ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, November 18, 1996 TAG: 9611190011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN STAFF WRITER
The three Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl champions crowned in Salem headline the field announced Sunday for the 1996 NCAA Division III football playoffs.
Defending champion Wisconsin-La Crosse is the top seed in the West region, 1994 champ Albion (Mich.) is No.2 in that region, and 1993 champion Mount Union (Ohio) is the top seed in the North. (Complete bracket. B5)
``We'd be pleased to have any of the three champions, but we'd like to have a new team, too,'' said Carey Harveycutter, the Salem Civic Center manager and Stagg Bowl game director. ``We don't root for teams, we root for people.''
As in, ticket buyers. The game should have plenty of those, too. As of Sunday, 2,057 had been sold locally, about 200 off last year's pace, but still a large chunk of Salem Stadium's 7,136-seat capacity.
ESPN will show the game live at 2 p.m. Dec.14.
Other than the possible returning champs, a couple of other familiar faces could reach the final two. The ubiquitous Rowan (N.J.) College is the No.3 seed in the East, while one of the Profs' opponents in the Division III men's basketball final four this year, Illinois Wesleyan, has its 9-0 football team as the No.3 team in the North. Illinois Wesleyan brought 1,000 fans to the final four.
Illinois Wesleyan is making its second playoff appearance. Ursinus (9-1) is the only first-time entry. The Bears' road from Collegeville, Pa., to the No.4 seed in the South began with a 27-0 season-opening victory over Washington and Lee.
Teams that felt snubbed after not making the field included John Carroll (Ohio), a team from the North that lost only to Mount Union, and Trinity (Texas), which was 9-0 before it lost to Millsaps 13-10 on Saturday.
Keeping with the trend of military football success this season, the Coast Guard Academy cracked the field with an 8-2 record, grabbing the No.4 seed in the East. ``We'd like to have the Coast Guard,'' Harveycutter said, ``because they would bring a band.''
The playoffs begin Saturday with each game kicking off at noon. Tickets for the Stagg Bowl are available at the Salem Civic Center box office or by calling 800-288-2122. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for fans high school age and younger.
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