Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, December 11, 1993 TAG: 9312110138
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
All the better to beat you with, say representatives of Rowan (11-1) and Mount Union (13-0), which meet at noon today at Salem Stadium (ESPN cable) in the 21st Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, which will determine the NCAA Division III football champion.
"The rain gods have followed us everywhere we go," said Jim Ballard, Mount Union's quarterback, who threw for a playoff-record eight touchdowns in seriously soggy conditions during a semifinal victory over St. John's (Minn.) on Dec. 4. "We've played in rain, mud, all kinds of situations. I'm confident we'll overcome it."
K.C. Keeler, Rowan's coach, said his team also has overcome its share of adversity.
"We haven't allowed anything to faze us all year," Keeler said. "We had 50-mph winds against Buffalo State [in the first round] and mud at Washington & Jefferson [semifinal]. I think we'll beat them no matter what the weather."
The Profs weren't as fortunate last year, when they were beaten in a semifinal by W & J in what Keeler described as 70-mph wind gusts.
"After that game, people kept telling us that we would have beaten them in normal conditions," Keeler said. "That's when our philosophy started to change. We realized to be a national championship team, you have to be able to play through that stuff. We were very driven by that experience."
Mount Union's 1992 season came to a heartbreaking end in a semifinal at the hands of eventual champion Wisconsin-La Crosse. The Raiders outgained the Eagles 562-265, were inside their 30-yard line eight times without scoring and never punted. Seven turnovers doomed Mount Union to a 29-24 loss.
"We felt like we could have won, not necessarily should have won," said Larry Kehres, Mount Union's coach. "As a coach, you don't have to allude to that. It's a real learning experience to come in second in the semis. They say, `Next year, we want to do better.' That holds true for both teams, I'm sure."
Ballard, who Friday received the inaugural Gagliardi Trophy as the top Division III football player, said the Raiders felt like they were the best team in the country in '92.
"Basically, we shot ourselves in the foot last year against La Crosse," he said. "That's not going to happen this year."
Ballard, who has passed for more than 4,000 yards this season, has an extra weapon in his arsenal this year. All-America receiver Ed Bubonics has returned after a year off because of a knee injury and leads the team in catches with 73 for 1,611 yards.
Keeler said he thought the Rowan defense was up to the challenge of containing the duo.
"I wouldn't want to play our defense. Our front line will get after you," he said. "I think both defenses are going to rise up and it's going to be a little closer than you think."
Kehres also expressed confidence in his defense, which has held opponents to an average of 48 yards rushing per game. The Raiders will spend the afternoon trying to contain quarterback Ed Hesson, who has passed for 2,800 yards this season but also can turn to a corps of competent running backs.
"Rowan is the real thing," Kehres said. "They can be frightening to look at because they're big. . . . We need to prevent them from catching the ball and breaking to make big plays. But I think the key to our play has been good, solid zone pass defense."
Said Hesson: "We have a great offense; they have a great offense. We're not gong to pass as much as they do, but we're well-coached and the offense just has to be patient. Hopefully, it won't come down to who has the ball last."
Keeler, who played in two NCAA Division II championship game at Delaware, has an idea of what will decide the game.
"The whole question is: Who is going to be satisfied just to get here? . . . What's great is there is going to be no tie. We don't have to wait for any polls to come out. The national championship is going to be decided today."
by CNB