stadium in Salem, Virginia today.

With the win, the Purple Raiders have won their second consecutive national championship and ninth overall.

Quarterback Greg Micheli was named the game's Most Outstanding Player after completing 18 of 22 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns.  The sophomore also ran for a score and carried nine times for 42 yards.

Nate Kmic led all ballcarriers with 111 yards on 25 rushes, becoming the single season rushing leader in Mount Union College football history with 2,365 rushing yards this year.

Pierre Garcon topped all receivers with 116 yards on eight catches and two scores.  Anthony Antonucci added a touchdown reception and Matt Rees returned a punt blocked by Matt Kostelnik 34 yards for a touchdown.

Mount Union becomes the first school in NCAA Division III football history to win 15 games in a single season.

Posted by Ric 12/14/06

Mount Union sophomore running back Nate Kmic has been named to the Associated Press Little All-America Team. 

Kmic, who received second-team honors, has rushed for 2,254 yards on the season heading into this weekend's national championship game.  His rushing total is just 49 yards shy of Dan Pugh's school record 2,303 rushing yards in 2002.  Chuck Moore ran for 2,349 yards in 2001 but at that time the NCAA did not recognize playoff stats in season totals. 

The AP Little All-America Team includes collegiate football players competing at Division II, Division III and NAIA institutions.

Posted by Ric 12/13/06

I've added some audio highlights from the Purple Raiders national semifinal playoff win over the St. John Fisher Cardinals at Mount Union Stadium, which you can listen to here.

Posted by Ric 12/12/06

A send-off for Mount Union's football team will be held at the Wable-Harter Building on Wednesday prior to the departure of the team at 6:00 p.m.  The Wable-Harter Building is located north of Mount Union Stadium.   All Purple Raider fans are encouraged to attend.

In addition, the Mount Union College Sports Information Director's office has posted some quotes from Mount Union head coach Larry Kehres and Wis-Whitewater head coach Bob Berezowitz from their media conference call leading up to this weekend's NCAA Division III National Championship game.  You can read them here.

Posted by Ric 12/11/06

Mount Union junior wide receiver Pierre Garcon has been named to the 2006 American Football Coaches Association Division III Coaches' All-America Team.  The AFCA Coaches' All-America Team is one of the most prestigious honors for a player as it consists of only 25 players nationally (11 offense, 11 defense and three special teams) and is chosen exclusively by Division III coaches.

In addition, the Sports Information Director's office at Mount Union College has posted some game notes for this Saturday's NCAA Division III National Championship game between the Purple Raiders and the Wis-Whitewater Warhawks.  You can read them here.

Posted by Ric 12/10/06

Tickets for the 34th Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl will be available in Alliance Monday through Wednesday at the Mount Union College Timken Physical Education Building from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Tickets can also be purchased by phone by calling the Salem Civic Center at (540) 375-3004 beginning at 10:00 a.m. Monday.   Adult tickets are $13.00 if purchased in advance and $15.00 on game day.  Cost for students is $7.00.  The Purple Raiders will be the home team in this year's championship game and Mount Union fans will be located on the west side of Salem Stadium.

In addition, I've posted our game story of Mount Union's 26-14 victory over St. John Fisher in the national semifinals.  You can read it here.

Posted by Ric 12/9/06

Mount Union running back Nate Kmic ran for 371 yards, breaking his own single game school rushing record, as Mount Union defeated St. John Fisher 26-14 this afternoon before 3,532 fans at Mount Union Stadium in the national semifinals.

Kmic scored all three of the Purple Raiders touchdowns on runs of 64, 24 and five yards and averaged 8.8 yards per carry in the contest. 

Each team scored a touchdown on its first possession and a bad snap on a punt attempt in the second stanza that sailed over the punter's head and out of the back of the endzone gave Mount Union a 9-7 lead at halftime.

After trading third quarter touchdowns, Mike Zimmerman booted a 25-yard field goal on the final play of the third period giving the Raiders a 19-14 advantage.

Following a Cardinals' field goal attempt that was blocked by Justen Stickley, the Purple & White traveled 80 yards in nine plays, all carries by Kmic, to take a 26-14 lead with just under six minutes remaining.

The Raiders forced a St. John Fisher punt and ran out the clock to advance to the national championship game for the 10th time in the last 14 years.

The Purple Raiders will face Wis-Whitewater next week in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.  The Warhawks advance with a 44-7 win over Wesley today.

