Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, December 9, 1994 TAG: 9412100030
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ANDREA KUHN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
And then there's the Szczypinski Rule of the Washington & Jefferson football team:
If it's not amputated, you can play.
The decree is named for Matt Szczypinski, a senior defensive tackle who is in Salem this week preparing for the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. W&J (11-1) will face undefeated Albion (Mich.) on Saturday at noon at Salem Stadium for the national championship of NCAA Division III football.
The 6-foot, 228-pound Szczypinski, who was named to the Division III All-America team on Thursday by the American Football Coaches Association, knows pain. He's had three surgeries on his left knee in the past three years, the most recent of which was four weeks ago.
Szczypinski had arthroscopic surgery five days before the Presidents opened their playoff run - and has yet to miss a game.
``I've been in college football for 32 years and I've never been around anyone tougher,'' said W&J coach John Luckhardt. ``His demeanor belies what he really is.''
And that's a quiet city boy from Pittsburgh who enjoys hunting and fishing, scored 1300 on his Scholastic Assessment Test and carries a B-plus average in biology.
``He's definitely the leader on our team,'' said W&J running back Jake Williams. ``He's not necessarily a vocal guy, but he does what it takes on the football field.
``He's an animal.''
The goateed Szczypinski, one of 10 finalists for the 1994 Gagliardi Trophy for player of the year in Division III, said he simply doesn't let pain stand in his way: ``I just try to block it out and not think about it too much.''
NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED: Albion running back Jeff Robinson also was chosen All-America on Thursday, as was Carey Bender, winner of the Gagliardi Trophy.
Robinson has rushed for 1,598 yards this season, an average of 128.5 per game for the Britons. He's only the second Albion player to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons and holds school records for career rushing yards (3,087), touchdowns (44), rushing touchdowns (39) and total points (264).
Robinson had a streak of 20 consecutive games with at least one touchdown broken last Saturday in the Britons' semifinal victory over St. John's (Minn.).
DOUBLE-DEALING: Albion quarterback Kyle Klein throws the football with his right hand. But when the sophomore suits up for baseball, he's a southpaw.
``I've always been left-handed,'' said Klein, who this year has become the first Albion quarterback to throw for 2,000 yards in a season. ``But when I was a kid playing baseball, all that we had were right-handers' gloves.''
But Klein admits he experimented in high school games throwing with both arms. He'll try it occasionally in Albion's practices, but not in games.
DEJA VU: For W&J's Matt Johnson, the excitement of an NCAA tournament should be very familiar.
The senior defensive back was a member of the Presidents' basketball team that advanced to the quarterfinals of the Division III tournament last season.
Johnson earned all-conference honors in the Presidents' Athletic Conference and has more than 1,000 career points in basketball.
HORNUNG SPEAKS: Paul Hornung, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, is the featured speaker today at the Championship Awards Luncheon at the Salem Civic Center. The program starts at noon. Tickets are $15 and available at the civic center.
by CNB