Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, December 12, 1993 TAG: 9312140287
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
The Purple Raiders capped an undefeated football season with the NCAA Division III championship, beating Rowan, N.J., 34-24 in the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl.
The 7,304 fans who braved the 30-degree temperature, snow flurries and a whipping wind were rewarded with an impressive offensive performance by Mount Union and quarterback Jim Ballard, who passed for 387 yards and three touchdowns and ran for one.
Mount Union finished 14-0 and set eight playoff records, including four individual marks by Ballard.
"This is by far the best [game] of my career," said Ballard, who Friday received the inaugural Gagliardi Trophy as Division III's player of the year. "The individual accomplishments are nice, but nothing can compare to this. This is all I've wanted since I came to college - a national championship."
Rowan (11-2) was intent on making the Raiders work for the accomplishment, racking up 307 total yards - 177 passing and 130 rushing. The Profs' 24 points were the most scored all season against Mount Union, which posted five shutouts.
Rowan entered the game averaging 208 yards rushing per game. The Profs were led Saturday by Calvin Easley with 40 yards on seven carries.
"The way we have to play in [the Ohio Athletic Conference] is to stop the run," said coach Larry Kehres, whose Mount Union defense had held opposing teams to an average of 48 yards on the ground. "We've been strong against the run all year."
Easley also led Rowan in receptions with five for 36 yards, including a touchdown.
Ed Hesson, the most prolific passer in Profs history, was 20-of-32. His 8-yard scoring strike to Easley with 12 seconds left in the third quarter and the ensuing conversion kick put Rowan up 24-21. It marked the first time this season Mount Union, Sports Illustrated's preseason No. 1 team, had trailed heading into the fourth quarter.
But Ballard, who threw five passes for 110 yards in the first half to tight end Rob Atwood, responded in the fourth quarter with precision passes to Ed Bubonics.
The wide receiver finished with 158 yards on nine catches, including eight in the second half.
"This is the greatest feeling in the world," said Bubonics, who missed last season with a back injury. " . . . In the first half, they were pretty tight on me. I think they concentrated more on [Atwood] and getting to [Ballard] in the second half. They had to open up somewhere."
Ballard completed 28 of 45 passes, including nine to Atwood for a total of 160 yards and two touchdowns. Atwood had a Division III-record six touchdown receptions in the playoffs.
Linebacker Rob Rodgers, who had nine tackles for the Raiders, intercepted a Hesson pass in the fourth quarter to set up Atwood's second touchdown, on a 13-yard pass from Ballard.
Mount Union's quarterback had the wind - which gusted to 35 mph at times - with him in the final quarter. He connected with running back Jim Gresko on a 2-yard touchdown pass two minutes into the period. Gresko had 10 catches for 69 yards and led the team in rushing with 70 yards on 24 attempts.
Ballard added a 2-yard touchdown run with five minutes left to put away the Profs.
K.C. Keeler, Rowan's first-year head coach, said the loss made the Profs' season one of "unfulfilled dreams."
"Unfortunately, we couldn't control the intangibles, what kind of day [Ballard] would have. . . . [Ballard] is the kind of kid who has great athletic ability and strength. And their kids did a good job getting open," Keeler said. "We played hard, we always play hard. We got beat by a better team today."
Said Kehres: "Rowan had the best athletes, but we had the best team." \ 1993 AMOS ALONZO STAGG BOWL\ RECORDS BROKEN OR TIE\ \ Total points, championship tournament: Mount Union 160 (40 vs. Allegheny, 30 vs. Albion, 56 vs. St. John's, 34 vs. Rowan). Previous record: 159, by Ithaca, 1988.\ \ Total passing yardage, championship tournament: Mount Union, 1,268 (347 vs. Allegheny, 192 vs. Albion, 342 vs. St. John's, 387 vs. Rowan). Previous record: 1,247, by Mount Union, 1992.\ \ Total passing completions, championship tournament: Mount Union, 92 (26 vs. Allegheny, 16 vs. Albion, 22 vs. St. John's, 28 vs. Rowan). Previous record: 87, by Hofstra, 1990.\ \ Touchdown passes caught, individual, championship tournament: Rob Atwood, Mount Union, 6 (4 vs. St. John's, 2 vs. Rowan). Previous record: 5, by Ithaca's Nick Ismailoff, 1991.\ \ Passing yardage, individual, championship tournament: Jim Ballard, Mount Union, 1,251 (347 vs. Allegheny, 192 vs. Albion, 325 vs. St. John's, 387 vs. Rowan). Previous record: Jim Ballard, 1,247 in 1992.\ \ Passing attempts, individual, championship tournament: Jim Ballard, Mount Union, 141 (40 vs. Allegheny, 28 vs. Albion, 28 vs. St. John's, 45 vs. Rowan). Previous record: Tied Union's Brett Ross, 1989.\ \ Passing completions, individual, championship tournament: Jim Ballard, Mount Union, 90 (20 vs. Allegheny, 16 vs. Albion, 26 vs. St. John's, 28 vs. Rowan). Previous record: 80 by Union's Brett Ross, 1989.\ \ Passing touchdowns, individual, championship tournament: Jim Ballard, Mount Union, 17 (5 vs. Allegheny, 1 vs. Albion, 8 vs. St. John's, 3 vs. Rowan). Previous record: 8 by Union's Brett Ross, 1989.
by CNB