Mount Union will be looking for its ninth national championship while Whitewater is after its first.  This will be a rematch of last year's title game in which the Purple Raiders defeated the Warhawks 35-28.  The contest will be broadcast live from Salem Stadium in Salem, Virginia on ESPN with kickoff set for 4:00 p.m.

Posted by Ric 12/8/06

Mount Union sophomore running back Nate Kmic has been named the D3football.com North Region Offensive Player of the Year and Larry Kehres was tabbed the Region's Coach of the Year.

A total of eight Purple Raiders made the All-Region Team, including seven to the First-Team.  Along with Kmic, first-team honorees on offense include junior wide receiver Pierre Garcon, junior guard Derek Blanchard, junior center Eric Safran and senior tackle Jason Lewis.  Defensively, junior safety Matt Kostelnik and senior end Justen Stickley were first-team selections.

In addition, junior linebacker Matt Rees was named to the All-Region Second-Team.  The All-Region Team is selected by North Region sports information directors and the D3football.com staff.

Posted by Ric 12/7/06

The Sports Information Director's office at Mount Union College has posted some quotes from Mount Union head coach Larry Kehres and St. John Fisher head coach Paul Vosburgh from their media conference call.  You can read them here.

Also, I've added some audio highlights from the Purple Raiders regional final playoff win over the Capital Crusaders at Mount Union Stadium, which you can hear here.

Posted by Ric 12/6/06

Mount Union Head Coach Larry Kehres has been  named the 2006 American Football Coaches Association Division III Region Four Coach of the Year.
 

This marks the 11th time Kehres has received an AFCA District/Regional Coach of the Year honor, tying Penn State's Joe Paterno for the most all-time.

Kehres, who holds a career record of 244-20-3 (92%), has built one of the most successful programs in all of college football, winning 17 conference titles and eight national championships during his 21 year coaching career.

His unbeaten and number one ranked Purple Raiders enter this weekend's national semifinal against St. John Fisher in Alliance.

Posted by Ric 12/5/06

The Mount Union College Sports Information Director's office has posted some game notes for this Saturday's NCAA Division III National Semifinal versus St. John Fisher at Mount Union Stadium.  You can read them here.

Posted by Ric 12/4/06

Mount Union College placed five players on the 2006 Football Academic All-Ohio Athletic Conference squad.

Four players earned Academic All-OAC status, including junior guard Derek Blanchard, a health / physical education major with a 3.50 GPA, junior center Eric Safran, a business administration major with a 3.67 GPA, junior tailback Justin Wray, an undecided major with a 3.63 GPA, and sophomore quarterback / punter Greg Micheli, an undecided major with a 3.79 GPA.

In addition, senior tightend Anthony Antonucci was an Honorable-Mention All-OAC pick.

Blanchard, Safran and Micheli were previously named to the 2006 "ESPN The Magazine" College Division All-Academic District Four Team.

Posted by Ric 12/3/06

I've posted our game story of Mount Union's 17-14 victory over Capital in the NCAA Division III Regional Final, which you can read here.

Posted by Ric 12/2/06

Mount Union scored 10 fourth quarter points, breaking a seven all tie to defeat Capital 17-14 before 2,817 fans at Mount Union Stadium this afternoon in the NCAA Division III Regional Finals.

Mike Zimmerman's 20-yard field goal and Greg Micheli's one-yard run gave the Purple Raiders a 17-7 lead with 6:46 to go.

The Crusaders marched 60 yards in eight plays, cutting the lead to 17-14 when Rocky Pentello hit Derrick Alexander on a 42-yard touchdown pass with 5:10 remaining.

Mount Union then ran all but 14 seconds off the clock with an 11-play, 45-yard march that used 4:45, picking up three first downs along the way.

The Purple Raiders took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on an eight-yard run by Micheli.  Capital tied it in the second on a 10-yard pass from Pentello to Mike Niedzwiecki and it stayed that way until the fourth.

Mount Union finished with 330 total yards, 302 rushing and 28 passing.  Capital managed 234, -21 on the ground and 255 through the air.

With the win, the Purple Raiders will host St. John Fisher next week in the NCAA Semifinals.  The Cardinals advance with a 31-0 win over Rowan.  It is the 12th straight season Mount Union has made the Division III Final Four. 

This will be the first ever meeting on the football field between these two schools and the Cardinals first ever appearance in the semifinals.  Kickoff from Mount Union Stadium is set for 12:00 noon next Saturday.